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  • Think Future: Building for Resilience in the face of climate change with Ryan Colker

    With a lifelong passion for the environment, and an interest and curiosity for the world around us, Ryan has spent his working life looking for opportunities to influence and improve the world in which we live. Through policy and education Ryan drives progress across the building, construction, and manufacturing industries to create great places and spaces for people and communities with sustainability and resilience in mind. Today, as the Vice President for Innovation for the International Code Council, and Executive Director of the Alliance for National & Community Resilience, Ryan is influencing industry on the importance of holistically assessing and improving their approach to building for resilience in the face of climate change. Click here to listen now

  • Leaning into the best technology

    Client: WSB Location: U.S.A. VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: Infrastructure Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk Civil 3D, Autodesk BIM 360, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk InfraWorks, Autodesk Plant 3D OVERVIEW: WSB are headquartered in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. We have between 500 and 550 employees. We have engineers and land surveyors and landscape architects, of course, but we also have some unique roles: environmental scientists, pipeline inspectors, visualisation specialists and many more. As far as projects are concerned, we’re often involved in street reconstruction design, construction inspection, land-surveying activities, master planning for parks, water-quality projects, traffic studies and many more. We’re a full-service firm, and we strongly believe in forging relationships with our clients—partnerships really—as we work together to build what’s next in infrastructure. CHALLENGES: As a firm, we truly believe in leaning into the best technology we can to support our clients and their endeavours. Part of that solution is Autodesk and their products. In that journey with our clients, we are sometimes faced with new challenges. One of those challenges came in the form of a renewable-energy project we were part of recently—a solar project. If you think about a solar farm and picture the solar panels, they’re elevated above the ground. Those solar panels need to be placed at least 3 feet above the ground, but not more than 5 feet, so part of the design process is analysing whether or not that condition is true, whether or not that tolerance has been met. And anybody can do that if they’re using any kind of civil engineering software. The tricky part is designing the corrective grading that helps fix the problem when it’s not in tolerance. You can’t really do that dynamically. So sitting in the office one day, thinking about this problem, I decided it might be worth a try to leverage computational design to solve this problem in a dynamic format. So I called U.S. CAD, and we had a conversation about computational design and some of the inputs from my project, some of the factors. They were able to help us develop a solution that took us through the computational design process and allowed us to dynamically build grading models that achieved the solution our client required. SOLUTIONS: The backbone of our design program here at WSB—for our municipal and land development and landscape architecture teams—has been Civil 3D. We’ve been using that for a long time. But as we’ve continued to work with our clients, we’ve realised the need to enhance our abilities in the way of collaboration, visualisation, stakeholder feedback, and more, so we’ve started to leverage additional components of the Autodesk AEC collection, things like BIM 360, Navisworks, Plant 3D and Infraworks. Those tools have really helped us grow as a company, and they’ve helped us support our clients in some pretty incredible ways. BENEFITS & OUTCOME: As we look back in time, month over month, project over project, year over year, we continue to grow in efficiency. We continue to grow in quality. We’ve increased our level of collaboration. We’re able to communicate designs more effectively. We’re able to mitigate risk more clearly and easily by developing robust models. We’re able to take that information, and hand it off to experienced field inspectors and senior engineers, and they’re able to do “constructability” reviews on the designs and solutions we’re putting together to ensure there aren’t conflicts when we go into construction. I think that’s really important.

  • Steinberg Hart transforms network to foster improved collaboration, creativity and connection

