How to Import Point Cloud through Archicad and Vectorworks

Point cloud is a set of data points in some coordinate system. In a 3D coordinate system, these points are usually defined by X, Y and Z coordinates which often represent the external surface of an object. It can be produced with three-dimensional scanners. The measurement with laser scanners and working with point clouds offer many advantages. If there is a good preparation in terms of hardware and software the organization can achieve a good result.

Hardware Specification: i7 processor- (64 bit or equivalent), internal memory- Min. 8 GB (16 GB preferable), True Colour display adapter 1 GB RAM, Minimum 101 GB HDD space (after saving point cloud viewer and installation) and 64 bit operating system (windows 7, 8....). For large projects the system will function more slowly than smaller point clouds. So it is essential high configuration machine for doing larger point clouds. Also need a good quality 3D scanner.

At American Institute of Architects Convention 2015, two leading BIM software developers Nemetschek’s Vectorworks and Graphisoft’s ARCHICAD announced that the software users will be able to import laser scan point cloud data very soon. Autodesk’s Revit was the first software to introduce this feature with its 2012 version. Now there are more upgraded options available in BIM platform, so let’s watch how it will affect the industry and users.

It is a great opportunity for Vectorworks and ARCHICAD users to get the ability to verify and model existing conditions more easily. Nadia Anis, Principle Architect with Ferrari-Moe, LLP Architects | Engineers in San Rafael, California uses Vectorworks in practice and has been a great promoter of bringing laser scan data into her projects since the inception of the technology. She said that the ability to bring the point cloud directly into their modelling software will be a tremendous advantage for them. Ferrari Moe has vast experience working on heritage projects as Nadia does, also serves as the Chairperson on the U.S. Institute of Building Documentation’s (USIBD), Heritage subcommittee (www.usibd.org).

Mr. Sean Flaherty Nemetschek Vectorwork’s CEO said their goal is “to bring back design to architects”. He also stated “this construction industry has to change by using the same technology as manufacturing. Prefabrication favours software. Building a product that’s ready for this is the future.” Nemetschek Vectorwork’s CTO, Dr. Biplab Sarkar supported Mr. Sean’s word.

“How the software users being able to visualize point cloud data submit a real way for designers to model without difficulty and affordably with more accuracy than before. It helps making modelling and referencing data much easier.” - Dr. Sarkar describes. The latest version of Vectorworks alias Vectorworks 2016 will be released on coming September. It will be the first version of Vectorworks to support point cloud data.

This is great news for professional that works with ArchiCAD 19, Graphisoft’s upgraded BIM software. It has the capability to perform easily, efficiently and quickly with various types of architectural BIM models ranging from design to implementation. ArchiCAD 19 can be applied to draw a point cloud in ArchiCAD. The point cloud and ArchiCAD can be interlinked through a software program called Points4BIM. So, it becomes possible to deal with point cloud as well as landscaping. Graphisoft has introduced the concept of tabbed workspaces which work in a very similar way to tabs in a web browser, but each tab contains a workspace. This makes it much easier to flip between sections, model view and drawing view.

Image Courtesy: aecmag.com

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.bimoutsourcing.com

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BIM can enhance project visibility by providing 4D scheduling

The accurate construction schedule can efficiently communicate the project plan among team members for the successful completion of the project.

Now-a-days BIM is an inheritant part of construction scheduling. BIM can be integrated with construction scheduling to facilitate 4D scheduling. Thus BIM assists to communicate the project plan visually in respect of the timeline to the project team prior to the commencement of actual construction.

A large project involves many stakeholders. So it is very important to schedule the whole project in order to bring out the amount of material, number of labors and possible expenditure. BIM Outsourcing helps them in the project management by providing the BIM model with lots of usable information. A proper sequence helps them to track and analyze any problem and detect conflict and mitigation.

BIM can be utilized to provide 4D (scheduling integration) and 5D (cost/productivity and resource loaded estimating) capabilities for the completion of project cycle and generating synergy among existing systems.



By connecting the CPM construction schedule to the BIM, the 4th dimension of time is added to the model. This leads to a virtual construction simulation facilitating a graphically wealthy and animated representation of the planned construction sequence set against time. The project controls capabilities are also developed. The project managers get the ability to focus their resources by highlighting the critical path activities inside the model.

4D schedules are a influential tool for design and engineering documentation and analysis, phasing, more accurate cost estimating, optimized means and sequence of work, invoice reconciliation with work complete on-site, on-site production control with the Superintendent and the Subs, design intent and construction plan, an information rich as-built model for facilities management, well organized trade coordination and communicating planned work to the different kind of audiences as well as project stakeholders and those directly liable for project execution.

