Why have BIM Models in industrial applications?

Part of digitization in the industrial market involves having data to help architects, engineers, and end users make better design decisions. Consequently, Building Information Modeling (BIM) was created for this purpose. The general concept of BIM started as far back as the 1970's(1,2). BIM is a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility. It is used to design, construct, and operate buildings and infrastructure more efficiently. In industrial applications, BIM can be used to improve the efficiency of processes, reduce the risk of errors, and enhance collaboration among project stakeholders which would lead to cost savings for projects.

Some specific benefits of using BIM in industrial applications include:

1. Improved accuracy: BIM allows designers and engineers to create detailed, accurate models of the facility, which can help to reduce errors and rework during the construction process.
2. Enhanced collaboration: BIM allows all project stakeholders to access and update the same model, which can facilitate communication and coordination among the different teams involved in the project.
3. Better visualization: BIM enables users to create 3D visualizations of the facility, which can help to identify potential issues and improve the overall design of the facility.
4. Improved construction efficiency: BIM can be used to generate detailed construction documents and schedules, which can help to streamline the construction process and reduce the risk of delays.
5. Enhanced facility operation and maintenance: BIM models can be used to track the maintenance and repair history of a facility, which can help to improve its operational efficiency over time.

In the NEMA market, there are specific guidelines for BIM data requirements. "The NEMA standard is not intended to cover geometry for creating 3-D BIM models, but rather define electrical product data requirements with optional levels of compliance to support electrical system design, construction, operation, and maintenance" (3) as quoted from NEMA. In addition, companies, such as, ABB have embraced this data-driven technology and provided BIM models to their end users, e.g. BIMagic? Designer(3). End users will need to register to access ABB's models. End users can also find various types of BIM models at https://www.bimobject.com/.

To conclude, the real question is why don't more Industrial manufacturers have BIM models for their customers since customers can benefit in several ways, e.g. improve accuracy, enhanced collaboration, etc...

References:

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