Architects, engineers, and contractors have traditionally utilized drawings during the planning, design, and construction phases of projects. Now new advances in computer-aided design, or CAD, are allowing these major stakeholders to achieve a greater level of collaboration during both the design-build process as well as the maintenance phase once construction is completed. One of the best examples demonstrating the advances in CAD software is found in Building Information Modeling or BIM.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is CAD (Computer Aided Design) software is used by architects and engineers to virtually design and maintain a facility. The use of BIM Models creates more predictable outcomes and creates a design environment that is more efficient and collaborative. The virtual design concept also allows design professionals, engineers, architects, and contractors to anticipate system clashes and interferences. Once construction is completed, BIM modeling provides maintenance personnel with highly accurate, detailed, and easily accessible information explaining important building systems such as MEP and HVAC.
For firms still heavily invested in traditional paper drawings, BIM may appear to be a futuristic design tool, but in reality, Building Information Modeling is already catching on. To this end, Unistrut is making significant investments in BIM to create greater efficiencies in the design-build-maintenance landscape.“The availability of BIM models enables architects and engineers to incorporate Unistrut products directly into their designs,” said Tim Oliver, Director, Product Management for Unistrut. “This simplifies the sale and ordering of our products for the end-user, giving us a unique advantage in the marketplace,” he added. We look to continually expand our offering to better serve the end-user.
Design and engineering professionals can now place Unistrut components and part families into a larger scale BIM model during the design phase of a building or structure. The complimentary files are available in both .rvt and .rva formats, which are fully embedded with engineering data to provide for the design of electrical systems, mechanical systems, seismic bracing and cable management within a full building design. To access Unistrut BIM files, visit Unistrut Service Company’s SMARTBIM Library by clicking here.