With the help of 5D construction scheduling, precise bills of quantity are generated, which can be utilized for amalgamating cost and schedule. This leads to incorporate estimators, cost managers, and planners into the scheduling process.


Advantages of BIM for construction scheduling :-

• Lessen and or eliminate costly delays which can affect your construction schedule.
• Facilitates communication with your subcontractors more competently and successfully
• Organize procurement orders to make the delivery of key materials in time
• Assists for executing the construction activities in time
• Enhance the responsibility between the project owner, general and subcontractors
• Enhance project visibility, increased profits, reduced costs, faster cash flow and earned value reporting

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Business Development
rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)

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BIM steamline the design process for engineering firms

Engineers can apply BIM process in design stages and couple it with better project delivery options to automate much of the design workflow. This can lead to improvements in engineering design and product detailing productivity. Thus engineering firms can reap the benefits of direct cost reduction.

BIM can minimize errors, curtail lead times and improve information flows to support logistics.

With the help of BIM Civil engineers should be able to develop design for most complex buildings today. BIM is being implemented in the planning, design, construction, and asset management of civil engineering projects. Civil engineers get the ability to adopt data collection, collaborative design, and digital data sharing.

BIM technology help architects and engineers to create a 3-D model of a building or structure which will be used for analysis and design to make the design process very simple.

BIM facilitates optimization of the design regarding function, time, and cost and virtually build the infrastructure to attain coordination prior to commencement of actual construction on a site. The construction sequence is rationalized.

The single, real-time model and user-specific views allow much superior interrogation of design and precise, synchronized documentation of everything is available for engineering project.

Civil engineers get the ability to sequence construction, equipment, and materials and track advancement against logistics and timelines set up by application of laser scanning for up-to-date as-builts.



BIM generates component-based construction models that lead to the virtual construction, sequencing, and operation of infrastructure toward the planning and design stage. BIM caters for design optimization to evaluate and distinguish various approaches to sustainable designs with correlated lifecycle costing.

BIM empowers the Engineers to quantify the value of trade-offs among the building elements (structural, electrical, mechanical) and reduces the inconsistencies connecting these elements which may result in energy savings.

With BIM engineering documents are mechanically coordinated, eliminating errors and omissions, which can lead to better-engineered buildings delivered on time and on budget. BIM based 3D modeling process accelerate the design stage providing substantial advantages in accuracy and complication. These models are able to effortlessly design and manage multifaceted air handling, electrical and plumbing systems, the widest selection of components and materials with an supplementary capability for generating cross sectional diagrams to be produced and customized parametrically. 3D models can also be utilized to easily create exact and coordinated 2D versions.

BIM collaborates immaculately across disciplinary borders in shared multi-disciplinary models. In brief, Engineers get advantages during efficient processes, improved collaboration, more informed decisions, accelerated understanding of the building elements and improved data quality and data efficiency.

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Business Development
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Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)

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Validate your design with BIM based clash detection and constructability reviews

BIM or Building Information Modeling plays an important role for design coordination, clash detection and conflict resolution.

BIM selectively check for interactive clashes among any particular system, between MEP system and structural system etc. Clash checks are carried out at any level of detail (LOD) and across any number of building systems to resolve myriad probable construction dilemmas.

Clash Detection facilitates well-organized inspection, identification and reporting of interfering clash in a 3D-4D BIM model involving different 3D-4D solid objects.

The coordinated models may be utilized for quantity takeoff, locations, scheduling, and estimating.

Advantages:

• Diminish the risk of human error throughout model inspections
• Resolve dilemmas at the design stage sooner than the construction phase when rework is enormously expensive
• Produce a collaborative atmosphere amid all stakeholders performing in the direction of geting the best potential solutions to bottlenecks
• Helps to reduce the risk of on-site error
• The Coordinated models generate more precise quantities by location; do a comprehensive clash
• The coordinated models cause more off-site prefabrication which can save hours of re-work in the field
• The buildings are oriented and designed to achieve optimal energy efficiency

 

Process

Design/Construction Team must accomplish and manage an adequate and comprehensive Clash Detection practice to identify and resolve all major interferences among building components become the commencing of actual construction. If the building interference is found to be zero then it will result in minimizing the number of changes all through the construction.

