Future Testing is a process that leverages virtual design and construction, simulation, and rapid iterations. With Future Testing, AEC project stakeholders are able to anticipate issues and opportunities early, reduce risk, take advantage of innovative ideas, and gain an edge on the competition.
An excellent example of a company employing the Future Testing method is CadMakers Inc., a construction and manufacturing technology company.
They work closely with AEC businesses to streamline projects from design to construction, leveraging leading engineering software solutions. Their design approach includes modeling all the building systems — architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, civil and geotechnical — and mapping them virtually in an accurate, virtual 3D model. Then, they get everyone — the project architect, engineers, and various subcontractors — together to view the model and crowdsource solutions to identified problems. (more…)
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For Morphosis Architects in Los Angeles, the flexibility to innovate is at the heart of their work.
“Our work is a constant search for innovation,” comments Kerenza Harris, leader of Advanced Technology at Morphosis, in a recent video interview with Dassault Systèmes.
That innovation can be found in a number of areas, from the rough initial design idea and throughout the design process as the idea evolves and becomes more sophisticated and better defined. (more…)
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An advanced process in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) allows project stakeholders to anticipate issues and opportunities early, therefore reducing risk, taking advantage of innovative ideas, and gaining an edge on the competition.
We call it “Future Testing” and it enables AEC teams to:
The time is now for AEC companies to replace Problem Solving with Future Testing. Those that don’t take advantage of the opportunity will fall behind. Those that adopt Future Testing will build confidence and trust with their customers by showing they can anticipate issues and opportunities in advance, and adapt to inevitable changes as they occur with speed and precision.
Industry leaders are learning to uncover opportunities for innovation, and avoid issues, by experiencing the build process in a digital, virtual environment before the windows of opportunity close due to limitations of what’s already been constructed.
They’re moving beyond the era of firefighting by anticipating and avoiding problems through simulation.
In addition, they’re employing a Future Testing Cycle to learn from physical and virtual work and improve and simplify construction processes as they go.
The benefits of Future Testing apply not only to the owner, but also to architects, engineers, suppliers, contractors, and the whole team. This approach gives every constituent confidence in the process and the outcome because they’ve experienced it virtually.
On September 14th, 2017, Dassault Systèmes held the Greater China AEC Industry Forum in Qingdao, China. Hosting industry leaders from around the country, the forum introduced Dassault Systèmes development strategy and global experience in the construction and energy industries. Participants learned about Dassault Systèmes “3DEXPERIENCE” BIM solution platform, as well as the company’s successes in municipal projects, roads and railways, water conservancy and hydropower projects, and other sectors.
The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, held in Beijing in May 2017, reaffirmed China’s commitment to promoting the integration of land, sea, air, and the Internet. While promoting metropolitan area development, the “Belt and Road” strategy also focuses heavily on infrastructure development. In this context, Dassault Systèmes is continually improving upon its “3DEXPERIENCE” solutions platform, and is striving to support data integration and coordination across the lifetime of infrastructure projects using 3D data simulation technology and BIM management platforms. This helps companies in design, construction, operation, and other project phases reap the benefits of digital technology. (more…)
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As a city evolves, how do you ensure you make the right decisions and meet the needs of the people?
Singapore is a pioneer in creating a comprehensive virtual model of itself: a virtual city.
Globalization, urbanization, and climate change present significant challenges to cities worldwide.
In addition, with the increasing deployment of connected sensor technology, cities are rapidly growing beyond the capability of planners and city managers to manage effectively.
In parallel, urban residents and visitors, accustomed to the personalized experience of the web enabled by their smart devices, have ever-higher expectations for how technology will facilitate more engaging life, work and play experiences in the urban context.
Facing the complexity of today’s urban challenges, traditional methods and techniques of urban planning and design appear outdated. (more…)
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Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA), founded by celebrated Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, specializes in designs that use natural materials. The firm’s distinctive style gives the impression of an organic structure, while the process to generate such intricate designs is purely digital.
