In the near future BIM will be the standard in design and construction. Over the last 4 years, BIM has been getting a lot of traction in the professional world as it allows engineers to coordinate work together and give contractors an accurate representation of the building they will be building. However the major detriment to using BIM is the complexity and the time that comes from this modeling and teaching engineers how to use it correctly.
Their are many pro's to using BIM for design and construction. The first is that it makes coordination possible between disciplines. In the past when drafting in AutoCAD or free hand the Electrical, Mechanical, Fire Protection, and Structural Engineers would all be vying for the space in the ceiling grid. This left huge head aches for the construction crews trying to understand how to run ducts, conduits, and pipe in a small space. Another positive is the ability to update the system and have other supporting systems update automatically. A good example is the structural and architectural aspects of the building. When you design a wall it will attach to the adjacent wall so that if one changes the connected one will change as well. This is also used in mechanical and electrical systems and is a powerful tool to allow for updating important systems. However this can also be annoying when you want to adjust one part of the system and the rest of the run wants to self update as well. Finally the use of BIM makes visualization of the space much more realistic. When 2D drafting is used it is difficult to get a sense of scale in a floor plan however with 3D views and walk-through functions in addition to renderings the space comes to life.
However BIM has a few cons that make it difficult for many engineers to get used to and therefore takes much more time than originally intended. The first disadvantage is the sheer size of the program that are being used. Revit uses computing power that is reserved to some of the best computers on the market. Thus it is difficult for many companies to use Revit because they do not have access to technology on par with the software. Furthermore the file sizes of the projects are huge and take a long time to load and navigate around even with the correct computers. Another issue that arises is the transition of most engineers to this program from AutoCAD. Many of the commands are different and not as user friendly as other drafting programs and the time it takes to train engineers in these new programs is not happening as fast as it should be. Finally the hardest part for most engineers is having to make up for the program's shortcomings. There are many times when you know a system will work in a space but the program will not allow you do it. A prime example is when you are trying to connect conduits in 3D but the elbows are not the size that the program will allow or the fittings on your control panel are not the same size. This is extremely frustrating and takes a lot more time than a typical 2D diagram would.
Comments:
I was really interested in how other people examined the different topics. Steve (http://ae-510-ay13-14.blogspot.com/2014/01/week-4-bim-makes-engineers-work-easier_28.html) had a very similar understanding to how BIM will make engineers lives easier with the use of parametric modeling and the use of programs that will cut time out of the design process
Mike (http://ae-510-ay13-14.blogspot.com/2014/01/week-4-bim-will-improve-buildings.html) on the other hand talked about how spaces will be more accessible and easier to navigate through with the use of BIM. Additionally, he talked about how it will allow engineers to collaborate in a way that will save time, energy, and money over the long term.
Sources:
"Computer Technology in the Practice of Structural Engineering." STRUCTUREmag. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
"Construction and Maintenance with BIM." Construction and Maintenance with BIM. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
Yes, there are some major cons of using the BIM programs, but once this software can be mastered by the engineer, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by a huge margin. The ability to cooperate between different systems, and create more precise models with fewer errors are some of the advantages that are worth the difficulty of mastering theses types of programs.
ReplyDeleteMatt: I liked how you talked about both the positive and negatives of the BIM system but I'm not sure which side you chose. I do understand the pitfalls of using a BIM program but when I looked at the question I thought of BIM in a personal use frame of mind. What I mean by that is I understand that moving from CAD to BIM is frustrating but I believe that once BIM takes over and it more widely taught in schools it will become like a second language. But very nice post, very well written and insightful.
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