    Client: Steinberg Hart Location: U.S.A. VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: Cloud & Construction Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk BIM 360, Autodesk Revit OVERVIEW: Best known for its design of structures that connect with community, Steinberg Hart has become an internationally recognized name. California projects such as the two-tower MIRO mixed-use residential project in downtown San Jose and the 200-room boutique Thompson Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles reinforce that reputation. The full-service architecture firm achieves these creative yet practical visions with considerable help from technology for inspiration and visual interpretation as well as communication of those ideas. When technology advancements threatened to slow the creative and collaborative process, the company partnered with U.S. CAD to ensure platforms and applications continued to enable, not inhibit, innovation. NETWORK EVOLUTION: The rapid evolution of BIM and interoffice collaboration in the last five years has been a steep learning curve for many in the industry including Steinberg Hart. Gautam R. Shenoy joined Steinberg Hart as the BIM/VDC Director in 2016 to help resolve the emerging disconnects. “At the time, a majority of project data was shared across a distributed team located in multiple offices, primarily in California. At the time, communication was based on a wide-area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN), which meant the status of projects and even the timeliness of data shared was compromised between offices because of speed limitations.” One of Shenoy’s first tasks was to expand the use of Revit Server. “We scaled up the capability of the servers and the number of projects that were hosted,” he adds. As a foundational tool for work sharing, Revit Server supported project collaboration across a WAN. It brings models together from Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Revit MEP, and Autodesk Revit. Through it, multiple team members can access and modify models at the same time. THE CLOUD CONNECT: By early 2019, Steinberg Hart needed to prepare for another technology shift that would require some outside expertise. “One of the tectonic shifts in our practice has been the transition from network-based project environments to the cloud,” Shenoy explains. “Starting in early 2019, we were seeing a growing demand to use Autodesk BIM 360 web-based applications to streamline communication from our customers and partners. While we had the BIM 360 platform, we had some growing pains with regard to application of it. We did not have the expertise or required network infrastructure on the front end to facilitate the transition." A MEASURED APPROACH: U.S. CAD training and education plans are custom developed to suit a company’s unique processes, platforms and people. “U.S. CAD is particularly strong in delivering effective change management training procedures and practices to help team members become proficient on more advanced platforms with speed and clarity,” Shenoy says. “It’s a very measured methodology.” In this instance, Shenoy and Lamont took a project-by-project approach, training individual project teams, rather than the entire office. The first training exercise met with a Los Angeles-based team.” During this two-hour long class, U.S. CAD technical experts stepped through tools and techniques within the BIM 360 platform that team members could then easily apply to their specific projects, once they returned to their desks. “We hit the ground running in these sessions because it’s truly on-the-project learning,” confirms Shenoy. When asked why the training is customized to the specific project, Shenoy believes the benefits are twofold. One it’s the best way to build acceptance and therefore encourage adoption and two, every project has unique specifications. “One of the things that can get lost in today’s digital conversation is the variety of project delivery procurement systems,” says Shenoy. A design/build has a completely different set of parameters and requirements as compared to a design/bid/build. As well there are unique regulatory agency requirements. Drawing sets have to be put together with different levels and degrees of completion to meet the criteria of that specific job. ENGAGED AND CONFIDENCE: The broad adoption of BIM 360 is evidence of a growing confidence in the tools and the platform. When Steinberg Hart teamed with U.S. CAD in 2019, the company had one project on BIM 360. Today, they have 10. As well, the company has jumped from 5 seats to 75 seats. “Our people are meeting benchmarks on a timely basis,” Shenoy adds. “And we’re seeing more engagement. For example, our project managers are typically platform agnostic, but in the last six months, they have begun to ask whether they should use BIM 360. To me, that awareness shows that they understand the potential advantages.” The next training session will focus on features and functionality of computational design. For this area, U.S. CAD will help in identifying customized modules to develop and foster learning for each level of capability: new, experienced and advanced. Current events such as the coronavirus pandemic, are shaping new directions for the Steinberg Hart team to communication and collaborate.

  • Capturing Reality: One firm’s laser focused investment in scanning reaps big rewards

    Client: Schemmer Associates Location: U.S.A. VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: AEC Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk BIM OVERVIEW: As an architectural, engineering and construction services firm, Schemmer Associates prides itself on creative and collaborative relationships to design with purpose and to resolve problems. The firm is best known for its comprehensive scope of services that range from design to construction administration across many market segments in the public and private sector. Maintaining its high standards of service has required an investment in technology— from building information modeling (BIM) in the office to survey solutions in the field. Recently, the firm incorporated 3D building scanning into its design workflow, with some enterprise-wide benefits. The scan-to-BIM workflow was initially perceived as a faster way to assess as-built conditions and speed design processes— and it does. However, with some forethought, it’s turned into much more, as the. firm has found ways to put point clouds to work to strengthen existing and build new client and contractors relationships. AS-BUILT ADVANTAGE: The idea to add scanning to the Schemmer workflow initially came about as a potential benefit to one of its primary services—space utilization assessments where knowledge about as-built conditions is essential. In recent years, the company has been involved with more than 40 of these assessments along with concept development projects in 18 states at more than 140 site locations. The need to collect as-built conditions quicker and more accurately caught the attention of Joshua Murphy, the BIM/CADD Manager at Schemmer. Murphy is responsible for managing the firm’s hardware and software deployment. When laser scanners emerged as a way to digitally capture existing conditions versus more traditional site visit recordings and paper documentation, he was intrigued. Murphy says, “I had seen the Leica BLK360 laser scanner while attending Autodesk University a few years ago. I asked our U.S. CAD partners about the value of 3D scanners to support design work. Within a few days, they brought one to one of our job sites to demonstrate the potential benefits.” U.S CAD and Schemmer Associates have partnered for more than five years with U.S. CAD providing Autodesk software, Bluebeam software, and training and consulting services in addition to reality capture and laser scanning services. In the scan-to-BIM process, a laser scanner is used to capture an accurate 3D scan of the real-world conditions on a project. The scan data is then imported into a 3D modeling environment to create either accurate as-built models or to inform the design with the real world conditions. The Schemmer demonstration with U.S. CAD involved the scanning of a mechanical room to support a system redesign. BUILDING BUY-IN: The cost of professional laser scanners gives many business owners pause—and Schemmer was no exception. Murphy adds, “It’s a big commitment and we needed to get buy-in across the enterprise—from leadership to IT to the end users. We sat down with a U.S.CAD panel of experts to really look at how the laser scanning can be used in our business and to understand best practices. They helped us storyboard 8-9 ways that we could use the scanner across our project workflows.” To build buy-in, Schemmer rented the Leica BLK360 scanner for a year as a way to evaluate benefits. He and his team also took the time to better understand data management and storage requirements. “Point cloud data can’t sit on a standard project network drive—it’s just too much data to store and requires significant computing power,” Murphy explains. “We had to work with our IT group to spin up a separate network, backups and multi-office accessibility.” ON AR EDGE: Over the last two years, the scan-to-BIM workflow has become an integral part of near every project that includes as-built conditions. “It’s part of our toolbox on renovation projects,” says Murphy. “We even bought accessories such as lights and a telescoping tripod that allow us to use the scanner in hard-to-reach places such as ceilings and below the floor.” It’s also been a great tool for client collaboration. He points to a recent project where scanning was not part of the proposal, but there was a concern about whether the in-slab heating coils were to specification, specifically the length of the coils. Murphy continued, “With scanning, it’s easy to take a look at the point cloud and measure the coils and related piping. In this case, the images clearly documented as-built conditions and the corrections that needed to be made.” He says, “Scanning has become such an integral part of our toolbox, that our goal is to have someone in every department able to use it. Right now, we need it so much that we often look to our U.S. CAD partners to support scanning on projects.” Moving forward, he would also like to take advantage of augmented reality (AR). Murphy concludes, “I see the day very soon when we’ll be able to view a model or point cloud in the field using AR goggles to verify work completed or resolve issues. For now, the scanner and the scan-to- BIM workflow has paid for itself over and over.”

