After a long long time, we have a technical post about ArchiCAD and BIM Server.
In this video, Jothi explains how to restore your BIM Server including users, projects, libraries and access rights in Mac OSX. It's quite easy and a real time saver.
I was just going through BuildingSmart Korea's The BIM Magazine, Winter 2012 issue and I came across with the smartest title of the month!
THE COST OF NOT DOING BIM
It is an article by Robert Yori, Digital Design Specialist at SOM. The article is looking at BIM from a professional development perspective. In some parts of the article I felt like it focuses more on the personal development.
After reading the article, I started to think about it!
Everything in the article is true but I do not see much resistance to BIM from individuals. We have been receiving more calls for personal trainings than corporate trainings.
Especially in the UAE, professionals see BIM as a new skill that will differentiate them from the others and they are willing to invest to upgrade their skills.
It's the companies who are asking for THE COST OF DOING BIM in their projects and start making calculations, trying to understand if it is feasible.
Well, while writing the sentence even I thought it sounds right:)) But come on!
I am working on a case study of one of our latest projects in which we worked for project owner. According to our calculations, in the pre-construction phase, the implementation of ArchiCAD BIM already saved 40 Million USD! Yes, you read right! I am sure we will help the owner to save more in the construction phase as well.
Everybody is more or less familiar with ArchiCAD License and training or service costs. I think I do not need to mention it's nowhere near 40 Million USD!
Let's focus on THE COST OF NOT DOING BIM rather than THE COST OF DOING BIM...
The image above represents the Vico Engagement Plan in the USA.
In USA, it would take a contractor 9 weeks start with 4D and 5D BIM training or pilot project. I believe this is a very reasonable period if the decision makers do their homework.
What about in the Middle East? We usually spend 9 to 12 months introducing the software and 4D&5D process.
As you see the difference is huge! In USA it is 9 weeks and in the Middle East it is 48 weeks!
Why?
Unfortunately the decision makers don't do their homework in the Middle East! They mostly wait for spoon feeding!
Why?
Are they too busy? I don't think so! It's recession time. No company is overloaded with projects these days. (Except us :)))
Dear Decision Makers,
First watch our 5D BIM for Contractors Video please!
Please do your homework! Make sure that your team evaluates the software and process properly during the "Evaluation / Trial" period!
Evaluation period is the time when one of our implementation specialists is dedicated to anwser all your questions. Feel free to keep them busy;)
I will also appreciate if you do not call us asking directly for a "BIM Quotation" :))
BIM is a process, not a tool! :)
Enjoy your weekend!
I hope we will not have any sandstorms! Cross your fingers:)
Bridge between creative design minds and the construction.
First of all it is FLEXIBLE and gives the designer full FREEDOM!
However it is not feature which makes Shell Tool unique!
There are several tools in the market which allows you to model your "crazy" ideas.
But how many of them can actually link it to the real life construction? How many of them can actually generate proper documentation with including all the components of a structure?
Not many!
Amongst these few, Shell Tool has the most versatile documentation features. The ability of using composite fills is an awesome features which sets Shell Tool apart from the competition.
In my opinion, this is what construction industry needs these days!
So Shell Tool deserves to get the Gold Medal in my list!
I hesitated a lot about placing BIM Server to Number 2 or 1.
It ended up getting the Silver Medal:)
Why BIM Server made it's place to TOP 2?
1- During the development of BIM Server, I had the opportunity to see the development team, the amount of work put into it's development, the cautiousness for the safety of data. I think it had the longest beta testing period ever. Users were dying to get the BIM Server as soon as possible but Graphisoft refused to release it until they are 100% sure that it works perfectly.
2- IT IS FAST!
3- IT IS PROBLEM FREE! Believe me or not, we are providing more technical support on the Network Dongle sharing then BIM Server:))
4- IT IS USER FRIENDLY! This is very important. You spend 6-8 hours of your time on this software and you would hate your life it wasn't user friendly.
