Blue Giant Dock Equipment Now Available in BIM Format
Brampton, ON, Canada (July 2010)-Blue Giant Equipment Corporation now offers a complete library of Building Information Models (BIMs) for its products on Arcat.com.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the process of generating a building's components based on inputted specifications, and then managing the entire project during all phases of construction and maintenance. It uses 3D, dynamic modeling software to create accurate, high-definition replications of building layouts and elements.
"The BIM of a Blue Giant product includes all its specifications," explains Jeff Miller, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Blue Giant. "Architects can take the BIM of a dock leveler, vehicle restraint, or any type of dock equipment, drag it into their 3D building plan, and drop it into place."
BIMs allow architects and project planners to create potential layouts and schematics in advance, making informed decisions easier to reach. The models include all data required to calculate structural integrity and energy usage, and can be used to produce accurate BOQs (bills of quantity). A completed construction model contains all the necessary data to control procurement, reduce waste, and finish the project in a timely manner.
"BIM makes a huge impact on cost reduction," says Mike Poeltl, Blue Giant's marketing manager. "Up to 30% of the construction process is dedicated to reworking the original plans, and at least 10% of all materials used in a project end up being wasted. The 3D environment lets architects do an early analysis of potential designs and identify inconsistencies that could cause problems later."
Blue Giant is presently the only loading dock company offering BIM objects in the Arcat library. The objects are available in .rfa, .dwg, .dxf, .dgn formats and can be viewed in a .dwf viewer.
"BIM is the future of building design, and Blue Giant is getting in on the ground floor," Poeltl says.