  • MCL Construction leverages Autodesk Construction Cloud to improve project and performance

    Client: MCL Construction Location: U.S.A VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: Cloud & Construction Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk BIM 360 OVERVIEW: Omaha, Nebraska-based full-service firm MCL Construction manages 180 full-time employees and an average of 80 projects at any given time. The company specialises in health care, religious and academic buildings, including new construction and remodels, but prides itself on taking projects of all sizes. Since its inception in 1987, MCL has shown continuous growth and innovation to remain at the top of the industry. The company was an early adopter of the Autodesk BIM 360 Field platform, part of Autodesk Construction Cloud, and initially implemented the original version of Vela Systems.. MCL wanted to leverage all of the program’s features while getting more of its employees and subcontractors to use it. That’s when they turned to U.S. CAD to help with training and expanding their use of Autodesk products. SUPPORTING TRAINING: U.S. CAD led three days of training, going module-by-module with MCL’s project engineers and project managers to show them how to create projects in BIM 360 and set up checklists to standardise and streamline processes. They also implemented the management software, which required additional executive training to increase usage. The U.S. CAD-led training highlighted data analytics and the overview module to focus on company-level reporting, so executives could see high-risk trends, activities and what was going on with projects, giving them a clearer understanding of the business as a whole. MCL used the overview module to track the completion of safety and equipment-inspection checklists daily. Executives learned to gauge how projects were being managed through the module, which helped them find ways to improve efficiency and understand which contractors had a better record of delivering quality projects safely and on time. U.S. CAD also brought in an Autodesk representative to sit in on the trainings to offer additional support and tips for using the software. STANDARDISATION: Over the past three years, MCL has experienced significant growth, adding many projects and personnel. For a company whose volume is spread over more projects, standardisation of processes and data creates significant gains in efficiency. Before 2018, the company only used BIM 360 Field on a handful of projects. When BIM 360 expanded from field to include project management functionality, MCL used the opportunity to standardise their software and centralise data and processes. Prior to implementing BIM 360 across departments, MCL had a lot of variance in access to project documentation. BIM 360 helped MCL improve access to drawings through the cloud and gave everyone 24/7 access to projects from any location. The platform offered project managers better standardisation of tools such as safety checklists, equipment-maintenance reports and other information about each job. IMPROVED ACCESS TO DATA: BIM 360 also improved MCL’s access to data and ability to review projects. The history functions for documents, requests for information and issues improved records, enabling the company to analyse data across projects to identify best practices to improve efficiency. Tapping into U.S. CAD’s expertise, MCL has been able to harness the power of data insights and translate this information to projects across contractors and subcontractors. Having the data isn’t enough; executives need specific training to help them understand how to manage the business with improved insights. Partnering with U.S. CAD enabled MCL’s leadership team to quickly gain value from the software investment. COLLABORATION: Using the BIM 360 platform also has helped improve collaboration, particularly with subcontractors and design partners. MCL uses the software to collect data or assign tasks such as: Tracking manpower through daily logs Submitting punch lists to create a single source of data Creating equipment checklists and records Assigning issues to subcontractors and tracking the progress OUTCOMES & BENEFITS: MCL continues to leverage its relationship with U.S. CAD to increase adoption of BIM 360 products across internal departments and with partners such as architects, suppliers and project consultants. As longtime BIM 360 users, they work with the company to provide feedback and continual improvements to the offerings and functionality. Because BIM 360 is interconnected with many other management tools, it’s been easier to integrate with others’ systems. Having all the information in one place creates a comprehensive record of the project across the project life cycle that can be shared with clients after completion. Benefits of using Autodesk and working with U.S. CAD include: Data centralisation Risk mitigation Improved issues tracking Clear communication and collaboration Projects delivered on time and on budget Comprehensive project information to pass off to clients Improved business insights and data analytics Comprehensive support and training from U.S. CAD

  • How Hermanson Company leverages technology to expand services and streamline operations

