BIM

BIM stands for Building Information Model, Maintenance, or Management. We typically say “Model”, since BIM is a technical model of your new or existing building. A BIM file is much more involved and detailed than a 3D CAD file, and the purpose of a BIM file is completely different. BIM files are created to help your projects in multiple aspects. BIM helps with the cost, performance, appearance, logistics, efficiency, and environmental impact of your new construction or existing facility.

A well-made BIM file can be a lifesaver for any type of company:

• BIM files include valuable information that can help the day-to-day efficiency of your production facility.
• Your maintenance team can use BIM to predict equipment breakdowns and avoid devastating downtime.
• BIM files can keep your building up to code and help establish a paper trail for safety audits, such as audits by fire authorities.
• A BIM file is a central file for all different trades to put in information. Your HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and installation crews can all work from the same file.
• BIM is great for stakeholders. You can create digital walk-throughs or fly-throughs to look at virtual mock-ups of new or existing buildings.
• BIM can help you spot collisions before installation. Maybe a water line is going through an area that’s supposed to be reserved for a structural beam. Spotting issues sooner means avoiding costly mistakes later.
• A BIM file can also confirm that everyone is on the same page when it comes to the scope and the design of a facility. After reviews are done, you can lock in the BIM file and use it as a reference, making sure everyone has the same target.

We’ve been offering BIM services for 35+ years at CAD/CAM Services, and you’d be surprised by how many companies we’ve helped from different applications and industries. The simple answer is that there’s no cookie-cutter user for a BIM file. We’ve helped tiny machine shops, massive defense companies, plastics manufacturers, and commercial construction companies all the same.

We have a joke around our office that explains who can benefit from BIM: If your existing building or new construction project has walls, you can benefit from BIM.

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Actually, BIM is completely different from SolidWorks. In 3D CAD files, the file revolves around dimensions and material properties, and that’s it. With 3D, 4D, or 5D BIM, the file revolves around information.

Having a 3D building layout is just the first step of BIM — next, we’ll input information like equipment specs, maintenance tasks, location of critical parts, structural information, cost data, timeline impacts, and much more.

We’ve developed BIM files for companies across industries. There is not one specific use for BIM, but instead there are a ton of common uses:

• Visualization
• Scope Clarification
• Partial Trade Coordination
• Collision Detection/Avoidance
• Design Validation
• Construction Sequencing Planning/Phasing Plans/Logistics
• Marketing Presentations
• Options Analysis
• Walk-throughs and Fly-throughs
• Virtual Mock-Ups
• Sight Line Studies

BIM work takes a lot of time and previous experience to do correctly. Unless you have a dedicated BIM specialist or BIM department in-house, it will take too long to learn the idiosyncrasies of BIM. In other words, you’ll be wasting a ton of time and money on each part of your BIM file — not to mention, there’s a good chance the final BIM model will be missing a ton of information. By outsourcing to CAD/CAM Services, you will save time, save money, get more data from each file, and be able to handle bigger and more complicated BIM projects.

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In BIM, it’s common for us to talk about 2D, 3D, 4D, and 5D files:

• 2D BIM is no different than a flat building layout. Example: A floor plan of a single room.
• 3D BIM is a building layout with wall height, and the ability to add multiple floors in a single file. Example: a multi-level hospital building.
• 4D BIM takes a 3D model and adds in a time component. Sometimes it’s a schedule for project managers, other times it’s a maintenance schedule for your mechanics. Example: a 4D BIM for new construction involves step-by-step project timelines plus a deadline.
• ‍5D BIM starts with a 4D BIM model and adds in cost. This is the most comprehensive type of BIM file. With 5D BIM, all the information you need for your new construction project can be found in one place. 5D BIM includes the costs for manhours, raw equipment, and different installation steps. Example: New construction of apartment buildings in which the cost and timeline are very important to investors.

Another common misconception is that BIM is just for massive skyscrapers and huge manufacturing facilities. We made a BIM file for a small company’s garage warehouse, so there is certainly no limit to how big your company has to be.

BIM is for any company that operates a facility. The BIM file will include information that helps you every week by minimizing downtime, improving yield, and maximizing your efficiency. Whether you’re making hand-knitted sweaters or skyscrapers in Manhattan, BIM will help your operation.

A BIM Execution Plan (BEP) is something you’ll put together before starting a project. It outlines how information is managed and shared throughout the lifecycle of your pre-construction and post-construction operation.

A BEP can specifically outline objectives, milestones, responsibilities, contacts across your supply chain, and how you’ll share information. It’s a quick way to make sure all parties are on the same page before construction starts or before you open your doors for business.