The BIM Manager will accumulate a compound model from all of the model parts of each design discipline for executing a visual check of the building design for spatial and system coordination. Vertical shafts are also evaluated to make sure that ample space has been arranged for all of the vertical mechanical systems and that all of the shafts line up floor to floor. BIM manager will issue a revised clash report to the technical discipline consultants before each scheduled coordination meeting.

In case of a multistory project, the models are spilt on a level-by-level basis for MEPF coordination. For a large project the model is split by zones to trim down file size. Usually, 3D clash detection/coordination go on with a single floor awaiting for coordination of building systems and then continues on the next floor up.

Coordination software may be applied for assembling a range of design models to electronically recognize, collectively coordinate resolutions, and track and circulate interference reports between all disciplines. The technical disciplines shall be responsible for updating their models to reflect the coordinated resolution.

The team should analyze the model and the Clash Reports in coordination meetings on a usual as-needed basis during the design stages until all spatial and system coordination issues are resolved.

All through the construction phase, the accurateness of fabrication models are verified. Before starting fabrication submittal for approval, fabrication contractors must put forward their models to the Contractor’s BIM Manager for integration and clash detection/coordination and resolution.

Internal Clash Resolution – Design Consultants and Subcontractors required to coordinate the clashes among the various scope of work earlier than providing those models to the BIM Manager for spatial and system coordination.

Spatial Coordination Verification: Verification and tracking of resolved conflicts of all trade coordination issues must be resolved before the starting of bidding as these may lead to change orders or field conflicts.

Latest innovation in clash detection system is Tekla BIMsight. It is a free clash detection and coordination product.

Useful links :-

BIM clash detection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTGquTcmScU

 

Coordination and Clash Detection

http://www.vicosoftware.com/coordination-and-clash-detection/tabid/88208/Default.aspx

 

Minimum Requirements for Spatial Coordination and Clash Detection

http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/bim/BIMGuide/applications.htm




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Business Development
rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)

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BIM provides a great benefits to Structural Engineering Firms

Now-a-days structural engineering firms are extensively adopting BIM platform with Revit Structure, Tekla Structures, and Bentley Structural to dramatically improve the processes of design and analysis. Theoretically, the architect generates the model with the application of BIM software, bypasses it on to structural engineer who runs it in an “external analytical engine.” The model is “brought up to dated” back in BIM, which is then employed for completion of the project.

BIM can be utilized for structural analysis design and detailing, structural drafting on all major structural engineering projects ranging from reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, steel and composite structures etc.

BIM facilitates a wide array of structural engineering & modeling services like structural steel detailing, shop and fabrication drawings, construction drawings, erection layout, anchor bolt layout, stairs and handrail, grating and platform, foundation layout, rebar detailing, post tension slab detailing, wooden structure detailing, prefabricated structure detailing, water retaining structure detailing, bridge detailing, structure design and analysis, structural drafting, RC design and detailing.

BIM benefits for structural engineering

BIM can make an evolution in structural building types with scheduling and fabrication. Curtain wall, steel and precast concrete can be fabricated and assembled offsite in shops from the BIM with computer controlled equipment.

The contractor can utilize BIM to harmonize the components for "just-in-time" delivery and installation exclusive of significant site storage and handling.

Structural engineers can apply BIM to get the detailer’s model along with the paper shop drawings to apply as a tool in organizing and recording their comments. This in turn diminish the engineer’s time and attempt in evaluating shop drawings and decrease the overall fabrication process for owners by allocating fabricators to receive the engineer’s comments in digital models.

Centrally manages the geometry information in the individual models to aids interference detection and change control.

BIM can be applied to improve multidiscipline coordination of structural design documentation, minimize errors, and enhance collaboration between engineering and architecture teams.

BIM can speedily model several structural variations and work with the design team to choose the best. Early BIM prototyping can also lower subcontractor costs.

BIM can improve schedules due to better coordination between trades. Clash detection and coordination can reduce non-discretionary change orders that would otherwise come up.

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Business Development
rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)

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BIM provides real world vitual modeling

A building information model (BIM) authoring program is applied to create a highly detailed 3D model of selected parts of your project for representation of the proposed design to fine tune the construction process. This is called virtual mock up and it facilitates the project team to examine a complex materials intersection in virtual environments.

Virtual Mock up is performed before the completion of the design to learn proposed construction details, test for performance, explain the appearance of the final structure, save time, reduce risk, and validate design and work through constructability challenges..


The project team members apply it as a communication tool for meeting the design and reviewing the finished construction.

Recent development in virtual modeling permits the creation of virtual mock-ups for facilitating scale visualization and navigation.

