Digital Rebar Workflow from Design to Construction Using iPad and BIM 360 Glue

HENNING HABBERSTAD: Learn how we use BIM 360 Glue as an information carrier in our project instead of drawings. And we have 8 experiences for you. It's actually 16 now. It's rapidly becoming the standard procedure in Norway.

Small agenda for today. Short presentation. And then we are doing live demo. See how we order rebars in using Solibri. How we use Excel templates. How we set them up. Usage of Navisworks and iConstruct to standardize the Glue deliveries that we are using as production views. Project experiences and, of course, questions at the end.

Everything you're going to see today is made to work on the digital platforms we are using in Skanska, which are BIM containers. Early BIM office on site. We had BIM kiosk. In 2014 Skanska developed BIM kiosk and we are now in our third generation. It's available for all our projects.

And of course, BIM 360 is a platform from Autodesk. Skanska Norway have approximately 900 iPads out on site. And we are a big user of BIM 360.

So digital rebar. In January 2016 we started our pilot project where the intention was to get rid of the drawings and only use the model. And it's not that far since January 2016, and we now have 16 projects. Before this project goes over, we had four projects.

We use it for ordering and we need BIM model with all the structural models. But more main focus is concrete model and the rebar model. The solution demands tight teamwork with structural engineers, project team members, BIM coordinators, and of course the workers. And together they sit down and they divide the model into production stages.

And for those you working as a structural engineer or some kind like that, traditionally don't use productions stages. We use [INAUDIBLE] stages, and they are bigger stages. We are shrinking the stages so it fits on an iPad.

This gives us the opportunity to classify all the information. We use it when we order and quickly getting the right production stage. This gives us production stages we can order and also production stages we can work from. And this is a typical view from BIM barracks or a BIM kiosk.

Digital ordering. We are using Solibri and the digital ordering is a template. And we're going to look into it. [INAUDIBLE] send this one to the supplier, Since the information is digital, we have the traceability for every order. And we have a status for what's ordered in the model, what's delivered, and what's mounted.

iConstruct. We use iConstruct in Navisworks to standardize the BIM deliveries. In this session, I will have the focus on concrete model and rebar model, with all the models that's going to be embedded in the concrete should be implemented.

We use Appearance Profiler to colorize the model in the same color palette as Solibri. And the workers need to see the same model in every platform. iConstruct-- we are going into use it to split up the model and handle information. Finally, it gives us the production views we want and they send to Glue.

So this is the new way we are assembling on site. We are using iPads. The entire model are split up in production stages. It gives those views with concrete and only with rebars. The information is handled and shows all of the information that the workers need in concrete and in rebar.

The solution is also optimized for more complex models. This is a small piece of our tunnel. We are able to split it up to production stages. And with a push of a button, it also gets a view for all the layers. And this roof of the tunnel has seven or eight layers. And I only pushed the button once and the views come out. This gives us the opportunity to show the workers layer for layer until the work is done.

So live demo. You are allowed to ask questions, by the way.

In a second. I opened this one. When I'm showing you Solibri, it's not a tool I want you to focus about. It's the workflow we are using that's important. And a short presentation of Solibri and the tools we are using.

Model 3 contains all the IFC models in this project. And Skanska Norway only use IFC in our projects. It synchronizes automatically with [INAUDIBLE] SharePoint solution.

This is the classification I was talking about. Gives us quick access to all the production stages. In selection basket, we have the opportunity to save every order. So by pushing the first order, this is everything that was ordered the first time. And we have all the orders saved.

Of course, we have the information window. Gives us information on every object. The main thing is the Information Takeoff. The Information Takeoff you see here is a traditional cut and bend list used in Norway. Probably the rest of the world. But there are four new properties to make the model ready for digital rebar.

And those four properties are production stages. We need to split up the model, so every object in the model needs to belong to one production stage. Units. The supplier needs to know the difference for what's going into the cut and bend machine and what's going to be delivered as straight iron. We use unit for this. And just as an explanation, STK in Norway is the iron that is going into the cut and bend machine. The LM it's a straight iron.

