ISSUE ONE
TRANSFORMING THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS
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Professional Services The ultimate answer for MEP contractors looking to tackle complex retrofit projects while meeting tight deadlines and maintaining profitability on a project
3D Model Evaluation
3D Modeling
3D Laser Scanning
3D Modeling from Point Cloud
We’ll inspect your models, noting any omissions, mistakes, or areas for improvement.
We’ll create a 3D model of your projects mechanical or electrical systems.
We’ll scan your project and deliver a fully registered point cloud.
We’ll turn as-built scan data into a working 3D model.
mep.trimble.co.uk/services 0800 028 28 28
editorswelcome
Matthew Ramage EMEA Marketing Communications Director LOREM Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum. Why do we use it? It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal
distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy. Various versions have evolved over the years, sometimes by accident, sometimes on purpose (injected humour and the like). Where does it come from? Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in
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10 Here will go the text relating to the articale
10 Here will go the text relating to the articale
10 Here will go the text relating to the articale
Milton Keynes Bank House, 171 Midsummer Boulevard, MK9 1EB Stamford Cherryholt Road, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2EP Solihull Highlands House, Stirling Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4NE Manchester The Granary, 50 Barton Road, Worsley, Manchester, M28 2EB Middle East DIC Building #3, Internet City, Dubai, UAE
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latestblogs BREXIT AND BIM Whilst the tide ebb's and flows on whether to Remain or Brexit, the UK's private construction sector have seemingly heeded the expert advice that leaving would impact growth and jobs and create business uncertainty and therefore risk. But what fate awaits BIM should Brexit be the choice of the people? will it be ripped from the flagpole by the high winds of change or will it prove more lasting than our relationship with Europe? BIM is not prescribed by Europe, yes our European partners have to one degree or another enthusiastically endorsed its use at a governmental level but it is the spectre of competition that is pushing hard not bureaucracy. Construction as a percentage of UK GDP is predicted to shrink over the next 20 years and the ability of UK construction companies to find new opportunities internationally will be key. Brexit for the Brexiteers (beyond democratic rule) is an opportunity to to widen our gaze towards the world and not just the 28
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members of the European Union. "Doing BIM" favours a more nimble and self-determined UK, losing the opinions and protectionist stances of 27 other member countries should mean more flexibility and speed in trade deal negotiations. The fastest growing economies remain the BRICS (no pun intended) none of which are EU club members. If leaving does cause a contraction in the UK economy, it is likely that budgets will be fiscally adjusted and discretionary spending such as funding the BIM roll-out may be affected; it is however less likely that public procurement will perform a U-turn and derail the savings and efficiency improvements reported on the early adopter projects in Education, Prisons, Health and more In this commentators opinion leave or remain, BIM is here to stay.
latestblogs RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE All too often, we hear the adage that BIM is 10% technology and 90% sociology but what does this really mean if so many construction industry stakeholders still remain sceptical about the benefits to them? Stephan Jones, Segment Manager of Trimble MEP, examines how best those heading-up the BIM vanguard can help other more cynical businesses on-board. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he determines, it’s collaboration and not elitism that’s the key. For subcontractors especially, they are often dependent on the demands of the general contractor; this demand has been written into contracts without the detail or process to either back it up or render it effective, clash detection is significant tool in the armoury of good coordination yet the downstream matching of installation to plan through the use of laser setting out (consistently across trades) often results in delivery coordination issues seemingly negating all that upstream investment. Even when best practice is followed the functional coordination is often overlooked leading to inaccessible access panels, dampers that can’t be serviced and maintained and Air handling unit filters that can’t be replaced. To ease BIM engagement the what, when and probably why need to be contextualised for each trade and commitments made to ensure that discipline is maintained otherwise the benefits for each and all will be diluted by the failure of a single project participant. Subcontractors need to feel the benefit to both commit and then invest in BIM. A recent discussion with a leading US M&E contractor showed that good practice backed up by clear engagement requirements that included penalty clauses for failure to deliver the right information to the
right quality at the right time has catapulted their business forward, all driven by BIMesque principals. Other constraints include the sheer cost of mounting a campaign to adopt BIM. It’s not just buying a single new piece of software; that software will likely link in with other point solutions and each will require extensive training, a shift in job scope and a differently skilled/capable worker. All this adds up to significant cost which due to the nature of the industry is traditionally allocated against the project cost centre. This is reasonable when the BIM level of engagement repeats on subsequent projects, but more difficult when you are a medium tier contractor whose work portfolio is not 100% populated by BIM projects! In instances like this it’s valid to remember that buying-in BIM services and expertise can be of real value. In conclusion, and in the hope that you will by now agree that Luddism is not an appropriate characterisation for those questioning or struggling with BIM, it’s clear that further effort is required by those in a position to do so to translate, condense, make real what is required, how to do it and probably a bit of support in investing in the capability.
