A look back ...

Did you know that Dowco was Tekla's first ever customer and Re-seller in North America?

Dowco has proudly been selling the Tekla Structures Software (formerly referred to as Xsteel) since 1995. For Dowco Consultants, the investment in technology and productivity enhancement tools was a given. Hugh Dobbie, Dowco’s founder and early adaptor to automated detailing technologies, has never wavered in his commitment to continually improving the company. Making that seemingly huge leap from the world of 2D detailng to 3D modeling was a scary one. It wasn’t long after implementing 3D modeling that Dowco was undertaking projects that previously were beyond the scope of what we would want to undertake. Things are dramatically different today as many of the current projects that Dowco Consultants undertakes would be difficult, if not impossible, without the use of Tekla Structures 3D modeling software.

Today, the use of 3D modeling tools is widespread. In Canada, the steel industry has been quick to accept and adapt to 3D. The result is that there are now 211 different companies in Canada using 1,117 Tekla Structures Licences. Not too bad considering Tekla Structures is sold in more than 80 countries around the world and Tekla sold their 10,000th licence in December of last year. Our kudos and thanks go out to our customers, old and new, for believing in 3D, and for taking that leap with us. Together, we have been a part of history, changing the way we work.

Fabricators incorporating Tekla Structures reap not only the benefits of better fit up, and reduced errors in the shop and field, but also from downstream benefits like inventory control and material handling, to seamless CNC integration. For the innovative detailer, service offerings are expanding beyond steel detailing to now include 3D model building for owners, General Contractors and what is becoming more common, Engineering firms.

The use of Tekla 3D models is also at the forefront of another changing paradigm. BIM, or Building Information Modeling is the current buzz word in the industry today. BIM is not simply working in a 3D modeling platform. Instead BIM refers to an approach where design information covering an entire construction project is produced and managed using a single 3D model. As the model’s intelligence keeps all components reliably up to date, current information is available to all stakeholders at all times. Work duplication is minimized and many lower-level tasks are automated, allowing designers to concentrate on the essentials. BIM finally brings to fruition what the building industry expected of CAD in the early 1980s: it helps the entire building process value-chain achieve a faster, higher quality and richer design process.

Another definition which relates more to us on the structural side: “Structural Building Information Modeling (Structural BIM) is a new, collaborative model-based way of working in structural design, providing smooth workflow and efficient information management. It enables increased productivity, higher quality and lower costs”

That at least, is what the internet and technical papers say….

S-BIM is really the subset of BIM that covers the structure of the building and the process from conceptual design to detailing, fabrication and erection.

Clearly, S-BIM is very important, as a significant part of the building information is produced during these stages. And common sense tells us we can’t have BIM without first having S-BIM

The best definition I can come up with relates more to what the goal, or intent of Structural BIM is.. Engineering professionals as well as steel and concrete detailers work simultaneously on the same design to find the best solution in efficient collaboration.

To me that best simplifies what is only now beginning to happen today.

Should we be excited? Absolutely. We do however, also need to be cautious, and be reminded that BIM is NOT a technology, although it does require a suitable technology to be implemented effectively. BIM is best defined as a collaborative process of communication and model data contributions.

The tools do exist for us all, but the challenge ahead also goes beyond just adapting to new 3D technologies and tools, but to establish levels of trust and communication between the various stakeholders.

A level of communication that perhaps has not existed before

Stay tuned for more articles on BIM in future issues of Details.