    Client: Hermanson Company Location: U.S.A. VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: Cloud & Construction Autodesk Solutions: Auto CAD, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Recap Pro, Autodesk Civil 3D, InfraWorks, Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro OVERVIEW: No two construction firms have the same requirements, and requirements oftenchange, but Construction Technology Director Matthew Cordova knows what keeps his projects competitive. “Autodesk tech is our lifeblood here,” says Cordova of Hermanson Co., a Kent, Wash.- based firm specializing in mechanical systems construction, design-build engineering, lean fabrication and maintenance services. Far from being a static endeavor, adoption of Autodesk and other solutions is a dynamic process that requires regular evaluation, Cordova says. It means that, despite accelerated industry use of project management and associated softwares, demand for these solutions won’t slow down any time soon across architectural, engineering and construction sectors. Instead, demand will compound, especially as new tech proves its worth at firms such as Hermanson, where Cordova ensures software is leveraged to boost performance and profitability. The firm’s technology partner is U.S. CAD, which provides it with reality-capture technology and production services including coordination and Revit modeling, as well as guidance on Autodesk construction technology solutions, training and implementation. BENEFITS: Easier remote working. It empowers team members to work remotely from home or the field. “BIM 360 allowed anybody with an internet connection access to a central model, and that was a big deal during COVID,” Cordova notes. “We were able to work remotely without skipping a beat.” Improved visualization and coordination. It combines laser scanning, GIS and QR codes and other data to create robust views of project layouts, which helps to show design intent and convey that clearly to stakeholders. This can streamline approvals during design and later be used during training and to support building maintenance. Optimised clash detection and deviation analysis. It helps avoid costly field issues by identifying potential problems. Next-generation clash detection tools use design intent, layouts and other components. Also, deviations between installation and shop drawings can be measured and compared, using laser scanning and other data sources. Automation and accuracy. Automating routine and repetitive tasks allows teams to focus on more strategic tasks. It updates floor plans, elevations and sections as models develop, as well as ensuring a single source of truth for stakeholders. Paperless sites. It accelerates the path to paperless, with a cloud-based solution that stores all documents centrally. “Our shops can see what they are putting together in 3D via Autodesk Forge Viewer, which, for me, is one step closer to going paperless on the construction site,” Cordova says. FIVE FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING TECHNOLOGY: Ease of use - If the solution is too difficult to use or doesn’t meet the firm’s specific needs, there won’t be a good return on investment. Legacy data migration and integration - Legacy data is a gold mine of Institutional knowledge, so a new solution must support those file formats and be scalable and easily updated. MultiCAD data - A new solution should support the tools and formats already used at the firm. Training requirements - Some training is required for any tech adoption, but it is expensive to have staff offline for too long. Control and security - Advanced technology enables version control, edit history tracking and access only to those who need it. Carefully reviewing these factors will build in-house expertise and confidence in chosen solutions, which will help to build buy-in among stakeholders, create a customized technology strategy and keep systems up to date. “There’s never a cruise control button,” Cordova says. “We’re going to use a given solution, for example, for the next three years, but not just how it is today. You’ve always got to be tweaking the software so it works for you and things like security patches are current.” U.S. CAD’s cloud-based offerings update automatically and are easily customized, but it’s up to users to ensure staff members know their needs and how to use the systems. U.S. CAD offers virtual and onsite training to get teams ready to use the software fast. .

  • How a Minneapolis construction firm adopts technology strategically

    Client: Knutson Construction Services Location: U.S.A. VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: Cloud & Construction Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk BIM Collaborate, Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD, Autodesk Navisworks, Autodesk Point Layout OVERVIEW: While the industry was a slow adopter initially, innovative firms have begun approaching technology adoption more strategically. Popular solutions are seen as dynamic elements that are key to economic survival. That’s why Knutson Construction created a virtual design and construction division focused on identification and successful adoption of technology. A full-service construction firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Minnesota and Iowa, Knutson is an example of a firm that is redefining its relationship with technology. Katie Montag leads the virtual design and construction division. “The focus before I joined was on coordination and clash detection. That was our bread and butter,” Montag says. “To stay relevant and to continue growing, we needed to expand beyond that. A large component of my role is being able to be looking forward and looking out to what’s next and what we can leverage to get ahead of the curve. It’s unpredictable and changes every day, but that’s where we want to be positioned so that we don’t have to be reactive.” Knutson’s technology partner is U.S. CAD, which provides the firm reality capture technology and production services, including coordination and Revit modeling, as well as guidance on Autodesk construction technology solutions, training and implementation. This year, Knutson moved to Autodesk Build, a collaboration and project management system. ASSESSING SOLUTIONS: Montag’s mission is to expand Knutson’s services and leverage building information modeling and other software to boost productivity and to reduce risk. Essentially, Montag assesses a solution’s potential return on investment, but “that doesn’t necessarily have to mean pure dollars,” she says. “An investment could make us more efficient with our time or enable us to expand into new markets or earn a new client.” Promising solutions are given a proof-of-concept trial run on a project within Knutson. Project teams say what’s working, how easy a product is to use, how accessible it is on-site and remotely, and ways to improve it. This real-world testing also lets the firm identify potential benefits for clients. “We’re finding that we’re solving for problems people don’t necessarily know they have yet,” Montag says. “It’s gratifying to show an improvement in a process that they didn’t understand was an issue.” Knutson’s robust due diligence ensures each investment generates strategic value. IDENTIFYING BENEFITS: Returns on coordination solutions can be relatively easy to realize, especially on complex projects such as healthcare systems and buildings. On healthcare projects, “we leverage BIM Collaborate to make sure that we have all of those systems in place and make the data and visualizations available for training on the owner’s side,” Montag says. “After handover, they retain all of that information that they can now use for monitoring the building or scheduling maintenance.” Because the software is in the cloud, the data can be continually used and maintained. While useful on its own, this solution can also foster a longer-term relationship with the client. Coordination and visualization also are improved with solutions that, for example, deploy QR codes and use laser scanning. For example, Knutson is a self-performing concrete contractor. Coordination is crucial in this scheduling-intensive activity. The firm has improved the process by using laser scanning before a pour to assess flatness. “We can grab a tape measure and pull one dimension, ... or we can laser-scan and pull thousands of dimensions at one time,” Montag says. CASE STUDY: Knutson used Autodesk BIM Collaborate on two buildings for Minnesota’s Rochester Public Schools to deliver a better experience. The platform upgraded communication and coordination, providing the firm and the school district access to coordination models on iPads. “We all know people speak in pictures, and when you have clients less familiar with building and looking at plans, we use the model to help owners make decisions and to visualize them,” Montag says. In addition to seeing the project more clearly, stakeholders can use visualizations to predict building management and maintenance. “Facilities managers love to walk through that model and get excited to start using 3D modeling on their end as well. That’s a turning point,” Montag says. Giving owner-operators easier access to project data improves customer service, helps Knutson differentiate itself and improves project handoff. ENCOURAGING ADOPTION: But staffers have to use the solutions to realize their benefits. When Knutson deploys software, the virtual design and construction division brings it to the site and works with project teams face to face. The division also offers one-on-one and group training on the solution, rather than relying on self-guided learning. “You have such a varying degree of generations in the workplace. Understanding their challenges and pain points is key,” Montag says. “We make sure that they understand the function of the software, how to use it and, if they have a problem, how to solve that. ... When we roll it out, we stick with it. If you throw it out there and walk away, that adoption rate goes down significantly.” Build relationships with project teams. Invest time in vetting solutions. Stay engaged to track issues and opportunities during deployment. Support staffers with training. Helping clients embrace technology requires focusing on soft costs and expected savings, because those areas are where interests often lie. “We work with the clients so they see the value of that technology,” Montag says. “Maybe we can open the project faster. Maybe we can reduce changes so you don’t have to pay for a change order.” The conversations are getting easier, Montag says, because “after a year of being remote and very digital-based, everyone is much more familiar with the terms and the benefits.” That’s one reason the industry is ripe for the type of holistic, strategic adoption of technology seen at Knutson. People are ready for it. As a result, strategic implementation of solutions such as BIM has power to improve transparency, optimize workflows and increase profitability across the sector.