5- Internal Messaging System! Off this is one of my favorites. In one of our early implementations we were using it even for deciding what to eat:))
In 2009, when Graphisoft released it, I was expecting the competition to come up with a similiar solution which utilizes Delta Server technology within 2-3 years.
It's 2012 and still no one is even close to Graphisoft's BIM Server!
Enjoy using the cutting edge technologies of Graphisoft:))
These are the built up areas of some of the projects that BIMES have provided BIM services within last year.
In the rest of the world, these size of projects are quite rare. Only few "big boys" get the opportunity of getting involved in them.
However in the Middle East, these are regular numbers. As an architect / engineer, you deal with these kind of projects everyday.
The fact that ArchiCAD supports both Multi Processors and 64 bit is an extremely important factor here. The video below explains how these technologies improve your productivity.
I have no idea how people are investing in BIM software which does not support Multi Processing fully. It is like buying a Lada and racing against Ferrari. (I hope this is a good example. I do not understand much about cars :)
If your BIM Software does not take advantage of the latest technology of the available hardware, how can you commit to Billion Dollar projects?
I saw many companies, doing a basic model just for design coordination and than switching to 2D CAD for shop drawings. Is this real BIM?
NOT AT ALL!
Thanks to the great development team behind ArchiCAD, we do not make such "Mickey Mouse" business!
Converting Splines to Mesh levels with the help of Magic Wand was one of the "must to have" exercises of ArchiCAD trainings back in Turkey since it is a very mountainous country.
However that was not the case in the UAE. Most of the Emirates are extremely flat. Great for cycling and builders:)) Mesh tools was no longer "must to have" part of our trainings.
Then the 2009 recession came!
Most of the offices located in the Emirates started to look for projects in Libya, Iraq, Saudi, Qatar etc. For instance Iraq's geography is quite different than UAE. Full of mountains!
The site and slope becomes a very important design criteria!
A client of us recently got a job in Iraq! They received the surveyor's data and immediately called us.
- Hi guys! I know you showed us this how to import surveyor's data into ArchiCAD in one of the new features trainings but we never used it so far. Do you mind reminding it to us?"
5 minutes later, Jothi received another call saying it did not work. We requested text file to check and noticed that the problem is very very simple but hard to see.
The number of digits decreased after a certain point and ArchiCAD did not read the remaining part. So to fix it, we added "0" to the beginning of each new number.
Later we noticed that this numbering system also depends on the equipment that the surveyor uses. We received the text file of the same site from a different surveyor company and that did not have the same digit problem at all.
Anyway, although it was a small one it still took us 2 hours to find the problem.
After solving this issue, the team finished their proposal for the master planning within 2 days! Yes, within 2 days!
A couple of days later, I came across with their CEO and he said "Diyane, now I truly believe in BIM. Our BIM team finished their proposal for Iraq project in 2 days. It would take 2 weeks if I gave that job to the other teams working traditionally!"
So yes! We love Import Surveyors Data feature very much:)))
Jumeriah Zabeel Saray, The Palm Island, Dubai. BIM Seminar organized by BIMES!
The announcement of BIMx for iPad & iPhone took place during this event! We have introduced BIMx just for 15 Minutes before the break and provided the password of the Wifi!
Every single person in the conference who had iPhone, downloaded BIMx right there! They were playing with it like kids. Trying with the 3D glasses, asking us questions...
After the conference, all the "thank you" emails we received were talking about BIMx as well.
Especially in the Middle East, BIM is treated as some sort of "rocket science". Most people are scared of it's complexity.
I believe BIMx is the tool which made people more confident. They were able to "explore" the alien "BIM" within their palms.
I am also happy that there are other solutions in the market that are trying to bring BIM to the hands of non-experts. It's very good of them to try but of course our thanks goes to Graphisoft for actually achieving it:)
Yes, seems like a tiny little feature but it makes your daily work a lot more easier.
Now, let's think what we would be doing if we didn't have image fills.
Sunday, first day of the week! You are already in Sunday depression.
You are drinking your coffee and preparing your "To Do" list for the day.
