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Compared to a traditional construction process, BIM could benefit constructors in many ways by simplifying estimating tasks, by enhancing value engineering, identifying conflicts, facilitating communication between team members and scheduling tasks. It is also reducing change orders or RFIs. And these result in increased efficiencies decreased waste that ultimately for contractors and their subs lead to greater profit.

Just as architects and designers embraced Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the early part of the 21stcentury, nearly 20 years later, BIM for manufacturing has become equally important. At first glance, it may be difficult to see how BIM, typically used in the construction space, can apply to manufacturing. Indeed, it is the very ubiquity of BIM in construction that requires any company that manufactures products used in construction to use BIM.

BIM conversion can be a huge undertaking for any organization that has large numbers of drawings. Yet, more and more, 3D is the way to go, so manufacturers, architects, and others are looking at ways to convert their legacy paper drawings or CAD drawings into 3D BIM Models.

BIM (Building Information Modeling) is a software tool used by the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry that allows users to create sophisticated, intelligent models. Because BIM operates on a digital database, a change made in one view is reflected throughout the entire drawing automatically. BIM enables up-to-date and reliable information about the project design scope, cost information, and schedules; it can help lower costs and improve delivery times on projects. BIM covers geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, quantities and properties of building components (for example manufacturers’ details).

Large, key players in the construction industry began using BIM technology early on. In this case, ‘early generally means within a few years of the first implementation of BIM under the Virtual Building concept by Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD, which debuted in 1987. Since that debut, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a term that has become ubiquitous in the design and construction fields.

Ask any building owner what his or her most important issues are and they will tell you, “Energy efficiency and cost savings.” With the tight budgets that building owners and managers are facing, is there any wonder why these two issues are at the forefront? These two issues are particularly important to both public and private institutions that face ongoing financial pressures despite signs that the recession is ending and the economy is recovering. Public institutions are still lagging behind in tax revenues and private institutions will continue to feel the pinch until individuals feel comfortable spending money again. Sources say that when asked about the problems they’re currently facing, over one-third of the facilities managers mention insufficient funding or lack of resources.