Construction projects are an incredibly intricate and complex undertaking that requires hours upon hours of manual labor and even more time planning, coordinating, and communicating with all involved team members. Professionals in this industry know that manual work is only a fraction of the effort that goes into the completion of a project.
One piece of technology that can streamline the process of a project, increase efficiency, secure the safety of those working on the project, and cut the projects timeline in half is the Ultra Rugged Tablet due to its BIM (Building Information Modeling) and Digital Twin capabilities.
BIM and Digital Twin are similar in that they both provide construction professionals with a 3D blueprint of the structure that is being repaired or built from scratch so that tests can be run and informed decisions can be made before work even begins. However, there is an important difference between the two that makes them imperative for manufacturers and project managers to have access. A BIM is a 3D blueprint of what a structure will look like once the project is completed while a Digital Twin is a 3D digital replica of the physical project — as changes and updates are made to the building, the 3D image replicates that in real-time.
For more detailed information on BIM and Digital Twin technology in DT Researchs rugged tablets check out our blog: Industry-Changing Technological Advancements for Construction and Manufacturers: BIM and Digital Twin.
How BIM and Digital Twin technology increases efficiency for construction projects:
With BIM, manufacturers can virtually walk inside the structure they are planning before the foundation is even set or a single brick is laid. That is a game-changer for construction projects, not only because project leaders can instill support and trust in investors by allowing them to physically see the end result, but also because problems in the project can be seen before they occur and solutions can be found and decided on in the beginning stages. This eliminates mistakes being made or obstacles being discovered in the middle of the building which can throw off the entire projects timing, push back the deadline, and back-up the whole process. This is a nightmare situation that can be avoided by the maximization of rugged tablets BIM and Digital Twin capabilities.
Utilizing BIM, project managers, leaders, and workers can run tests on the project and simulate possible solutions. Materials, infrastructure, design, build, and architecture are all aspects that can be checked and tested over and over again with BIM. Nothing in life is perfect, but with BIM, manufacturers can get their structure to as close as perfect before building even begins. If the model is in place, but there is a new idea it can be tested in seconds — this opens the door for members of the project to use their creativity and not be afraid to express their ideas. Testing new ideas for the project with BIM wastes no more than a few seconds.
With digital twin technology, you can virtually view your project in real-time as its being built. If there are members of the team who are not on-location but need to see whats going on as well as update any changes that have been made from management, they can do so with a digital twin. With a digital twin uploaded into a rugged tablet, every project member from anywhere in the world who is connected to the team can see the project in real-time and stay connected to its progress — all eyes can be on it all the time. This affords for much-needed flexibility for the manufacturers. Digital twin can also highlight problem areas as they are being built and warn of future issues with the vast database of information thats stored in the system.
With the use of BIM and digital twin technology, the construction industry can build faster and better than ever before.
Beyond the benefits of having your hands on real-time 3D blueprints, from start to finish, DT Researchs rugged tablets can support all aspects of the project with 2 other amazing capabilities:
Ultimate access
Throughout all stages of a project, open and constant access is a crucial factor for a smooth-running operation. If all team members do not have the same access to the same information, then efficiency will be limited, as well as the trust in the status of what is going on day-to-day. As a project progresses, there are batches of new updates and changes every single day, possibly coming from multiple different people. Without equal and immediate access, one group could be operating and moving forward on incorrect or outdated information and put a wrench in the entire project. This is the opposite of an ideal workflow, not to mention extremely frustrating to all involved. With the addition of rugged tablets on a project, everyone who has access to a tablet and access to the plans has the most updated information immediately.
Billing and payments
Having a rugged tablet on hand allows project managers and leaders to automate both billing and payments. Once a single job or a specific portion of a project is completed, an invoice can be automatically sent to the appropriate party because the rugged tablet already has all of the necessary information downloaded into its system. It can compute and execute 10 payments in the time you could manually complete one. This goes for both workers and vendors — both groups that require accurate and on-time payments for positive company morale and image.