In a virtual mock-up, the detailed 3D geometry of a virtual prototype is viewed in combination with an immersive virtual environment (IVE) to evaluate a design for

Form and fit
Logistics
Human factors integration
Feasibility analysis

The application of virtual prototypes and formation of rational computer generated images is often quicker, cheaper, and a more useful means to observe preliminary design results than physical prototypes, and frequently allows review of more alternatives.

Video presentation

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BIM and Coordination Drawing

Coordination drawings are mainly developed for sheet metal contractors, electrical contractors, mechanical contractors, and mechanical engineering consultants.

BIM generates the coordination process that takes individual 3D trade, architectural, and structural drawings to construct one comprehensive model integrating all trade models for the project. Later on a clash report will be created identifying all the clashes and conflicts between trade systems through a process of computerized collision checking and reporting until all trades are fully coordinated.

This ensures that there is sufficient space for piping, duct, fire protection, and electrical to be installed without collision, inconsistencies, errors and field coordination problems.

Once the design team resolve all spatial conflicts and the structural, architectural, MEP, and Civil systems are entirely coordinated, each consultant will give detailed coordination drawings of their respective systems fully annotated with dimensions (to column lines, to steel, elevations, etc) for submission to the Architect / Engineer of Record for review and approval. The fully coordinated model will be treated as reference model and be reviewed by the project team to coordinate compliance of fabrication models with design intention. Then these models shall be updated in a well-timed manner to reproduce design changes in the field.

Accurate coordinated drawings facilitate the construction team to get rid of RFI's, rework and wastages and create well-organized construction planning.

Steel fabricators and mechanical contractors have been utilizing BIM effectively for directly linking coordination drawings to fabrication processes.

BIM Coordination Guidelines

Now BIM is being utilized as a team concept by establishing a common understanding of what has to go into the model when it shifts from the design team to the construction team. This feature of BIM will lead to huge cost and time saving. Besides building conflicts can be easily found & fully coordinated and highly efficient buildings can be produced at significant cost savings.

There are design-review tools with unequal BIM platforms that maintain strong teaming environments and share the project vision among all stakeholders. The result comprises less risk for the team, the client, and the authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), over and above safer, more effective structures for the owners and occupants.

In an integrated project delivery system the architect apply a BIM model; the (MEP) engineers contain a BIM model; and the structural engineer and other consultants may apply BIM as well. Then the contractor may utilize the model for phasing and sequencing the work. Major suppliers like the structural steel fabricator may utilize it to detail and fabricate building components. If possible, these “authoring tools” must be interconnected with the same applications or “flow” from the originating architect/engineer’s or owner’s BIM model.

Contractors and construction managers will have to assess the costs of various execution processes and deliver the results to owners and design teams in quantyfiable terms.

The 3D information should be distributed to the project team with accuracy. As for example if a designer presents an analysis model or 3D front wall rendering to supplement the design documents and the designer has stated that the analysis or rendering model cannot accurately show all aspects of the geometry, the designer should not be held liable in case a detailer pays no attention to the warning and supports the geometry on the supplemental model or rendering.

Design teams should allocate all available electronic information with the entire project team. Structural analysis models should be part of the design contract.

The designer should not compromise with the quality of the information. As for example, if the geometry or the load cases in a design model are partially inaccurate, this must be conveyed and documented with others. Additionally, the source of the correct information must be provided in the design documents.

To extend the most excellent process for the project team, the designers should appraise the submittal procedure and work with the rest of the project team. No extra liability should be put up on any single member by the project team and the communication should be smooth.

As the leaders of construction coordination, contractors and construction managers have a responsibility to encourage and facilitate the sharing and distribution of BIM technology on a project. They must also understand and convey the nature of the information that is being shared. Appropriate contract language that will foster the open sharing of BIM information must be developed. The contract language cannot alter the relationships of the project team members or change their responsibilities beyond their ability or what they are licensed to perform.

Design teams should assess the information required to execute code enforcement checks and permitting. All the project design and constructions are well-matched with community safety and smooth the progress of community development. The designers will always be in a position to accept new formats for demonstration of a project’s fulfillment with specified standards.

Owners should accept the responsibility of the costs related with BIM. Owners will have to be familiar with the additional deliverables (such as final as-built models) that constitutes added services.

Subcontractors convey the explanation of the design intent to the Design Team. Their work must be coordinated with that of other subcontractors by sharing the electronic information they have developed in file formats that can be utilized and combined with the work of others. They must support their software vendors to extend file formats to instantly exchange between the various trade subcontractors. Subcontractors also must ensure that all parties understand what they will supply as part of their contract and what will constitute additional work.