On traditional drawings you have the opportunity to write and show changes. Within IFC format, we do not have that opportunity. So we have a property that shows us when the structural engineers make changes. It starts on A, and then B, and C, and on. We also have classifications. So we can go in and see what state every iron has.

Final, production stages revision. When the structural engineer are ready and since the production stage is ready for production, he sets it to D. And that's the only letter we are using. And only iron we are handling. All the iron we are handling are de-classified.

So for the sake of the session, I thought I should show you how I would use the tool to make the seventh order. The first order you can use the Selection tool in Solibri and just select the stages just want. But when you're ordering after the first one, you have to consider what's ordered before.

So I have a classification called Production Stage Ready for Production. Set it to selection basket. Set it to selection basket. Then I have the opportunity to go and get rid of everything that's ordered before. So in the selection basket, we now have everything that's ready to order set by the structural engineer.

And then I can use the Information Takeoff. I know in this project all the floors, the slabs, are pre-fabricated from the supplier. So I don't need them. I throw them out. I only want the walls ordered.

So now when I'm ready that this is my order, I can save the selection basket. I need to save. And also I can update the classification.

And this is done out on site, by our project employees. So this was everything. Ordering. Yep.

AUDIENCE: Are you doing the engineering and construction?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: No. Sorry, sometimes you have engineering inside Skanska Norway, but it's-- we need both. Yeah?

AUDIENCE: So the model is viewed by structural engineers.

HENNING HABBERSTAD: Structural engineers, yeah.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

HENNING HABBERSTAD: The structural engineers in Norway were very keen to start this project. And after the first one they stand in line because they want to do it. The experience it's easy to do. Yeah, you have to think about four properties, but it's easy to do. And it saves time. We'll come back to that.

So now I want to send the order to the supplier. And in Solibri you have the opportunity for a plain Excel report or you can use Excel template. This is a plain Excel report and it's usable for quantification and everything, but it doesn't look like a order to the supplier.

So instead, we made a template. And this is our template. The blue section is project information. And the white section is the information directly from Solibri.

We have up to the next tab is LM. It shows all the straight iron. We can see the weight and we can see total length. But we also have a macro button that cleans up the order before we send it automatically.

But these red tabs, it's what the supplier wants. And everything is made together with the supplier. So this is what the supplier wants in the form he needs it.

So when used, it looks like this. Project information. You have to put the delivery date and the delivery time. But this is the information on the walls. And this is the straight iron. You have the total weight in tons and the total length in meters.

And this is actually the first two steps for the supplier. He knows the weight of each iron, so he knows if it's wrong or not just by looking at the numbers. The structural [INAUDIBLE] supplier also have, like everyone else in this project in Solibri Norway, the opportunity to use the model. And they do. They check the order and the model. And then they start it. Yeah?

AUDIENCE: Revit model?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: Nope, Solibri model. This Solibri tool that I showed you, that's our main tool for checking, viewing, and quantification in Skanska. But the template you can use directly from Revit if you want to. And you can also use it directly from Tekla that we use internally in Skanska Norway. It's only Excel. You can transform the information.

Finally, we have the information about every iron that's going into the cut and bend machines. The suppliers have made their own checking rules when they get our orders. They're checking the Excel sheet and they also check the models. And they have the opportunity to contact the structural engineer if they see any problems. So this is copy paste straight into the cut and bend machine.

Then the order is sent. As I said, we can use Solibri we use Solibri in every BIM barrack and BIM kiosk. And you can see the same production views I'm going to show you in Navisworks and Glue. You have the opportunity to have exactly the same in Solibri. But the main focus now is Navisworks and how we get to production use to Glue.

So for this session, I'm only using the concrete model and the rebar model. We use the Appearance Profiler. It's easy to set up and you can make it as a standard in your project. And with a push of a button, you have the same color as we have in Solibri.

