May 2008 Issue
EventsSteel Industry Promotes High-Tech Solutions
BY DON BUCHANAN What is building information modelling? What kinds of collaborative or high-tech approaches are there for design, detailing and construction phases? How are steel fabricators boosting throughput with high-tech tools or other innovations? The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction took on these questions and others at a professional development event organized by its western region, March 27 in Edmonton. Formed in 1930, the CISC is the national industry organization representing the structural steel, open web steel joist and steel platework fabricating industries. It operates as a technical, marketing and government relations organization. “Building information modelling, or BIM, is not just about 3-D modelling software,” said Peter Timler, P.Eng., the western regional executive director for the CISC. “BIM is about various kinds of collaborative work. It includes software tools, but it also encompasses any steps or approaches that help to reduce redundant steps or operations at any phase of a project. “It’s all about teamwork, integration, collaboration and streamlining. The more effective you are in using high-tech tools or collaborative approaches, the more likely your project will come in on time and on budget.” Paul Zubick, P.Eng., sales and contracts manager for Waiward Steel Fabricators in Edmonton, said Alberta’s structural steel sector is pushing the high-tech envelope. The sector may even be leading the way for all construction trades in Alberta, when it comes to adopting new technologies. “For example, 3-D detailing software is used for day-to-day troubleshooting on many construction projects. When you bring people together and mix-and-match various 3-D modelling tools used in different aspects of a project, it can help to avoid costly and time-consuming on-site problems.” Mr. Zubick noted that the use of integrated 3-D modeling on the new Edmonton Art Gallery helped identify significant geometric clashes. “The modeling showed a clash between the very complex structural steel framing and both the glazing panels and the sprinkler system,” Mr. Zubick said. “The key factor is that these clashes were identified before manufacturing, whereas conventional approaches would very likely have led to major cost and scheduling issues if the clashes had not been discovered until on-site construction.” He also noted that the EnCana project in Calgary — the strikingly designed office complex dubbed the Bow and now under construction — combined building information modeling with other modern construction technology to accurately pinpoint the correct locations for anchors that connect the steel frame to the concrete foundation. “These types of anchor locations are traditionally surveyed and located from coordinates taken from design drawings, and are notoriously difficult to locate accurately. For the EnCana project, the anchor locations were imported from the steel fabricator’s 3-D building model, directly to the general contractor’s total station surveying equipment, ensuring accurate location of these critical interface anchors.” Fabricating Goes High Tech “In the past we found that approximately 70 per cent of our labour costs related to material handling, while 30 per cent related to processes. So last year we implemented a customized rolling cart system to move steel and fittings through the shop, rather than the traditional method of using overhead cranes. The cart system allowed us to improve throughput by at least 20 per cent.” Mike Sharp, president of Peddinghaus Corporation, told the audience that using the latest computer numerically controlled system will definitely improve throughput. “By implementing high-speed carbide drilling, laser measuring and other high-tech tools, fabricators can increase productivity and reduce labour costs.” More About BIM Software Mr. Taylor clarified, however, that building information modelling software and “virtual building” are not new to the structural steel industry, especially for fitting project components together and assessing design and detailing issues. But ongoing improvements in 2-D and 3-D software tools are significant, and project owners and builders should not hesitate using BIM tools to the maximum. “These days, you see laptops and 3-D modelling software in use on many more construction sites than in the past. This is the wave of the future. For example, you can figure out issues and complex erecting problems on-site using 3-D tools, which is not always possible when using 2-D drawings.” The costs of investing in BIM tools or approaches at the design and detail phases are justified, said Mr. Taylor. “Pinpointing issues or conflicts in the model is one of the first benefits that architects, engineers and general contractors are seeing from using BIM. “When models from different disciplines are combined, it’s relatively easy to see conflicts, such as pipes hitting beams. Identifying conflicts early on is an obvious saving compared with making the fix on site later.” Mr. Taylor also suggested using 3-D modelling can significantly reduce the time it takes for project review processes. “In one case at a General Motors plant in Ohio, the engineer and detailers agreed on a shop drawing review process in which the detailed 3-D model was submitted in phases, instead of 2-D shop drawings. The engineers and the detailer communicated via the 3-D model. “This reduced time per submission to two or three days and enabled the project to meet the deadline.” Decisions, Decisions — In addition to any BIM efforts, Timler also suggested that project owners can help themselves to manage risks by consulting the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction in the early stages of a project. “We can provide guidance on the availability of steel, estimated costs and construction options using steel. In our association’s view, steel has a number of sustainability advantages.” Mr. Timler noted that the Vancouver Convention Centre is a good example of a project where the CISC was able to provide some helpful guidance in terms of overall project management, communications and production issues. “This was a highly complex site in a seismic zone, with poor soil conditions, congestion issues and a demanding schedule. The project team took some of our advice, which helped them identify issues early on and gain early approvals at different stages of the project.” More Info CISC Peter Timler, P.Eng. Past APEGGA Presidents Also on the list for CSSE fellow presentations on May 31 are retired Syncrude CEO Eric Newell, P.Eng., A.D. Williams engineer Colin Campbell, P.Eng., Associated Engineering co-founder Norm Lawrence, P.Eng., and, posthumously, the renowned booster and builder of Alberta engineering Roly Ferris, P.Eng. CSSE is the only constituent society of the Engineering Institute of Canada that’s also a registered charity. Money it raises goes to advancing science in high school, and in the past three years its donations have totalled more than $50,000. The society’s branches are in Edmonton, Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Montreal, and each year it awards fellows to eight to 10 eminent Canadian engineers. The AGM typically honours a half dozen or so new fellows from the host province. The Edmonton branch itself meets about six times a year for dinner and to hear a guest speaker. “We’re a great forum to stay in touch with the engineering world,” said member Andy Jones, P.Eng. The AGM starts at 7 p.m. on May 31 at the Edmonton Petroleum Club. For more information on the AGM or about CSSE, contact Mr. Jones at stonyjones@ieee.org. |