One of the key parts of our unique design-detailing process is the close collaboration between us, the detailers, and the project engineer of record. In the traditional process, we would not collaborate as closely with the engineer. We wouldn’t start the detailing process until the engineer was 90% complete with their design and the fabricator had been awarded the contract. In the design-detailing processes, however, we actually begin detailing when the design is only 50% complete and work very closely with the engineer.
Collaboration Is Key
Working closely with the engineer, in fact, is the key element of our process. By bringing the detail process and the design process in sync, we’re able to cut down on time and reduce the amount of problems that may occur later in the project. No one else is involved in the project at this early stage, which means we don’t have to communicate through the fabricator, general contractor, or anyone else. Our team can talk directly to the engineers and the engineer project manager, which means there is much less chance of a communications breakdown.
By working so closely together, we’re able to handle the RFI process in a much more efficient and effective way. In the traditional process, any RFI would go through the fabricator and the GC before it reached the engineer. At every person in that chain, there’s a chance of the message getting changed, lost or misinterpreted going to and from the engineer. This adds delays and increases the risk of misinformation. By talking directly to the engineer, we get accurate answers very quickly.
We Start Earlier in the Process
Instead of beginning when the design is 90% complete, we start when it’s about 50% or less. This allows us to work more closely with the engineer on the detailing and provide a detailers input on the design. As the engineer sends us revised structural drawings, we update our model and advise the engineer on any issues that we find, such as steel conflicts, erectability issues, and missing dimensions etc. This way, the engineer can address these potential problems quickly and efficiently before the bid set of drawings is even released.We do this through online meetings that allow both sides to view the model of the project. Thus these problems can be addressed and resolved in an hour instead of through an email chain that often takes weeks in the traditional detailing process
All of this is much more efficient than it would be if we began later in the process. In the traditional process, every time we found an issue that required the drawings and models to be updated, those updates would have to go to many different parties. In design-detailing, we work out all of these problems with the engineer directly first, so the initial set of drawings contractors receive is far more complete and thus requiring significantly less RFI’s.
The End Result of this Collaboration
By collaborating through online meetings, with realtime model reviews, and direct emails and communications with the engineer, the design-detailing process results in a significantly shorter project timeline and fewer issues. For customers, this translates into saved money. The construction site footprint time is less, and the owner is able to occupy the building earlier as wellthus generating revenue sooner.
If you want to know more about the design-detailing process or have other questions for us, please contact Anatomic Iron today.
Thank you for your interest!
Cliff Young – VP Sales
cliff@anatomiciron.com
604-779-3800