In iConstruct, we are using four tools on rebar. First of all, we have Integrated Mappings. Integrated Mappings places a Skanska tab on every rebar. So we get Property tab with Skanska. And I'm going to show you.

It's a simple tool. It's set up simple for one reason, and that's the next step. With a push of a button it gives us the Skanska tab on every object. And it also moves the production stage information on every object to that tab.

Next off is data links. Since we are using more than one software, we are a little bit worried that the properties and the information in the model are transferred or done something with. So we have in our solution made a tool that takes the information from the Solibri model, that's the model we ordered from, that's the information rebar cut and bend from, and we take that and send it to the Navisworks model. It's a simple tool.

In Solibri we have Glue rebar and Glue concrete. And we make a report from it. And it automatically gets updated to the solution.

So this is the Excel sheet. I can place the information many different ways. This is how we have set it up. And we are using the bait ID to link all the information in the model. And this is all the information from the Excel sheet that we want to place into the Skanska tab. And I have the same for concrete.

Both integrated mappings and data links. You only have to set up once for project. You have to check the model, see if all the tools are working. Are they working? Then they work all the time. And then use Audit. Audit gives us selection sets and view points. . And we are going to use those when handling the model.

We only want Audit. We only want selection sets and viewpoints for all the production stages. So that's the focus area. The Skanska and production stages. And then it just generates selection sets, viewpoints, and automatically assumes into all stages.

Finally, we you Reconstruct. First off, we need the information from Navisworks to Glue. But we also want to get rid of all the information in the model, except the information that the workers need. And for those of you who haven't used Glue before and you look at the information on my object, you can scroll meter by meter with information. It's easier when we hide everything else.

So it hides all the property tabs beside the Skanska tab. It exports one NWD for every production stage. And it also serves the [INAUDIBLE]. The group is the production stage. And we all-- it has set up the tools so we only export what we are selecting because we are never making Glue views for anything that's not ordered.

So the production team on any given time have the opportunity to see what they are going to produce. And when they have produced it, we send it to another folder in Glue. So that was all the tools we're using. Let's see if they are working.

Now I made the Skanska tabs on every object in the model. I only made a Excel sheet that covers part of the project for this session. But it actually doesn't use that much more time for the entire project.

Something happened.

Luckily, I have cheated. I have another one. Something happened with my model. Let's continue.

Now I have the selection set for every production stage in the model. And I also have the same view points. For this session, we are going to use this elevator shaft. Easy access with the view points and the selection sets. And I now only have to mark the one I want to export.

I pushed a button. Now it makes NWD files for every production stage that I have selected that we are updating Glue with. This takes a little bit of time, especially if the order is big. So this is what we call a coffee break, but now it's finished.

So that is how we standardized the Glue deliveries. The tool works on all our projects. And it gives the information and the views that the production team wants. And they have also been team members when we made this tool. They are the users. The users have to tell us what they want and how they want it.

We then transfer the NWD file to Glue. Some project managed models themselves. And sometimes the BIM coordinator have to manage to set the views. But we have standardized views and I am going to show them now.

So this is the view from the elevator shaft I picked in Navisworks. It gives me the exact location of the model of the production stage. And in every Skanska project survey has already measured out where this elevator shaft is.

We then have concrete views and rebar views. And this is what our rebar workers are using today in Skanska Norway.

AUDIENCE: So how do they know the size of the rebar and the space of the rebar?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: By pushing the Information tab. So this is the handle information. We now have the Skanska tab and we have the information they want.

So production stage. On the top now, HB, you have the position number. And you have how many. The 31, it's how many pieces you are going to look for when you are collecting from the supplier. So this information is all the information they need. And the CC is the space between irons.

AUDIENCE: What was your process of the learning curve in the field? These guys had never seen a 3D model before.

HENNING HABBERSTAD: It depends on every individual. But its been easier than expected. They see more of what they are making. When I speak to them now in the 16th project, they think that the old way gave them nothing. And it shows everyone this is the job and how do you want to do it. Some people are hard, but the majority are positive and they like it.

