The Case for Trimble Layout Instruments

If you’re a regular reader of the Trimble Buildings newsletter, you’ll recall the series of case studies we did in preparation for the AGC BIMForum in Denver this past October. We examined the prefab efforts on our own technology campus in Westminster, CO, and developed four different case studies: the concrete, the steel, the exterior framing, and the interior framing. While we used twenty-nine different Trimble technologies on our own building, the Robotic Total Station and Trimble Field Link software played a very key role: from layout to quality control and assurance.

On this episode of Fridays with Trimble, we’ll take a look at the original field solutions that made Trimble a verb on the jobsite. “Let’s Trimble it” and see the advantages to having your own gear for your projects. In this webinar, we’ll run through the use cases to have your own layout gear, as well as many of the ROI anecdotes from projects around the world.

First and foremost, we’ll examine the Robotic Total Station as the vehicle to connect the preconstruction efforts to the jobsite. We’ll quickly discuss how PEs, Supers, and Crew Chiefs can mark critical layout points in various Trimble software packages like Tekla, SketchUp, Vico Office, and Point Creator and shoot those points on the site. This would be all the critical points per location for sleeves and openings before concrete is poured, deck elevations before pipes are installed, organic curved walls before the framing starts, hangers and bracings for seismic requirements, pipe runs, slab edges, anchor bolts, embeds, etc.

We’ll also see how the Robotic Total Station is utilized for:

Logistics: locate property corners or boundaries, jobsite fencing, stormwater management, temporary construction trailers and storage unites, lay down areas, stock pile locations for topsoil and earthworks, and mock up locations

Site Work: locate building pads and excavation lines, subsurfaces for parking lots, over-excavation requirements, curb and gutter locations, sidewalks, landscaping, light poles and bollards, loading dock areas, retention ponds, storage tanks, and final grades

Utilities: locate as-built temporary electrical, gas, plumbing, and low-voltage lines for the construction trailers and building, layout and as-built site electrical and irrigation lines, layout and as-built sanitary sewer systems, storm sewer systems, and water systems

Concrete and CMU: locate piers with offsets, corners and elevations of foundations and pier caps, door block outs and brick ledges, anchor bolts and embeds to within 1/16”, structural cores with openings and rebar clearances, and post-tensioning cable locations

Caption: Westminster West Stair Core (feft) and Pier Cap with Anchor Bolts Checked Just After Concrete Pour (right) with JE Dunn Layout Foreman utilizing the Trimble RTS 633, Trimble Field Link Tablet, and Trimble MT1000 (Active 360* Prism)

Steel: layout benchmarks and grid intersections, offsets at each column or grid intersection and on each floor to allow for quick installation of steel and permanent stairs, layout and check edge angles and openings, check pre- and post-pour camber for steel beams, layout and check steel columns/beams/bracings for accuracy, safety rail stantions at leading edges pre-pour

Exterior Shell: locate exterior framing and openings, pre-cast panels and inserts, window openings, glazing systems including anchors, embeds, and edge angles

Interiors: floor flatness, layout actual track line in lieu of finished drywall, doors, windows, openings, caseworks, fire extinguisher cabinets, ceilings, soffits, skylights

MEP: layout hangers, duct strap, sleeves, anchors, block outs and penetrations before or after concrete pours to install hundreds or even thousands of items in a day, critical wall openings and penetrations for framing, prefabrication items within the shop, electrical fixtures, conduit and cable trays, mechanical runs, valves and piping runs

Quality Control: daily layout summaries, deviation reporting, field reports with photos of issues and progress, provide descriptions and exact coordinates of any issues, as-builts of everything in the models for an accurate model to hand over to the Owner, concrete and steel pre-, post-, and during pours, check embeds and anchor bolts prior to steel fabrication to eliminate costly site repairs, check MEP items pre-pour to ensure everything is within the wall cavities or chase areas

No one knows your project, your layout needs, or the correct items to watch for quality control better than your team. You can see the advantage of having your own equipment here. You select the points within the model or 2D drawings you would like to layout in the field, shoot the points and then your crews or subs are ready to install. You’re not beholden to another team’s schedule to get the job done.

Of course, the reverse is true for the quality assurance check. After the work has been completed, you can capture the actuals from the site and compare these points to the originals to check discrepancies. Whether you’re working with Tekla or models in Vico Office Layout Manager, just import the points back and the project team can verify the quality of the construction and check acceptable tolerances using the building model or 2D drawings. When as-built conditions are combined and overlaid with the model, you can make sure that all structures are built according to the plan. We can see X, Y, and Z as-built coordinates compared to the as-designed coordinates, along with distance, out of tolerance, and percent calculations.� Even more importantly, you can hand over an accurate as-built plan or model of the project to the Owner or to your own project team for future work.

Working on our own building project in Westminster, we saw:

So join us on the next Fridays with Trimble to see how you can apply this technology on your next project. If you’d like to get a jump start, be sure to check out our ROI calculator.

You and your team won’t want to miss this webinar. Together we’ll take a close look at:

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Learn from your peers with your peers at Fridays with Trimble!

Other Fridays with Trimble Webinars

Be sure to grab these archived titles and watch them in the conference room with your team:

Adding Modelogix to Your Estimating Arsenal

Construction estimators use Modelogix to quickly compare similar construction projects in terms of quantities, labor, materials, and cost. Side by side, compare project cost plans to make sure no scope is missing. Better yet, print reports for Owners with this data to highlight your project expertise.