#1 - Prepare presentation for Koseoglu Villa
You feel like going back home. You remembered the last meeting with the client. She is a very fussy house wife and she is obsessed with the tiles. (This is my mom)
You modeled the villa with the tiles and presented it to her but she says she is feeling dizzy while navigating in the model and asked for floor plans like the one in the brochure she was holding.
Now, you need to export your plans to Photoshop and add the floor finishes room by room.
You are done!
Next item in the to do list!
Nooo! Not that easy!
You check your email and the client, the husband this time, informs you about the changes in the design!
Oups! You need to redo everything. Modify the model, export the plan to Photoshop and add the finishes!
Not nice, hey!
Thanks to Image Fills, you can do this within ArchiCAD without exporting to any other software!
If you want to see how see the video below!
Enjoy!
#8 will be announced tomorrow!
Diyane Koseoglu
www.bimes.com
Why do we love ArchiCAD? I am sure you all have your own reasons!
And I have mine:))
In order to build the excitement we are starting from the last one:)))
10 - Curtain Wall Tool
With no doubt, ArchiCAD's Curtain Wall Tool is the most sophisticated curtain wall tool amongst all the BIM Software. I have heard this statement from "implementation specialists" of other vendors too.
Why ArchiCAD's Curtain Wall is the best?
Custom Caps and Frames!
The ability to create custom components even for caps and frames! This feature impresses all the BIM Gurus regardless of their favorite software.
Flexibility!
When Graphisoft released ArchiCAD 12 and introduced Curtain Wall, the product designer created a small mountain house using only this tool. Walls, roofs, railings... Basically everything was made of curtain wall. (Dont' get me wrong! I am not saying forget all the other tools and use curtain wall only:)) I look for some pictures of it but unfortunately no chance this time.
There is a nice article on AECbytes which I enjoyed reading. Curtain wall is used to model decking!
Free Rotate in 3D!
Curtain wall is the first tool which Graphisoft introduced the new "Free Rotate" command in 3D. As you remember the first seeds of free form modeling was sown with ArchiCAD 10, introduction of Complex Profiles. Free Rotate development was a continuation of "give designers more freedom" movement and I really appreciate it:))
Perfect Coordination between Model and Documentation
I saw many free form curtain wall models done with other softwares. They look all pretty from a distance but when you go into details... OMG! The joints are not correct, surfaces explodes in certain parts! You basically can not generate proper documentation out of it!
In ArchiCAD, you would not experience this!
#9 will be announced tomorrow!
PS: Feel free to share your Top 10 :)
They definitely do fear BIM but the questions is should they?
No, not at all!
I have been planning to write a post about this for quite a long time but always something else was poping up.
Until today:) I saw this as a discussion topic on LinkedIn.
As you know, I do not like reading long and boring stuff. I quickly skim the text and if it is really something to spend my time and energy I would read it carefully then.
And, the first comment on the discussion just stroke me!
Wow! If I was gonna write the blog post, it would be within the same lines with Gary Bowen's comment. (His English is better than me tough :))
Here comes his comment that I 100% agree:
"Quantity Surveyors
"fearing BIM" is becoming an increasingly common statement to make, as
the initial reaction to BIM is usually that the QS's job is threatened
with automatic takeoff processes. But in practice, this is clearly not
the case. A fundamental aspect which is rarely covered by those who
bring up this, is, 'Where can the QS provide value for developers on BIM
projects?'
Very few QS's provide value by quickly rattling off the automatically
generated volume of concrete below grade for example. Whether it's a BIM
or traditional project, the key deliverable of a QS does not change -
therefore there is no need to fear BIM as no change in a process will
replace that deliverable.
Even if the QS is provided with a full breakdown of quantities in the
model, in practice, these are rarely in the format required for pricing.
After formatting assemblies and schedules into standardized pricing
formats like materformat or uniformat etc, only one stage has been
achieved. I.e. Only the model has been measured and priced. This is not
the required task a QS should focus on... A QS should provide value by
pricing the 'project' and not the 'model' - i.e. what elements of the
model are missing, how much risk should be applied, is the building an
efficient shape, are life-cycle costing options a high importance on
this project, is the cost plan amount expected to be the final
construction cost etc etc. By reducing the time taken to compute the
quantities, the QS can then focus on more billable hours by providing
these services. Providing value for a facility will never be replaced by
others automatically generating quantities.
