BIM Blog

Global BIM Survey: Sweden relies on bold builders to inspire digital progress

Sweden offers a great case study as we continue to examine the status and local specifics of BIM use around the world. This analysis is based on an interview with BIM/VDC specialist Patrik Lundqvist of COWI-owned AEC AB, Sweden’s leading supplier of IT software and services for the building industry and an agent and partner of AGACAD in the Nordic region.

Digital construction efforts in Sweden are widespread and significant. But, as in many countries, they are still dominated by an inefficient mix of new and old approaches and are mainly limited to the design phase. Given the lack of a government mandate for using building information modelling (BIM) methods, advances in this Nordic country are mainly being driven by bold project developers.

Testing the water without jumping in

People in Sweden were eager early adopters of computers and modern telecommunications. Like their Nordic neighbours, they also took an early interest in technologies for virtual design and construction (VDC) like the 3D modelling and data management that make up BIM.

How to add starter rebar for precast wall panels in Revit [VIDEO]

One of the great things about hearing from clients around the world in the AEC industry is learning different ways of designing. In New Zealand and some other countries, for example, precast designers have to account for what is called starter rebar, that is, a length of bar at the bottom of the wall panels that is bent into cast in situ concrete.

Revit users can model this one by one using native Revit commands, but that would take quite a long time. With our Wall Reinforcement add-in, starter bars can be generated for all selected walls at once along with all the other necessary rebar. And that frees up structural engineers and detailers to focus on bigger fish to fry.

Follow the three steps below to model starter rebar in your precast Revit project using Wall Reinforcement.

How to set up collaborative Revit models & project standards

There are certain professional catchwords used in AEC offices, production facilities, and on sites. While they are supposed to get your cognitive problem-solving gears to start turning, they instead make you want to roll your eyes and go do something useful whenever you hear one of them.

One such word is efficiency – a word so overused that the only purpose it has left is to show how serious you are about the matter at hand. Still, we should try to rehabilitate and recapture its objective meaning because, let’s face it, efficient is one thing AEC professionals can agree that the design process should be.

What do we really want to say when we talk about ‘efficiency at the drawing board’ or ‘efficiency on the construction site’? From experience and having spoken with a fair number of architects, engineers, builders, manufacturers, and developers, the consensus is that efficiency is about reducing time spent modeling, scheduling, or inputting information and using it for solving problems instead. Because, to put it simply, a staff’s brainpower can be put to better use than filling in schedules. The people of an AEC outfit are capable of solving design, logistical, technical, and interdisciplinary coordination issues, so that’s what we want to free them up to do.

In this blog post I’m going to go through the key focus areas when it comes to managing BIM processes and Revit models and getting the most out of them. If you’re interested in watching a webinar on this topic, I hosted one in May 2021 that I invite you to watch.

New Panel Packer solution gives Revit users tools for optimal modular construction logistics

AGACAD is proud to announce the release of Panel Packer, a powerful solution for planning out the sorting, packing, and loading of prefabricated building components in Autodesk® Revit®.

With digital planning and coordination at the forefront of every construction project, off-site prefabrication has become the norm for timber or steel framed houses and precast concrete high rises. Panelized construction in particular is widely used since panels can be designed and documented in a 3D/2D environment, manufactured in automated production facilities, and then transported to the building site.

And that is where our Panel Packer solution for Revit comes in, to help you stay a step ahead in planning all aspects of logistics.

New features for Smart Views tool for Revit: Automated views, dimensions and tags

We’re glad to bring you some updates made to Smart Views, our Revit® tool for creating views that are auto-cropped, auto-dimensioned, and auto-tagged. Wherever you need to create views in Revit for walls, structural framing elements, casework or windows, ducts or pipes, Smart Views is there for you since it works with any element.

New features that have been added to Smart Views include making views for multiple elements, isolating elements, and adding tags for selected Revit categories or filtered elements, making this tool applicable in even more situations than it already was.

New features for Wall Reinforcement tool for Revit: Openings, bend rebar, wall sweeps

Our Wall Reinforcement solution for Autodesk® Revit® has been updated with some new features that we’re excited to bring to you. These come as a result of our ongoing communication with users of the software who have told us what they need so that their jobs, specifically designing precast concrete in Revit, can be done even more efficiently.

Among the new features is that you have more flexibility in creating rebar for openings in Revit walls. Opening size can vary, and openings created by Windows Families can be reinforced separately from other openings. Window and opening reinforcement configurations have the same options as are available for door reinforcement.

Graves Lumber gets wins from BIM with AGACAD framing suite

This U.S. lumber yard adopted BIM with the help of AGACAD Wood Framing software for Revit^®, enabling it to provide more value-added services for general contractors and increase the efficiency of many of its own processes.

Client Profile

Graves Lumber is a large U.S. supplier of building materials and construction services with over 120 years of history. Based in Ohio, the company is also active in surrounding states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Global BIM Survey: Germany is taking BIM step by careful step

Drawing on the insights of our partners around the world, AGACAD is examining the status and specifics of BIM use in different countries.

This time we look at Germany together with two specialists at Contelos GmbH, a CAD solution provider and Autodesk dealer based near Hannover which has been working with clients of all sizes and industries all over the major European country since 1992.

Serious preparations to digitise the construction industry

In the digital transformation of manufacturing, Germany – the home of Industrie 4.0 – has an early lead. But in digitalizing architecture, engineering and construction, the country is taking more time.

Wood/Metal Framing for Revit: The most significant enhancements of 2020

During the past year, we implemented over 40 updates to our Wood Framing and Metal Framing BIM software for designing walls, floors, and roofs of prefabricated timber and light-gauge steel-framed buildings in Revit®.

These updates include new features, enhanced sample families, and requests made by clients that benefit many of our users. In the spirit of sharing BIM advances, we walk through over 30 of them now in the hopes that this summary will be of use to not only current users but also Revit users generally and those who may be considering making the switch over to a BIM workflow for framing design.

We’ve put a lot of work into our Wood Framing and Metal Framing BIM software over the past year to make sure it continues advancing to meet the needs of architects and structural engineers around the world. Click a topic in the list below to auto-scroll down for more about it.

By the way, we also hosted this webinar in June 2021 that goes over most of the features enumerated below.

AGACAD Advances | Autumn 2021

The latest edition of our newsletter AGACAD Advances has several new items of interest, including the first two installments of the Global BIM Survey we began this year and a few client success stories focusing on wood framing and precast concrete design in Revit.

Here are some highlights:

• New Product: Say hello to Smart Views
• Wood / Metal CNC exporters released for Pinnacle and EasyFraming machines
• Most significant improvements made to Wood Framing and Metal Framing
• QR/barcode technology added to Sort Mark Revit tool

Read on for more!

Join our mailing list to get newsletters and webinar announcements delivered right to your inbox.