  • Parallel technologies partners to deliver fast-track comprehensive security solution

    Client: Parallel Technologies Location: Global VinZero Partner: U.S. CAD Industry: Development & Integration Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk Revit OVERVIEW: John Ray, Design and Estimation at Parallel Technologies, knew his team would need some help to meet the tight project timeline. “This facility is about six times the area of the previous projects that we’ve done for this client. It’s also more complex requiring a multi-phase construction approach all in an abbreviated timeline of 10 months.” Along with large scope and scale, the security systems had to be fully designed in Autodesk Revit to facilitate clash detection. “While we have Revit experience, the scope and timeline of this project was such that we knew we needed to bring on seasoned talent to help us,” says Ray. After evaluating top BIM services companies, Parallel Technologies selected U.S. CAD. Ray notes, “We had little margin for error or delay. We needed a partner with the ability to scale quickly and easily. From the first meeting, the highly trained U.S. CAD BIM production staff demonstrated a depth of experience and knowledge as well as the availability to help us meet this deadline.” 2D TO 3D EASE: The first step was for the U.S. CAD team to translate Parallel Technologies’ 2D designs from both AutoCAD and PDF into a 3D Revit model. These designs incorporate comprehensive combination of access control, surveillance, and redundant low voltage communications system. One of the earliest challenges in the design and development of Parallel Technologies’ 3D model was the limited library of security solutions. “Parallel had some good content that they were able to provide, such as equipment racks,” recalls Maggie Terry, BIM Engineer with U.S. CAD and lead on this effort. “Additional content either came from manufacturer content from the Axis plugin for Autodesk Revit or, in some cases like with security monitors, we developed from scratch. When it was possible, I tried to incorporate Revit families from manufacturers that Parallel Technologies typically specs out.” The team also added custom parameters to the camera “family” to allow for lens information and each camera had a unique identifier that was included in the equipment schedule. Camera identification in an elevation view can be vital during the installation process. Terry says, “In a plan view, you see the same tags, but the mounting height information is lost, so the elevations views with those same tags puts placement in perspective.” 3D INTERACTION: The 3D model provided almost instant value. Early on in the design, Parallel Technologies and U.S. CAD team sorted space throughout the data center into five custom color-coded Security Zone Maps using Revit space tools. Security Level 1 - Bio In / Bio Out Security Level 2 - Bio In / Card Out Security Level 3 - Card In / Card Out Security Level 4 - Card In / Rex Out Security Level 5 - No Access Control Since every piece of equipment, de-vice and fixture was modeled into a five-page equipment schedule, Ray was able to utilize the embedded data within those elements to create sched-ules. All schedules used a security closet as a control room that was fur-ther broken down and linked to other rooms and doors within the building. The Security Zone Maps allowed Parallel Technologies to also communicate to the client the security level of each specific room or pathway, which can be easier to read than a schedule. BENEFITS: One of the biggest benefits of using Revit over AutoCAD is that a Revit model is of course, the 3D perspective. On this project, the architectural team utilized BIM 360 Team to coordinate each disciplines’ Revit models. Through this site, each member of the data center project team had a live link to every model that was referenced in their own model (e.g., mechanical could see electrical design). This virtual connection greatly streamlined coordination as nobody had to wait for manual email or shared site updates. For instance, the architect designed a data center lobby that was entirely encased in glass walls, which creates challenges when it comes to mounting cameras. Ray confirms, “This was a very effective tool that we used in the initial design review to visually represent the layers of the security system. The client was able to provide quick feedback for us to adjust as needed. If not for the Revit model, we would be walking the entire site “door by door” to explain the design.” With the modeled security elements including support structure Ray and his team were able to show the client the challenges of an all glass system. He adds, “Because of different profiles in the architecture of the building, control joints in the concrete panels, and other services entering in the building the most ideal place for placing the cameras were not always feasible, but with the elevations and we were able to come up with solutions that wouldn’t compromise the ability of the security cameras to do their job.” The Parallel Technologies team was also able to adjust security room parameters. These rooms become the centralized location for all things related to security, communication and monitoring which results in the room being undersized. Of course, one of the biggest benefits of 3D modeling is the ability to ‘see’ how mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems come together throughout the building. “With the U.S. CAD-developed 3D model, we were able to quickly identify and communicate issues to the owner, the architect and the contractor,” Ray said. “In particular, we were able to model the network pathways along corridors and show how those conduits and cables fit share space with MEP and fire protection.” Ultimately, the Parallel Technologies/U.S. CAD team met the imposed deadline for the Phase 1 security solution. The same model can now be utilized to finish out the other phases of the project as well as to support future BIM coordination that may be needed. Ray concludes, “This was a big win for us – both in terms of meeting the client’s schedule, and for our BIM education and advancement. We learned a lot from this project and know we have a trusted partner to help us continue our 3D evolution.”

