 |
REALISING THE VISION |
In July 1994 the UK partners in the Eureka Project EU130 "CIMsteel" entered a new phase - Manufacturing and Construction.
This new phase will build on the achievements of the project to date which has concentrated on the Standards and Design aspects. It will develop further the use of IT so as to assist directly in the fabrication and erection of structural steelwork.
As construction becomes increasingly internationalised, it is imperative that the constructional steelwork sector has the capabilities necessary for it to compete effectively.
The CIMsteel project has involved the collaboration of over forty-five organisations from eight European countries. It embraces a wide spectrum of activities, all of which are ultimately directed at the goal of transforming constructional steelwork into an industry which is based on computer integrated manufacturing.
The CIMsteel Vision
- Faster design, manufacture and construction
- Improved, economic steelwork structures
- Unlocking potential for growth in the steelwork market
- Improved competitiveness in the world market
Advanced Automation for Fabrication
The CIMsteel project will profit from best practice from other industries, with particular reference to small and medium sized fabricators. Using Best Practice Benchmarking methods the Project will prepare a guidance report identifying ways in which fabricators can use the skills of their employees to meet the needs of the industry and the demands of customers.
The project will also specify and demonstrate a cost-effective system for a more mobile, less expensive robotic welding system, which would be tailored to the needs of fabricators and programmed via easy to use software.
Introducing robotic welding technology into the constructional steelwork sector could significantly reduce cycle times for welding, leading to increased throughput and the potential for cost reductions.
Best Practice Guidance
- Connection Design for Production
A new CIMsteel Guide is being prepared - Connection Design and Detailing for Production - which will consider the influence of fabrication, transportation and erection on connection design and will assist designers to make the most appropriate choices.
- Design for Construction
Well informed decisions at the design stage can have a real effect on the speed and cost of installation of a steel structure and associated building elements, even though erection costs for steel frameworks are only a small proportion of the bare steel cost. Specifically, there is a growing acceptance within the industry of the benefits of a construction-led approach.
The CIMsteel project is preparing a set of Design for Construction Guidelines which will enable the designer to make decisions likely to lead to an economical construction phase. The new Guides, together with those already published by the Project, will provide designers with the opportunity to make selections based on objective assessments of downstream activities, resulting in real time and cost savings for fabricators, contractors and therefore for clients.
Management Information Systems
For fabricators to benefit from the opportunities presented by information technology, Management Information Systems (MIS) which fully meet their requirements in areas such as estimating and purchasing need to be developed.
During this phase, the CIMsteel project will integrate examples of proprietary MIS software using the CIMsteel Integration Standards. Prototyping this software integration will bring the digital exchange of information between fabricators and the many other organisations interfacing with their businesses one step closer to reality.
CIMsteel Integration Standards for Manufacturing
The ability to transfer steelwork related data directly between the diverse software packages used during the life-cycle of any single steel framework would greatly enhance efficiency within the sector. CIMsteel Integration Standards are a set of standards for the digital exchange of engineering information which will offer significant savings in terms of operational efficiency, error reductions, shorter project timescales and improved quality assurance procedures.
The key components of the CIMsteel Integration Standards are a series of standard specifications for information models which can be easily communicated in digital form between companies and software applications. The CIMsteel Integration Standards are based on internationally agreed technology and ISO standards.
Product models have already been prepared for use in structural analysis, member design and connection detailing. The new phase will extend these product models into other important areas such as fabrication and erection. A manufacturing model will also be created to model information relevant to Management Information Systems incorporating estimating, purchasing and erection. By facilitating a more integrated working pattern throughout the structural steelwork sector, the CIMsteel Integration Standards will provide a clear way forward for the successful adoption of information technology.
The Wider Construction Industry Challenge
To meet the challenges posed by the growing internationalisation of world construction, the construction industry needs to re-assess the business environment in which it operates. In many cases, this will mean a better interpretation of the requirements of building owners and occupiers.
In conjunction with major UK clients and using Best Practice Benchmarking methods, the CIMsteel project is preparing a report which will critically examine current practice, industrial organisation and the potential impact of CIMsteel and Information Technologies. The report will outline and recommend routes for modifying the culture of the industry and will define the reforms required to ensure that it can meet the challenges ahead.
Click here to see the full list of CIMsteel Collaborators
|
|
|
