'There is only one future for construction and that is BIM.'
VGELEC of Diepenbeek, Belgium, specializes in the design and assembly of electrical installations in industrial premises, offices and government buildings. Earlier this year, entrepreneur and owner Rudi Theybers took the first steps in the field of Building Information Modelling (BIM) with Cadac. The first experiences are more than positive. "There is only one future for construction and that is BIM.
'Less failure costs, faster and more efficient work'
In February, Rudi Theybers made contact with Cadac, initially to replace the outdated AutoCAD software. After two meetings with Cadac's account manager Maurice Laumen, the consultant was able to get to work on the installation of Autodesk's AutoCAD and the proven Revit-BIM software. 'Our illustrator and I had known for some time that one day we would have to switch to Modelling in 3D,' says Rudi Theybers, who took over the business in 2016 with a partner and has recently become the sole owner.
'Clients are asking for it more and more often and, on top of that, we often ran into problems on the construction site. Drawings in 2D that were incorrect, holes and slots that had been milled in the wrong places, constructions where the electrical installations had not been sufficiently taken into account, and so on. Time-consuming, costly and, in our opinion, preventable if you can design and plan in advance in a 3D model of the client. But how do you get started with BIM? Which software is the best and which partner will help us with the installation? After a good conversation, it turned out that Cadac already had a lot of experience. We didn't hesitate for long and immediately took the plunge.'
BIM is the future in the construction industry. It is the only way to reduce failure costs, to calculate more accurately, to work faster and thus also to solve the housing shortage.
Rudi Theybers
Owner VGELEC
The first case study
A month later, VGELEC's CAD systems and licenses were up-to-date and supplemented with Autodesk's BIM software Revit. After a five-day (online due to corona) fully focused training for the designer and project leader, we had to wait for the first practical case. 'It came very quickly', says Rudi Theybers. 'One of our regular clients, construction company Dethier, asked us if we wanted to supply the electrical engineering for a new parking garage. A big job with lighting, detectors, security and so on. Now I know that Dethier is one of the forerunners in Belgium with BIM, so when we asked for the 3D model, the response was very enthusiastic. Our draughtsman started working almost immediately and our mechanics will be able to start work this autumn.'
No more surprises
That assembly will be different than usual this time. 'I'm sure of that', Rudi Theybers beams in advance. 'We did see a number of errors and complications in the model, which we have now solved in advance on the drawing. That means: no more surprises for our mechanics. With the 3D drawings on the tablet , they can see exactly where they need to do what.
The measuring of the recesses to be drilled is done using laser technology, linked to the model. So they no longer have to worry about incorrectly drilled or missing holes or too little space for cables. In the 3D model, you can prepare everything down to the smallest detail . That will save us time and the client money. In this way, we can keep the failure costs and therefore additional costs to a minimum.'
Fast cost-effectiveness
In the meantime, there are already three new assignments at VGELEC's offices, all suitable for execution in BIM. This means that the investments have already been recouped for a long time. 'There is a perception that BIM is too expensive for small entrepreneurs,' says Maurice Laumen. 'That's not the case. I am not going to mention the amount invested by VGELEC here, but with one or two orders the investment is already profitable. BIM is particularly accessible for small and medium-sized enterprises. The Revit software is very user-friendly , easy to link with other software and expandable with various functionalities.'
Measure faster
Designer Pieterjan of VGELEC nods. 'The five-day training course by Cadac was more than enough to start the programme. I love working with it. You can also see much more in 3D than in 2D. Design flaws are quickly visible and can be fixed. Measuring is also faster. I am very happy that we have taken this step.'
For Rudi Theybers, there is no doubt. "BIM is the future in the construction industry. It is the only way to reduce failure costs, to calculate more accurately, to work faster and thus also to solve the housing shortage. Furthermore, it is also essential in the fight against staff shortages. The 3D model is the basis for prefab. Various elements can be made in the factory with preparations for the installers, robots can perform drilling and milling work on site. I think we will switch to BIM en masse in the coming years, including the smaller subcontractors and suppliers.'
Wider use
Maurice Laumen wholeheartedly agrees with the entrepreneur from Diepenbeek. 'Certainly. The trend is unmistakable, and software makers and Cadac are responding to this. For example, with TheModus Professional, an addition to Revit with various functionalities that architects, contractors, engineers and installers can use, to create, share and manage information for their BIM projects. The program can handle all types of content from different libraries. Useful in the preliminary phase, but also for future adjustments, renovations and maintenance. Data is being used more and more widely.'
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