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THE LASTEST TRIMBLE RELEASE ONLINE NOW!! CLICK PLAY TO WATCH
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UK-BASED AMTECH TRANSITIONS TO TRIMBLE BRAND UK-based Amtech transitions to Trimble brand to better support the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Industry Delivering Focused Solutions for Customers’ Needs Across the Entire MEP Lifecycle As part of its ongoing commitment to meet the increasingly sophisticated technology requirements of the construction market, Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced that UKbased Amtech has transitioned to the Trimble brand. Trimble acquired Amtech in November 2014 to expand its presence and portfolio of complete workflow solutions for the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) construction and engineering industries in Europe. Trimble’s focus for the construction and engineering community is on the deployment of integrated solutions—from initial engineering and bidding projects to construction and project completion. Trimble’s Design-Build-Operate (DBO) vision extends the concept from estimating and design to project management and field solutions for installation. The result is a more efficient and accurate project, enabled through the collaboration of the project’s trade groups, and interconnected through the use of office
and field tools. The integration of Amtech’s software solutions with Trimble’s office and field solutions enable a compelling set of dedicated MEP workflows and productivity solutions for MEP contractors and engineers. Dedicated to transforming the way the world works, Trimble’s products and professional services are used in over 150 countries around the world. In addition to incorporating Amtech’s broad range of products, including Amtech ProDesign and Estimating XG, the combined portfolios under the Trimble brand provides UK customers ready access to Trimble’s field solutions, such as 3D laser scanners and robotic total stations for MEP layout. “Amtech’s transition to the Trimble brand is a significant step along our path to become the industry’s leading provider of complete workflow solutions for MEP engineering and construction professionals,” said Pat Bohle, general manager of Trimble’s MEP Division. “Together with Trimble’s BIM solutions, expertise for MEP field layout and project lifecycle management, we will continue to provide clients the best of both businesses to meet the diverse and developing needs of the industry in Europe.”
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CONSTRUCTION IN 2025 WHAT WILL CHANGE? As a forward thinking and proactive business, Trimble is always looking for solutions that help the industry work more productively and effectively. Bringing together industry experts from all of its corporate divisions, Trimble is able to realise its vision of a seamless and cost-effective future for the construction sector. Here, Trimble MEP and Trimble Buildings envisage how the industry will evolve and change over the course of the next decade and have put together a look at the changes and developments that will keep us on our toes in 2025! MORE PREFABRICATION Large prefabricated items that continuously arrive to the site require punctual logistics and planning. A row of containers accommodates not only small fabrication machines producing parts but also movable robotic welding machinery.
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SOFTWARE IS EVERYWHERE Both the large machines and small tools involve lots of software. Some machines are model-controlled or robotic. Models and mixed reality help comparing the design to the building under construction. INTERNET OF THINGS & DATA Internet of Things means that the software-heavy machines and tools are connected and online, and some understand each other. If a structural problem occurs, it can be filmed using a hardhat camera and shared online with an expert engineer who can help solve the issue. Data from the scanners and other devices on the site is transferred to the models for monitoring.
MEASURING & MONITORING Tape measures have been replaced by laser scanners. Web cameras monitor progress and safety on the site. Some cameras are attached to drones for aerial photos that help monitoring large sites. DESIGN OFFICE The level of automation is growing. Data transfers directly from the design office to fabrication machinery. Engineers and detailers
work hard to produce accurate, constructible models for automated fabrication and construction. Several reference models create together the big picture of the project. Open standards and connecting tools are necessary. Less planning, scheduling and problem solving take place on the site, more at the office. Everybody knows who is doing what: Project information is available in a cloud for access with mobile devices. QUALITY Dimensional accuracy of, for example, elements and beams is high and everything fits together. There is less waste and more straight lines and right angles. Construction has become more ecient, faster and cheaper.
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Professional Services The ultimate answer for MEP contractors looking to tackle complex retrofit projects while meeting tight deadlines and maintaining profitability on a project
3D Model Evaluation
3D Modeling
3D Laser Scanning
3D Modeling from Point Cloud
We’ll inspect your models, noting any omissions, mistakes, or areas for improvement.
We’ll create a 3D model of your projects mechanical or electrical systems.
We’ll scan your project and deliver a fully registered point cloud.
We’ll turn as-built scan data into a working 3D model.
mep.trimble.co.uk/services 0800 028 28 28