  • Optimising visual project planning with Navisworks

    Client: Yara Location: Global VinZero Partner: Cadline Industry: AEC Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk CAD Electrical, Autodesk Vault Professional, Autodesk Fusion 360 Manufacturing Extension OVERVIEW: Yara Technology and Projects (YTP) main focus is to develop Yara operations, support Yara's vision to feed the world and deliver roadmaps and projects towards climate neutral solutions. With so many projects being Worldwide, Yara needed to evaluate constructability issues that may arise during projects. Yara use Microsoft Project and Primavera to set up project schedules, material availability and often face the challenge of getting the required tools to remote locations. PROJECT GOALS: Yara’s overall goal was to ensure that projects were built on-time, by managing materials, tools and manpower sometimes in challenging locations. Whilst Project management software can pull together build sequencing, it doesn’t offer a visual tool. Often, non-technical users such as on-site colleagues and customers, find it difficult to grasp or understand what is going on in the project at a specific time. They needed a solution that could help them deliver a 3D, visual tool, or animation, that would clearly define the build time sequences. This would allow them to plan material delivery, installation, and handover more effectively. SOLUTIONS: After reviewing their issues and what they wanted to achieve, we identified Navisworks as the best overall solution. It can take in Project Management data and synchronise with the CAD 3D model allowing true 4D planning. The overall benefit of 4D planning in construction projects is the awareness of time-related clashes in advance, instead of encountering them on the construction site. However, the underlying motive to use 4D planning is slightly different in every project. In addition, every project encounters different challenges, phases, and objects. We then developed a training course using Navisworks Manage, aimed at achieving the 4D simulation process. Users needed to understand the tools within the application to meet their goals, however there is additional functionality within the software that would be useful. For example, navigation and walk-through simulations for clients, in house reviews, and project coordination meetings. BUSINESS OUTCOMES: A significant improvement in design efficiency by empowering users to be able to review their designs using 4D simulation prior to manufacture and delivery of materials eliminating delays in the project, rework, and wasted critical produce. The success of the programme has allowed us to work with the team at Yara YTP to identify more areas for improvement when using their existing Autodesk technology and to introduce additional design and collaboration technology within their business. CONCLUSION: Our specialist expertise with Navisworks uniquely positioned Cadline as trusted advisors where we were able to identify the root of their issues and came up with a solution that helped them integrate multiple data sets from different sources. Due to Cadline being part of a global CAD solutions provider, we were able to offer bespoke training on an international level in multiple continents. We continue to provide guidance, support, and training to Yara YTP as new potential processes are identified.

