We all deal with the impact that training has on our overall workload. Rarely does the construction world stop so we can adjust or catch up. #Fire sprinkler system designer softwareThe costs for learning new software and the time required for training are hard to measure. Then the cost to train and educate our fire sprinklers designers is something that we deal with as well. The additional software required for design and participation in the BIM process (Navis and/or Revit) are costly additions. The high cost of design software, whatever your flavor may be, is a cost that we have all come to accept. Today, there are several available software programs which provide design options compatible with AutoCAD and allow for BIM. The process of designing fire sprinkler systems has changed dramatically over the last several years. How do we account for, or attempt to account for, the impact of BIM in the design and installation of our projects? Fire sprinkler contractors today face the challenge of having to design projects and participate in the BIM process, all while trying to maintain overall project budgets and schedules. Ideally, this process addresses problems in design, so that they don’t have to be taken care of in the field. With MEP clash detection, BIM allows the designers to see potential problem areas and work through fixes. BIM allows the design team to visualize all the building components and systems before construction ever starts. We have all been told that BIM is an effective technique for conceiving, planning, and designing structures of any size and complexity. At the end of the day, when a project is awarded, the low bidder has given out pricing to do a job and now is tasked with the responsibility of completing it within budget. You may get preferred treatment in the bid process, but the job is going to be awarded to the lowest bidder. However, many times those relationships simply mean your company has made the bid list for that next project. Some owners and general contractors we work for do value the end result of a successful project and take those relationships to the next project. The idea to establish a reputation for our companies of being competitive, efficient, and profitable is everyone’s goal. It is a simple, yet complicated, concept. We are all aware that as contractors, we need to be competitive and perform successfully to stay in business. But how are we able to manage correctly when others outside our company are actually driving the design process? Are we simply along for the ride? Are we able to accurately account for BIM design in our project estimates? Do we accept design budgets that are disastrous, causing projects to lose money? How many times have you heard, “This project has been BIM coordinated, so we should be able to pick up all kinds of time in the field.” How has it worked for you? Is it the creative tool that proponents would work to convince you of or is it the albatross weighing down the design departments of most fire sprinkler contractors today? There is no doubt that BIM design and 3D coordination, when managed correctly, can have a positive impact on the installation of our work. BIM (building information modeling) and 3D coordination.
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