One of the key selling points of building information modeling (BIM) since its inception has been its ability to facilitate and enhance coordination between the various parties working on complex projects.
Autodesk is now seeking to build upon this capability by applying BIM to cloud-connected mobile devices to improve project coordination, both on and off the field.
Its BIM 360 Glue is a cloud-based BIM management and collaboration service that connects an entire project team together, and provides them with shared access to the latest project data and models irrespective of their time zone or location.
This enables stakeholders to optimize the scheduling and coordination of their activities, as well as streamline their BIM workflows across the full cycle of project development from pre-construction through construction execution.
The service expedites the project review process and facilitates the resolution of any coordination issues that may arise during the course of a complex, multidisciplinary undertaking.
BIM 360 Glue also raises the efficiency of construction layout tasks by working in tandem with BIM 360 Layout to help simplify multidiscipline model coordination and clash detection.
When employed in combination with BIM 360 Layout, BIM 360 Glue enables users to upload models with layout points directly onto their iPads from other Autodesk offerings, such as AutoCAD, Revit and Navisworks.
Nichols, Melburg & Rossetto Architects and Turner Construction Company of Sacramento, Calif., used BIM 360 Glue to improve the collaborative process for a new high school slated to serve 2,200 students in Northern California’s Mountain House.
The software greatly expedited the review process by providing better coordination between architects, the construction team and subcontractors.
“We were able to coordinate the entire multiuse building—21,000 square feet—in just six hours,” said Adam Della Monica, virtual design and construction engineer at Turner Construction Company. “Prior to using Autodesk BIM 360 Glue, we could coordinate about 10,000 square feet per meeting.”
The ability to access coordinated BIM data in the field and on job sites has also greatly improved the collaboration process for architects, engineers and subcontractors.
“It’s changed the way I communicate with the field,” said Wesley King, associate principal architect for Nichols, Melburg & Rossetto.
“I can see exactly how Turner thinks they are building the project versus the way that I or my consultants drew something…. I can look at the 3D model and say, ‘OK, I can see what I need to do to make something work.’ ”
BIM 360 Glue is part of the BIM 360 construction management package that Autodesk is promoting as a full suite of cloud-connected tools that can be used at any time or location during the life cycle of a building project.
It sits alongside a slew of other software applications that fall under the BIM 360 umbrella, including BIM 360 Docs, BIM 360 Field, BIM 360 Layout and BIM 360 Plan.
The starting price for the product is $29 per user per month, with Autodesk providing availability to users in both free and paid pricing tiers.