At Autodesk University Virtual in November 2020, Autodesk announced the concept of Autodesk Tandem “to bring digital twins to building information modeling (BIM).” The press release stated, “Autodesk Tandem brings project data together from its many sources, formats and phases, to create a data-rich digital hub that tracks asset data from design through operations—a digital twin.”
Baffled? So were we. It sounded promising, but what is it: a platform, or a solution?
Fast forward to February and we have more answers as Autodesk announced the beta went live this week.
In short, Autodesk Tandem is both a platform—a digital twin platform to be specific—and a solution, which architects, engineers and contractors can use to create a digital twin (a digital replica of an asset) that can be handed over to owners and operators once a project is done.
Beyond that, “Autodesk Tandem is a digital twin platform that allows a building project to start digital and stay digital, from design to build to operations, and transforms rich data into business intelligence,” said Robert (Bob) Bray, Autodesk’s senior director and general manager for Autodesk Tandem.
We talked to Bray, who is the mastermind behind Autodesk Tandem, to learn more.
Bray, who’s been with Autodesk for almost 24 years, has brought many other Autodesk products to fruition, such as Autodesk MapGuide and Project Galileo, which came to market as Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler and later became Autodesk InfraWorks 360.
The idea of Autodesk Tandem was proposed to Andrew Anagnost, CEO of Autodesk, last year. Apparently it was a hit, as Autodesk Tandem has been in the works ever since.
Bray said the whole point of Autodesk Tandem is for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals to provide valuable data for their clients that they can use downstream for operations and maintenance of the project’s lifecycle. This can be for all types of structures including buildings, bridges or facilities.
With Autodesk Tandem, owners/operators have access to all the information they need on a facility’s components, systems and spaces—all in one place, in the cloud, when they need it, since Autodesk Tandem is web-based.
Bray said upfront that Autodesk Tandem can help project teams come up with a BIM execution plan where they can collect and save data for downstream use. The data they compile during the design and construction process can be captured throughout that process and pre-packaged for the owner when the project is complete.
Is it more work for project teams? Not really. As mentioned above, they can compile the data as they go, such as by managing their Revit files in Autodesk Docs. If they are not using Autodesk Docs, they can manually upload. In addition, changes can be tracked in Autodesk Tandem.
Right now, Autodesk Tandem only collects Revit data; however, Bray said they are looking at adding the use of other file types including the open file format International Foundation Class (IFC), since interoperability is a big priority for Autodesk Tandem. In fact, interoperability is the “heart of Tandem,” as Bray put it.
“This data-connected world requires cooperation and openness from the technology community, and Autodesk is committed to doing its part,” he says.
To support these efforts, last year Autodesk became a founding member of the Digital Twin Consortium, an organization who collaborates on digital twin best practices and standards. Autodesk also joined the Open Design Alliance, a nonprofit technology consortium that provides support and access to design file formats.
Autodesk Tandem is also built on the Forge platform, so there is the possibility for customization. This means that right now would be a good time to join the beta and voice your opinion on the future of Autodesk Tandem.
When asked what’s the pitch, Bray said Autodesk realizes its customers are already on a tight budget, but having the ability to provide a digital twin to their clients is not only a good selling point for potential clients, but owners and operators can also jump on board in the design process to drive the information that can be collected in Autodesk Tandem and work with the design teams up front. That information can then be used downstream to engage owners, and used in the project lifecycle during operations.
Think about how valuable it would be to have all the system data later, too, as 80 percent of a project’s lifecycle is in operations and only 20 percent is in the design phase. However, it’s the information collected upfront that can really have an impact on the end product and its lifecycle.
More and more these days, we’re also seeing owners/operators involved in the design process. Sophisticated AEC firms are starting to utilize more efficient and collaborative design approaches, such as integrated project delivery (IPD), where an owner is involved in the design process and ultimately driving the end product.
The AEC industry often has the reputation of being behind other industries such as manufacturing, but that is changing as leading AEC professionals are starting to utilize more technology and better design approaches, such as IPD.
When asked how the beta came to be, Bray said he had seen “BIM-mature professionals” already looking for or building in-house systems to create a digital twin for handover.
We can see how Autodesk Tandem would be appealing to any design firm. It makes sense that AEC customers should always be thinking about providing the best product for their clients, so designing with operations in mind is a no-brainer.
Another selling point is that “without a digital twin at handover, mounds of disorganized data in varying formats end up buried in electronic folders, rendering useless a treasure trove of valuable data insight,” stated Bray. “For an owner, that’s lost opportunity and money that cannot be recovered. Autodesk Tandem unlocks the treasure by freeing, organizing and standardizing data from design and construction, creating a simple and intuitive digital replica of all the components, systems and spaces in a facility.”
It sounds like this could certainly be a game-changer for the industry, providing crucial information that is relevant for operations, improving design and construction overall.
So far Autodesk has received a lot of interest since announcing the concept last fall, and has gotten good feedback from the pilot group of early beta customers.
Marin Pastar, a contributor to the development of Autodesk Tandem beta, said owners ask him several times a week for this type of information (components, systems and spaces in a facility). Pastar is the Global Technology Leader of Vertical Information Modeling at Jacobs, and said he has long realized the power of using technology to break down silos and maximize efficiency.
He believes AEC professionals can add value to owners by helping owners reduce costs through tools like digital twins.
“Our ability to affect and reduce total cost of ownership drops drastically the farther we progress from design to construction to completion,” said Pastar. “If we consider what an owner will need at handover from the start, we can ensure proper management of assets based on their business goals and processes. We have an obligation to maximize our clients’ investment.”
Another beta participant who also sees potential in Autodesk Tandem is Brian Melton, chief technologist at Black & Veatch, an engineering and construction firm. Melton has been collaborating closely with Autodesk on the direction of Autodesk Tandem’s development.
“We see Autodesk Tandem interfacing with data systems like Computerized Maintenance and Management Systems (CMMS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. This provides owners and operators access to all information through a connected experience that allows them to proactively reduce risk and increase resiliency,” said Melton.
“Owners can start asking: Where are all the assets that currently have open maintenance work orders? What are the chances of this asset failing in the next five years? Is safety equipment near work areas? More connected systems and predictive insights that are visually aggregated using modern BIM/design data will be part of the handover package of the future.”
Whether you’re an owner, operator or AEC professional, you too can shape the future of Autodesk Tandem as Autodesk as has invited all to participate. Join the beta program today and see if this is a fit for you.