If you fail to plan, as what the old saying goes, you plan to fail. Just like with anything else, a structure cannot be put into place without planning first not only how it should look like but what are the other details that it needs to have. This would include the dimension, the material that would be used, and the placement of each structural piece. In the past, most architects and civil engineers make use of a 3D CAD program in order to come up with these details. Unfortunately, by itself, the 3D CAD is only able to indicate how the structure would look like. This means that, whoever would be looking at the model would have no idea what the actual measurement would be or what material would be used. It is in situations like these that BIM Modelling can prove to be particularly useful.
BIM Modelling, or what is more accurately known as Building Information Modelling, can be considered to be an improved version of the 3D CAD. Elmasry typically provides this kind of service to cinemas, manufacturing companies, and construction companies. In some cases, building owners would also commission companies like Elmasry to come up with a BIM in order to help them make the needed decisions when it comes to the building’s impending demolition.
In order to appreciate a BIM, however, one must first realize what it is all about. Not many people may know it but the concept of BIM actually first came about in the 1970s, although the term itself was first officially used only in the 90s. BIM makes use of objects in order to come up with the final design. These objects are vague which allows for better manipulation by the designer. With a BIM design tool in place, designers can pull out different views of the structure, which could, later on, be used in order to carry out specific decision. In some cases, designers also make use of a more advanced version of BIM design tools in order to specify non-object details. These details could indicate the exact dimension of the structure as well as what type of materials would be used. The designer could also indicate whether a schedule has been set regarding the placement of the said structure.
So how does Elmasry go about creating a Building Information Model? First things first. Before the design is started, we have to make sure that all parties involved have indicated what type of information they would like to see from the BIM. This would make it easier for the project managers, later on, to start planning without having to constantly rely on the designer. Once all the needed information has been submitted, we would start creating the plan. Since delegating this to only one person can be time-consuming, each section would be assigned instead to a specific person who can make use of BIM design tools in order to come up with the structure’s model. Project engineers can then make use of more advanced tools in order to tweak the design before putting everything together.