  • Driving innovation in design and engineering

    Client: Will Bridgman Location: UK VinZero Partner: Cadline Industry: Manufacturing & Data Management Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk CAD Electrical, Autodesk Vault Professional, Autodesk Fusion 360 Manufacturing Extension OVERVIEW: Warren Services is a Norfolk-based family-run engineering and manufacturing business, employing 115 people across two sites. Its capabilities extend from dynamic head water jet® cutting; EDM wire eroding and laser profiling to computer numerical control (CNC) milling and turning, through fabrication and finishing and electrical assembly and testing. Warren Services is proud of its record of providing high-quality manufacture of components and mechanical/electrical sub-assemblies to agreed schedules, offering turnkey solutions in engineering and design. Autodesk software has long played a key role in its processes and workflows. The company initially took the decision to self-learn and implement the technology itself, using its own internal resource but, over time, ongoing engagement with Autodesk partner, Cadline, has paid dividends in ensuring Warren Services gains optimum value from its investment. WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE RESULTS: Warren Services’ Chairman, Will Bridgman decided to work with Cadline, following a recommendation from a business contact. He was immediately impressed by the expertise the company had in Autodesk software and its ability to understand the industry challenges his company was facing. Cadline initially ran a project to review data and process management in engineering and hosted an interactive Mural discovery session with key stakeholders to capture existing challenges and priorities within the business. This process revealed that Warren Services needed to improve the management of its engineering data and to revision and version control project files as well as improving remote access to data via cloud hosting. It also identified a need to reduce the time taken to deliver projects and documentation; more securely manage access to data and its controlled release to manufacturing teams, and to automate the production of engineering data in multiple file formats. SCOPING THE SOLUTION: Many of these challenges are addressed through the Autodesk software and optimising the way it is used. Warren Services uses Autodesk® Inventor® for general design and analysis and to take design ideas through to the manufacturing side of the business. The company also makes use of Autodesk® AutoCAD® Electrical for designing electrical systems for machines the company develops for its customers. Moving on to engineering, Warren Services uses Autodesk Vault Professional to manage project data, and Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle to support the digitisation of engineering processes. The teams on the shop floor extract data from models in Fusion and use it for their computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programming. Fusion is also fundamental to the computer numerical control (CNC) machining side of the business. All the data used in Autodesk Inventor is managed through Autodesk Vault Professional, which is hosted in the cloud by Cadline. That’s in line with Warren Services’ push to move to a more flexible browser-based way of working, in which compute power is in the cloud and people can work from anywhere on any device. Bridgman said: “ideally we want our work to be in the cloud using clean, open and well-documented APIs. And we want it to be browser-based. It won’t happen overnight, but we are moving to that way of working. That’s the journey we are on.” REAPING THE REWARDS : Warren Services was quick to buy into the vision that Autodesk Fusion supported. Bridgman said: “I believe in Autodesk’s approach to building a common user interface for the whole Fusion side of the business. Autodesk is adding functionality to it all the time. You can see how Fusion is going to develop and that is a story I really like.” Bridgman also pays tribute to Cadline’s role. “The quality of the training delivered, and the way in which Cadline set up and configured the system has really supercharged the adoption of new tools for us,” he said. All works were successfully completed, despite having been conducted from start to finish through the lockdown period. “We were delighted with the technical experience and expertise that Cadline brought to the table and the training and support they have delivered,” he added. “We wish we had done this sooner because we could have been up and running in weeks and months rather than years.” LOOKING AHEAD: Cadline has continued to be open and transparent about what is coming downstream from Autodesk, sharing details of the latest Autodesk Fusion 360 updates for example. Warren Services is now looking to start using Fusion on CNC turning in addition to CNC milling processes. Cadline is putting in place training for Warren Services’ turning team. It also plans to ask Cadline to run training for managers in how they can use Fusion to efficiently develop fixtures in their own areas without burdening the design office. It is also now looking to enhance integration and ensure that Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical and Autodesk Vault work seamlessly together to make the whole process even more streamlined. “We are also excited as a business to be working directly with Autodesk on machine probing; measurement, inspection and data extraction,” added Bridgman. Moving forwards, Cadline sees its role as being an advisory partner, developing a best-in-class process and workflow for Warren Services to the point where it can create a digital end-to-end story, based on standard Autodesk tools out-of-the-box, precisely configured to its environment. Warren Services has a real commitment to the Autodesk technology and actively investing in it. And with Cadline by its side, the manufacturing business is already reaping the rewards.