LBMS Hospital Project Case Studies

Location-based scheduling and production control rely on calculated durations (from the model-based quantities by location and subs productivity rates). Keeping crews moving at an optimal pace in free and clear locations means better quality and overall, a more predictable, less risky schedule. This webinar highlights four different hospital construction projects in California who have applied LBMS and seen the results.

LAX Terminal Expansion Project Case Study with Klorman Construction

Klorman Construction outlines their technology strategy for bidding, building, and delivering the Tom Bradley International Terminal expansion project at LAX. Klorman chose Trimble Buildings solutions including Tekla, Prolog, and Vico to complete the new terminal. See ROI statements from this project along with unique workflow for project management, BIM modeling and clash avoidance, location-based scheduling and estimating.

Sharpen Your Competitive Edge with WinEst

WinEst is a powerful estimating solution for construction firms. The robust database is hidden behind an easy-to-use Excel-like interface so estimators feel right at home. With WinEst your team can do manual and/or virtual quantity takeoff, examine work at any point in time, create what-if scenarios, summarize costs per category (including mark-ups and indirect costs), add default labor rates and equipment costs, and create project-type estimate templates to help standardize your department.

The New Estimating Lifecycle featuring Modelogix, WinEst, and Prolog

Fresh from Trimble Buildings is a new estimating workflow featuring Modelogix, WinEst, and Prolog. This workflow starts with a feasibility budget in Modelogix, a bid and detailed estimate in WinEst, a project budget reconciled with actuals in Prolog, and back to a conceptual estimate in Modelogix. See the entire workflow in this webinar.

More Precise Quantity Takeoffs with Tekla Models in Vico Office

Trimble Buildings has a new quantity takeoff workflow featuring Tekla Structures and Vico Office. This workflow features the Model Organizer in Tekla and new model activation options in Vico Office to get precisely the quantity takeoff you need from concrete and steel models. And it is the construction-caliber quantities in Vico Office that power the 4D schedules and 5D estimates.

Prolog 9.7

New from Trimble Buildings is the release of Prolog 9.7. This webinar features a workflow alerting stakeholders about a potential problem with a concrete pour while highlighting new features in 9.7 including more functionality for Superintendents with iPads in the field.

How to Build a VDC Leadership Team

There are many strategies to building out your core VDC Team. Some firms create a BIM Department or Task Force with resources deployed on each project. This case study webinar examines the path taken by Hoar Construction in Birmingham, Alabama. During the Trimble Customer Success Plan, they also rolled out a new estimating database, Project Progression Planning, and executive sponsorship for their new team.

Collaboration at the Speed of Prolog

In order to solve problems in preconstruction and out on the jobsite, all construction project stakeholders need to be connected to one system of record. Prolog is that hub for project executives at HQ, for PMs in the trailer, subs and supers on the jobsite, and design teams at their offices. With desktop, web-based, and iPad applications, Prolog ensures all constituents have the facts they need to make data-driven decisions.

Introduction to Document Controller

New from the Trimble Buildings division is Vico Office Document Controller - a new way to work with 2D construction drawings and 3D BIM models. Document Controller quickly identified changes between new versions of 2d drawing sets. It also compares two versions of 3d models and highlights the changes. In the new hybrid view, BIM Managers can compare the 2D drawing to the 3D model before work is sent out for prefabrication. And, of course, the change management steps are built into the Vico Office 5D workflow.

Best Practices in Laser Scanning

This webinar examines three best practices for laser scanning on today’s construction projects: (1) creating construction documentation and drawings where none existed; (2) measuring floors for flatness and level; and (3) creating 3D models out of the point cloud data. This webinar shows that laser scanning is not just for retrofits and renovations, but can also be used as a quality assurance check for new buildings, as well.

Prolog Unplugged

Prolog administrators and power-users will love this unplugged webinar. We show how to go under the hood with Prolog and design better dashboards, workflows and alerts, reports, etc. All users will walk away with something new they want to try with the construction project management software.

Capture Project Experience with Modelogix

Modelogix is the keystone of the Trimble Buildings portfolio because all construction projects should start and end with Modelogix. Feasibility budgets, conceptual estimates, and courtesy estimates can be much more precise by locating all similar past projects and normalizing costs for geography and inflation. Once the project is complete, actual costs can be stored in Modelogix for use on new bids.

Download the New MPS Primitives Playbook

As part of our preparations for the Denver BIMForum, we put together our MPS Playbook (with over 60 pages of methodology and best practices featuring a comprehensive listing of primitives) and MPS 3.0 Webinar.

After defining your levels of detail and determining which scheduling and estimating details are required for each stage of the model progression specification, the 5D Data Pack allows you to cut and paste your way to your 5D project. This matrix of LOD, aspects, and classes makes it easy to slot in standard building elements, costing data, and scheduling information and accurately (and quickly) complete the MPS.

Download the two pieces now and see how to deploy primitives on your next project.

Download New Trimble Papers from the Lake Constance 5D Conference

Trimble sponsored the 2013 Lake Constance 5D Conference earlier this week. We presented four new papers featuring our latest research and field data on the MPS, production control, laser scanning, and 6D BIM. We understand that a trip to Germany isn’t in everyone’s travel budget, so we have the papers available to download for the whole community.