Client Story

Smith Brothers: “MEP Hangers took our hydraulic projects to a new level”

In 2016, this South Australian MEP contractor bought Agacad’s MEP Hangers to do clash-free construction grade design work. They found the software not only does that extremely well, but also enables quick precision layout on site. Clients are happier and costs are lower with the elimination of a lot of rework.

Challenges

New projects required Smith Brothers Group to place seismic hangers on pipework with construction grade (LOD 400) detail. They needed to place complex equipment in very limited overhead spaces and ensure clash-free models.

Smith Brothers Group

Smith Brothers Group* is one of South Australia’s largest plumbing and pipeline contractors. Innovation is key in its resolve to be No. 1 for service. That’s why BIM technologies are at the heart of the group’s design and engineering work. *In 2019, Smith Brothers Group has become Cushman & Wakefield.

The solution had to be compatible with Autodesk® Revit® and support the incorporation of Trimble points for on-site positioning and layout. And the company always prefers innovative solutions that offer a competitive edge.
Impact

The firm went with Agacad’s MEP Hangers plugin and was able to put it to work immediately, thanks to online training from Agacad.

 

It took the Group’s hydraulic projects to a new level by enabling the creation of clash-free models, which incorporate all hangers for in-ceiling services and are truly LOD 400.

 

“Others claim to provide LOD 400, but due to the time it takes [to do it manually] don’t place some items like brackets at all. For us as a high-quality contractor, professional models are very important,” notes Jason Harris, a Hydraulic Designer at Smith Brothers.

They were also amazed by how simple it was to add points to a hanger family and export to their Robotic Station “to mark out thousands of hangers on site super quickly and with a high degree of accuracy (+/- 3 mm).”

MEP Hangers efficiently delivered accurate detailed modelling and precision on-site layout. The result has been “very few site clashes and limited rework, saving many hours of site labour.”
Thousands of hangers
super fast
Meanwhile, Harris adds, support has exceeded all expectations: “Live meetings and fast email responses make Agacad a great company to deal with. They’re clearly keen about building relationships and taking good care of international customers.”
Products used
A search for hanger distribution tools led Smith Brothers to Agacad’s MEP Hangers software. “I was especially impressed with the ability to add and manipulate hanger families to accommodate site specifics. Hosted brackets allow pipework to be shifted without having to go back and shift brackets. And Trimble points could be added to the family,” recalls Jason Harris, a Hydraulic Designer at the Group.
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