  • Cadline and Autodesk help set the stage for Triple E design success

    Client: Lucy Edelstein Location: London UK VinZero Partner: Cadline Industry: Manufacturing & Data Management Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Vault OVERVIEW: Triple E products are the industry standard across the globe and the company provides a complete end-to-end service from consultation to installation, primarily targeted at design and production teams in the world of theatre and cinema. The company also carries out one-off live event projects. Triple E’s in-house precision engineering facilities enable it to meet challenging bespoke customer requirements. The company, which has specialist expertise in theatre, film, TV and events is the exclusive European distributor of ModTruss™, the world-renowned universal construction system. Today it uses design and storage software solutions from Autodesk, notably including Autodesk Vault product data management (PDM) software, delivered and supported by IT systems partner, Cadline to meet optimum standards of quality design. AN EVOLVING PARTNERSHIP: Cadline was introduced to Triple E because of the work it has carried out with the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House and the Welsh National Opera amongst other projects. Cadline has worked extensively in this area, deploying and supporting design tools used in set and stage design, theatrical lighting and schematic development, for example. Triple E was therefore keen to engage with Cadline and the two companies met to review Triple E’s design and data management process. The focus was on evaluating how Triple E operates from the beginning of a project through to delivery as well as understanding all their pain points and challenges throughout that process. Cadline focused on identifying key areas of improvements that could be made to the way designers at Triple E were managing and sharing their project data across internal and extended teams. In addition, as part of its review, Cadline captured the time and cost of existing manual effort to help identify potential gains from any proposed solution. In order to quantify the manual effort expended by Triple E in managing its data, Cadline created an online survey for its client’s design team, which was completed to capture activities and challenges from its existing data management process. ASSESSING THE PROJECT GOALS & FINDING A SOLUTION: In delivering a solution for Triple E, Cadline looked to address all the issues above and to deliver a robust data management environment for both design and associated project files which could be controlled through the business. That, in turn, would help Triple E drive efficiencies across the design process, and support a much more inclusive collaborative process with internal and external stakeholders. Cadline has now implemented several seats of Autodesk Vault Professional, data management software that connects distributed teams at Triple E. This is enabling the designers to manage their project files and their CAD content robustly. It allows the design team at Triple E to work together efficiently, and it ensures information is captured in one place and manages the release of information downstream to the rest of the business. Triple E is also leveraging Autodesk Vault Office, easy-to-use data management software that enables non-CAD users to access read only project data, helping them manage and share all project-related data from a central location and become part of the review and approval process. BENEFITS AND OUTCOME: Triple E has reaped the rewards of a close relationship with Cadline. It has received in-depth, high-quality training from the Autodesk Platinum partner. Knowing that Cadline is available as and when required to answer support calls also delivers enhanced peace of mind. Lucy Edelstein, Managing Director, Triple E, said: “Working with Cadline has been a rewarding experience. The training was of excellent quality and they have been quick to respond to any queries that we have had. Since working with Cadline and using Vault, Triple E has saved so much time. “We no longer have to constantly go off and find parts that need to be referenced. Today a drawing that someone is working on can now be accessed by any other person if they have the right permissions. So, we no longer have that issue where somebody is working on a drawing and they go on holiday and nobody can find it. That’s been helpful also.” LOOKING AHEAD: Triple E is now working hard to get the optimum value it can from the Autodesk software solutions. As Edelstein states: “Our design engineering team is now working hard on getting our product archive, including back catalogue and current drawings, into Vault, so they are all there and all updated and we don’t have to reference them individually every time”. “Ultimately, every single project we do will be stored within Vault including part files drawings, PDFs and any word documents associated with those,” continues Edelstein. “We also use it to generate images to go into its working manual. Anything that needs to get drawn or modelled in the company now goes into Vault”. “Moving forwards,” she adds, “we are focused on getting our standard product library into the solution and making sure everyone is using the viewing and sharing capabilities of the Vault Thin Client software to access the drawings they need. We are currently upskilling the rest of the staff in that regard and, with Cadline’s help, getting everyone fully up to speed. Autodesk Vault is already an integral part of the company and its role is likely to grow still further in the future.”

  • Implementing BIM standards and a common data environment for a global engineering consultant

    Client: SWECO Location: Global VinZero Partner: Cadline Industry: AEC Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk CAD, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Autodesk Vault OVERVIEW: SWECO is one of Europe's leading architecture and engineering consultancies, carrying out multidisciplinary projects in 70 countries annually across the world. It has a substantial presence in the Netherlands, delivering major projects for the public and private sector. The technical leadership within the Netherlands division identified BIM as a catalyst for growth and standardisation as well as the opportunity to provide new services to a broader range of customers. The team were already highly proficient at using Autodesk’s BIM technology to deliver customer projects but identified a need to adopt industry standards such as ISO19650 and a Common Data Environment (CDE) to ensure that the project information it delivers to its customers meets the highest standards. SWECO engaged Cadline to conduct a top-down review of its readiness to gain ISO19650 certification as well as provide a robust CDE infrastructure. PROJECT GOALS: The main goal was to introduce a framework for delivering projects using BIM in a structured and highly collaborative manner and would meet the information management requirements of a broad range of clients. The framework should be compatible with the newly released global BIM standard, ISO 19650, such that it could be successfully audited and certified by a recognised auditing body. A key part of the standard, and a priority for SWECO, was to establish a Common Data Environment to store, control, share and report on project data. The CDE should support the current design workflows whilst applying the controls around access permissions, modelling naming and project status that the standard requires. SOLUTIONS: As well as providing guidance on best practice for delivering BIM projects, developed through supporting our customers in the UK, we delivered specific workstreams related to process documentation and establishing a Common Data Environment. Supported by John Jansson, the Head of Technology at SWECO, we supported an ambitious programme of change within the organisation which required us to deliver the project in a relatively short timeframe. Along with our specialist partners we provided support to the team throughout the successful ISO 19650 Gap Analysis and Audit carried out by the BSI. This led to SWECO achieving BIM stage 2 certification in the Netherlands. We implemented the CDE based on Autodesk Vault and customised functionality, developed specifically for the project workflows at SWECO. BUSINESS OUTCOMES: SWECO Netherlands became the first engineering consultancy in the Netherlands to achieve the ISO 19650 certification following a successful audit of its BIM processes by the BSI. As lead consultant on this project, we worked with SWECO to develop its people, processes and documentation to support a fully digital delivery capability. The certificate has become the international standard for the management of information over the entire lifecycle of an asset through the adoption of digital construction workflows. The audit itself is a rigorous assessment of an organisation’s ability to deliver BIM projects to the ISO 19650 framework. The framework supports well-structured processes for managing of project information including exchanging, recording, versioning and organising for all project stakeholders. CONCLUSION: Since their ISO 19650 certification, SWECO has reported it is now able to successfully deploy ISO 19650-compliant data models within four weeks - a process that had previously taken up to six months. They have also published 10% efficiency savings on project programs and up to 30% in interdisciplinary review processes due to improved information management. SWECO's success has been recognised by the Advancements in Project Delivery Award in the Bentley Year in Infrastructure Awards.

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