In Glue, you have the market tools. And we are learning to use the market tools. You can speak to Glue users on iPad and on computers. So we are learning to [INAUDIBLE]. How to make drawings, ask questions, send them directly into the office or the person they want to ask. You have the opportunity to show. It's only me as a memory in this project. You have the opportunity to select all the project participants or only the one you want to send it to. And you also have the opportunity to save that communication for later by email.

Yeah?

AUDIENCE: How do you do the [INAUDIBLE]?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: How do we see what's mounted or not? We do that in Solibri. And in Glue, the production stages that we are finished with. We'll leave it in another folder. So in Glue, we don't handle that information. The production teams report back that they finished. And then we can see it from the Solibri model. It's already marked. Everything in the Solibri model is done by the production team.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

HENNING HABBERSTAD: That's the digital rebar 2.0 you are talking about. That's what we are doing next.

So the structural engineers that are working in Revit, they Glue directly into Glue from Revit. You have the opportunity to Glue it directly. And it then ends up as a NWC file in Glue. And the structural engineers working in Tekla are only pushing their IFC model. And you also have to set the [INAUDIBLE]. And you have to prepare the structural engineer regarding program for the digital rebars project.

You have then two models. Two IFC and this is NWD. You have the concrete model and you have the rebar model. And the best way to get totally control, if you make the structural engineer export a view of every category. So sometimes they five, six file. That's just so we are getting control and we are handling the models. It's possible to take all the objects into one IFC file or one Glue fire, but then we are losing control, and we need to have control.

I think we are good for live demo.

Project experiences. When I applied for Autodesk University, we had eight projects. And that was before the summer holiday. And today we have 16 projects. And in one week when I'm getting home, we have 19 projects.

We are handling building constructions and we are handling civil work in our solution. This is the eighth project we had before summer. And our experience is by having a complete digital workflow. We have a complete digital workflow now developed with complete supply chain.

We have improved information flow for all parties. There are no drawings or PDFs from structural engineer whatsoever. And the structural engineers are reporting back decrease in engineering hours from 30% to 60%. And time is money.

Suppliers are reporting back that they have more precise orders now. And we have less waste and surplus on our project. Construction workers have improved overall and in their standing for rebar assembling. A better on site logistics and planning. Yeah?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

HENNING HABBERSTAD: One more time?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

HENNING HABBERSTAD: On buildings they have to make drawings for [INAUDIBLE] production stage just to get it right. But that's all. Project number two, I saw one drawing on rebar. And I forgot to ask why, but I think it's because they needed it.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

HENNING HABBERSTAD: Don't use drawings in Skanska. Only for concrete, and that's for placing the entire model from survey.

AUDIENCE: So how do last minute changes [INAUDIBLE]?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: Last minute changes? It happens, it happens.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: When the production team are ready, he needs to be ready. So if he's changing after, we have a problem. We used to say when we were asking for drawings that we needed six to four weeks before production. Now we have five days of delivery. That's it. Maybe even the day of delivery, you get changes from the structural engineer. Then you can pick it up in the Solibri solution. And then you can inform the supplier that we need this one too and we can special order.

By having this digital workflow, now we are using it for 16 projects. And many, many structural engineers and many structural rebar workers have joined and been a part of the project. The same way we started with rebars, we are now doing on digital concrete in Skanska Norway.

We want to order digitally and we want the workers to use only iPads and the model. But we want so much more. We want to start using BIM 360 feed instead of Glue because we are working towards a solution. When the supplier of concrete arrives on site, we can read simple QR code, get the information digitally, check it, check the order against papers from the delivery, and then link it to the model. And by using BIM 360 field, I think we're going to make that all happen.

AUDIENCE: You guys still create concrete shotguns?

HENNING HABBERSTAD: Yeah. You have to. Placing [INAUDIBLE]. So take care, everyone. That was all. And if you have more questions, you are welcome to ask them.