KKAA representatives were enthusiastic participants in the AEC Design Hackathon at Design in the Age of Experience 2017, along with a wider group of progressive, world-renowned architectural firms. (more…)
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Guest post by Dong Liming, EPC Consultant, Dassault Systèmes
Dong Liming, EPC Consultant, Dassault Systèmes
In the past few years, one important component of Dassault Systèmes’ leading construction experiences – Optimized Planning – hasbeen adopted by pioneering construction firms. The power of digital technology has already given these companies outstanding achievements, both in terms of the projects they have built and the awards they have won.
Any discussion of digital construction should start by introducing the technology on which it is based – Dassault Systèmes’ DELMIA digital manufacturing technologies powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. With the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, users can quickly analyze, plan, and reorganize product, process, and resource information and integrate new technologies such as virtual reality, networked computing, rapid prototyping, databases, and multimedia. It enables the simulation of product and process, manufacture of prototypes, and rapid execution of a complete manufacturing and construction processes. And now we are bringing our many years of experience and success in manufacturing to the AEC industry. (more…)
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Zahner is a customer of Dassault Systemes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Emerson College LA is designed by Morphosis with a series of custom facade systems design-engineered, manufactured, and installed by Zahner. The new Emerson College campus in Los Angeles provides a landmark for film and performing arts students of the Boston-based college to study in an immersive environment. The innovative design by the esteemed architects at Morphosis provides an integrated and efficient experience for both visitors and students.
The Admiralty Integrated Station & Sha Tin to Central Link project is the expansion of an existing station on the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system.
As one of the interchange stations on Hong Kong’s busy MTR network, Admiralty Station will need to accommodate 2 new railway lines, the Shatin to Central Link (SCL) and the South Island Line (SIL), making it the first 4-line interchange in the Hong Kong MTR system. This project was further complicated by a demanding construction schedule.
Syntegrate, a consultancy specializing in the application of computer-based technology in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry, was responsible for implementing Building Information Modeling, or BIM, on this project. The team utilizes BIM Modeling and Management software tools and provides specialty services to assist in master planning, architectural design, project management, construction, and operations of the built environment.
Throughout the expansion of Admiralty Station, which involved construction directly beneath the existing metro lines, the daily operations of the trains had to continue without interruptions. Therefore, in addition to the demanding construction schedule, the operational constraints imposed by the existing station meant that it was necessary to formulate and accurately execute a highly detailed construction plan.
Syntegrate responded to this challenge by utilizing CATIA on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. They visualized construction procedures and periodically incorporated up-to-date as-built models into the BIM environment. With this innovative approach, they produced accurate quantity take-offs, optimized the flow of logistics, and verified construction processes for all stakeholders.
As a result, Syntegrate delivered the following value to the project:
Successfully assisted the main contractor to develop constructible method statements throughout construction
Effectively used the as-built data in the BIM system to analyze and precisely coordinate subsequent construction
Improved construction strategies, safety measures, and work procedures through the use of BIM
Produced accurate calculations of resource levels and construction costs to assist in planning
Visualize and optimize upcoming work to improve space utilization on a very constrained site
With Syntegrate’s help, the 3D model enabled construction workers on-site to foresee subsequent processes.
The project stakeholders could also anticipate issues and opportunities early so they could make adjustments in a virtual environment to reduce risk.
Recently, we issued a survey asking architects, engineers, artists, and contractors to describe some of their pain points regarding collaborative construction processes today. Our hope is that by identifying the biggest issues we face in our industry, we can begin a dialog to find the best solutions.
We selected a number of answers to these questions and shared them below. Each of the responders had strong insights into what problems our industries face, and what we found may surprise you (including the fact that architects love the color black — who knew?!)
Tweet: “Our work is a constant search for innovation” #architecture
Tweet: Top 3 Issues Facing #Architecture: @azahner Survey | @3DSAEC