Perhaps fearing the initial investment in upgrading computers &
software to handle models may be a 'fear' for small-medium companies,
but I assume your question refers to general implementation and
processes. In short, people should embrace the new opportunities and
look forward to overcoming some of the road-bumps on the way."
I hope you enjoyed it too!
Have a fabulous weekend!
Diyane Koseoglu www.bimes.com
Although I have recommended self-studying on this blog earlier, we have received quite a lot of applications for a classroom training.
It seems like nothing supersedes the face-to-face experience when it comes to learning.
So yes, we organized a new training session!
ArchiCAD 15 Essentials Training will take place in Canadian University of Dubai on the 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25 March 2012. It consists of 7 evening classes and total cost is 3500 AED. For more information on the course content please click here.
He is one of the best ArchiCAD trainers I have ever seen. Very patient and he explains even the most complex commands in the simplest possible way. I am sure you will agree with me after the training:)
Upon completion of training you will receive Graphisoft Training Certificate which is internationally accepted. Great value for your profile.
By the end of the training, you will be able to understand the overall workflow of ArchiCAD. If I need to speak with facts, you should be able to get a result over 50 on ArchiCAD Competency Challenge.
Of course, this training will not make you an ArchiCAD guru.
It requires some more training and also some hands-on practice on a real project.
If you are interested you can register online directly from here.
Today's post is again about ArchiCAD and BIM Server and how to backup it in one go.
This time it is a pre-disaster planning rather than a post-disaster planning scenario:)
Jothi explains how to back up your complete BIM Server (including all the projects, users, access right etc) in one go. You can use this method when you are moving the BIM Server from one computer to another or just changing the location.
My new hobby is to check the "stats" page of our blog. I am checking it out almost every 2 hours as long as I have internet access.
I am like a kid at the moment. Every new hit is making me so happy that you can not even imagine:)
Last week, when I was checking the "Audience" part I was shocked!
In the Top 10, there is no single country from Middle East.
Let me give you the list of top 10 countries of last week:)
This reminds me the BuildingSmart's "BIM in the Middle East 2011" survey.
In that report, United States was the first country in terms of number of BIM users and it was followed by Western Europe.
Tough I am no longer sure about the "25%" of GCC:)) If this number is correct then where are you guys? May be the BIMers in the Middle East do not really enjoy reading:))
Anyway, thank you very much for following our blog! Every and each member of BIMES team is very very pleased seeing that our efforts on this blog is really appreciated by the BIM community all over the world:)
New starter to BIM usually believes that if you have a model you can extract accurate quantities out of it.
But not always! Accuracy depends on the method of modelling.
For instance, designers/consultants models the columns from slab top to slab bottom so the model is also suitable for analysis software.
However, contractors prefers modeling from slab top to slab top due to the quantity surveying standards in the Middle East.
If you want accurate quantities from your model you should develop a "Modeling Guide for QS".
When you start preparing the standards, things will get more and more complicated as soon as the other construction elements such as walls, beams etc comes into the game.
However with the right priority seetings in ArchiCAD, you can manage to get accurate quantities without worrying to much about the modeling method.
This was the main reason that our BIM Service Team selected ArchiCAD as the main BIM Modeling Tool.
During our evaluation we noticed that due to the unavailability of "priority" settings in other BIM Tools, you have to find workarounds by clumsier modeling methods which increases your modeling time 32 times compared to ArchiCAD.
We did our tests on a very simple model. (See below image)
If you set the priorities right, ArchiCAD will deduct the overlapping quantities such as column&wall or beam&beam intersections. However in other BIM Tools we have tested, you have to create individual walls in between columns since there is no other practical way of deducting the quantities.
Yes, ArchiCAD increases our BIM Service Team's productivity so our boss is in love with ArchiCAD:)))
