No car manufacturer in business would create an engine bay by interpreting a representative 2D drawing—yet it is still acceptable for AEC professionals to work that way.
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a representative 2D drawing. Why should #AEC?
Today’s complex buildings should no longer rely on fragmented communication through 2D drawings or pdfs, said Robert Beson of AR-MA (Architectural Research – Material Applications Pty Ltd.), in a recent presentation at the 3DEXPERIENCE Forum Asia Pacific South 2016.
Beson suggested that architects today have a responsibility to provide more than just design intent. When relying on 2D drawings, too much is left up to interpretation.
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to provide more than just design intent
“It’s necessary to fully engage with the methods of construction, of manufacturing, assembly, logistics and installation,” Beson says. “We need to understand and engage our supply chain from concept through design.”
Adapting to New Processes
Moving to a collaborative platform based on parts and assemblies makes sense, but requires new skillsets from designers.
Today, every project AR-MA designs is comprehensively modeled in 3D.
The shift requires architects to interact in new ways with fabrication and construction professionals.
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ways with fabrication & construction pros
Take connection brackets, for example. By combining 3D scanning and a just-in-time fabrication pipeline, it’s no longer necessary to design complicated 3-way adjustable brackets. The team can design simple laser cut plates, each of which are slightly different and ultimately improve the tolerances onsite.
The need for 2D drawings can be fully removed by laser cutting or engraving directions for assembly into the materials themselves.
To provide these fabrication-ready solutions, every member of the team at AR-MA writes code.
“It’s not enough just to model, and put together assemblies and parts, and think through the building process,” Beson says. “It’s crucial to engage with the means of production and be able to communicate with them. Often that means writing code and sending G-codes directly to the CNC machines.”
Comprehensive Modeling for Wynyard Walk’s Unique Components
For Wynyard Walk, a pedestrian walkway recently completed in Sydney, AR-MA was contracted to manage and execute detail design of the stainless cladding. The team had to deliver a fabrication-ready package of over 3,000 perforated stainless panels and lights, more than 50% of which were entirely unique.
The designers wanted a parametric model that was flexible enough to respond to ongoing design challenges.
The model had to accommodate an as-built primary structure, a glass reinforced concrete wall cladding, interfaces with the ceiling, and ongoing changes in the panel layout and perforations due to modifications in the façade mullions and setouts.
The contractor found the Façade Design for Fabrication powered by 3DEXPERIENCE platform best fit its needs.
Its integration of design and engineering, part and assembly paradigm, and scalability, among other features, allowed the team to produce a highly detailed and accurate 3D model of the entire project scope.
Not only did the comprehensive model prevent problems before they arose, but it allowed designers to minimize the number of part drawings by providing fabrication-ready geometry that was sent directly to the fabricator.
This saved time in the office and factory, and removed any error from misinterpretation of the 2D drawings.
For example, the tremendous time crunch made it necessary to release all fabrication information in batches. Façade Design for Fabrication helped the team to coordinate and track those batch releases, as well as any revisions.
Technical Support of Creativity
Beson pointed out that architecture has long been considered a creative endeavor, but what unifies the team at AR-MA is a belief that architects must unite creativity with technical ability.
“Both are necessary to produce the types of innovative and formative buildings our cities require today,” he says.
Click to Tweet: “It’s Time to Provide More Than
Design Intent for Architectural Projects”