To get the full integrated BIM technology, software vendors will build up methods for the various project team to put in and maintain the data with regard to the specific characteristic of the project inside their responsibility. In a word the software industry should always contain the interoperability.

BIM should provide modification with the advancement of the design to incorporate the rising levels of detail characteristic of the various design stages—from schematic to construction documents at the suitable point in the design course.

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Business Development
rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)

BIM Coordination Meeting

BIM coordination meetings with all the subcontractors on a project can handle and virtually resolve Constructability Issues before they are identified in the field. The Constructability Issue can be promoted into RFIs with an "assignment" property.

In a coordination meeting the project team members can drive a model within a BIM software to view all the clashes and problems before they arise. Prior to each scheduled coordination meeting, project team will issue an updated clash report to measure the development of coordination, analyze conflicts and help facilitate issue resolution. This facilitates all the subcontractors to coordinate with each other and settle all the problems ahead of next week’s BIM meeting.

Each of the subcontractor’s detailers will get together to get an overview of BIM projected onto a common screen. All recognized clashes will be published with NavisWorks and as changes are made during the meeting to determine clashes, on the individual detailer’s computer, the modifications will be uploaded into NavisWorks to validate conflict resolution.

The weekly Coordination meetings are organized to deal with difficult areas that not yet coordinated among the various trades themselves. At these meetings, the resolution will be cooperatively agreed upon and a trade will be identified as having to “move”. This trade will fine-tune the individual model and repost it for the next week’s meeting. All trades are liable to bring up to date and post the changes agreed upon at the meeting with-in 1 week after the coordination meeting.

Unless and until all spatial and system coordination issues are resolved the project team will evaluate the accumulated design model and the Clash Reports in coordination meetings on a regular as-needed basis during the design stages.

With this standing meeting and set agenda in place, the project team will be well coordinated with an effectual workflow that will help all the project stakeholders to take the full advantages of BIM.

Effective collaboration meetings can save thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars which can provide increased profitability to all contracting teams.

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rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)

BIM Coordination Process

In an existing building design and construction involve different parties ranging from fabricators, contractors to different engineers and architects as well as different drafting, drawing and viewing tools - 2D, 3D or 4D. Effective coordination between all the tasks, application and parties will streamline the delivery process of structural design, detailing, fabrication, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, Electrical systems, construction organization and building life-cycle management solutions for facilities management.

3D Coordination is a geometric term that refers to a planning tool to be utilized for arranging Architectural, Structural, and MEP systems within a designated space. But 3D coordination must be started early prior to installation to facilitate necessary design changes.

As for instance Branch and fixture locations need to be coordinated prior to framing interior walls and ceilings. Thus 3D Coordination will lead to a model-based schedule that supports with fabrication and procurement activities for MEP systems as well as for exterior skin and structural steel.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) facilitates in the coordination of different elements of the building design for example the mechanical, structural, architectural, electrical, plumbing, and other services to make sure that they all fit together and complement one another.

Well-organized BIM coordination identify constructability issues all through the pre-construction stage - fix errors in design, avoid loops of clashes, coordinate perfectly structural, architectural and MEP issues in building design, reorganize the construction process and drastically reduce wastages. It allows system installation with zero conflict minimizing field installation issues. It also saves time and material/labor costs for better trade coordination and work flow.
Coordination software will be utilized to accumulate the various design models to make out electronically, coordinate resolutions collectively and track and publish interference reports between all disciplines. The technical disciplines are liable for updating their models to reproduce the coordinated resolution.

BIM Coordination Schedule
The General Contractor has to arrange and preserve a pre-construction BIM coordination schedule with coordination submittal milestones that can meet up the overall construction schedule. In order to get a realistic and mutually agreed upon pre-construction schedule, the General Contractor will obtain input from all consultants and subcontractors participating in the BIM process. For creating support to the project construction schedule, coordination drawing development, coordination submittal drawing submission, review by LACCD, fabrication duration, and delivery lead times should be included in efficient manner.

BIM Coordination in construction Phase
Before the starting of construction contractor’s fabrication models must be coordinated with the design model. Any clashes to the design model that need to be made prior fabrication and construction shall be reported to Design Team in the form of an RFI. Clash reports may also be issued by General Contractor as background information for RFI’s and submittals.

Posted by Rajib Dey
Business Development
rajib@jobs2india.com
Global Associates (Pioneer Company in 3D modeling with BIM & Sketchup)