Session 3.3
To Infinity and beyond: transforming 1000000 sq.m. of CAD data to Revit models
Synopsis:
Data is a new buzzword. After 20 years of reigning on the scene the word “BIM” doesn’t buzz anymore, does it? Should you worry about missing new trend? Do you have to be good at “BIM” – whatever it means – to follow this newborn star? The class is a case study of a unique project: transforming 2D drawings of the second biggest hospital campus in Europe from a 40-years old CAD-system to Revit models. It was a brilliant chance to use the whole power of “data” concept, “data processing”, “data pipeline”. The presentation, however, is focused on the way itself, how we developed the competences needed to succeed. Technical detail one can find in the hangout. Recommended for all levels.
Learning Objectives:
1. Concepts of “data” and “data processing” applying to AEC, and basic skills one needs to develop to progress in this area
2. Roadmap to plan your next “data processing” project and an example how to use it
3. Guidance how to choose proper tools to process data
Body:
Migrating the data of the second biggest hospital and research campus in Europe from a 40-years old CAD system to Revit…What can be more prestigious, challenging and exciting in terms of pure “data processing” in construction? One “just” needs to convert graphics from 2D drawings to 2,5D Revit models. Would you do that? If you had 48 hours?
Exactly so much of machine time we needed to do the job at the end. And more than 2 years of everyday work to build the automated process itself. We’ll be honest – we were not ready to do it on a so high-tech level at the beginning, but this is the most interesting part of this case: we started from a “classical” set Dynamo + Excel and managed to continuously improve both ourselves and the process to finally build a fully automated workflow with 15 separate steps, more than 3000 lines of code behind them, database back-end and a happy client as the output. We even failed once in between and quite badly – the full case to study.
And this is exactly what we want to show to everyone – how to keep on moving, develop skills and become competent in data processing area. Technical details, of course, are interesting too, but less important as everyone will face with his own challenges and what suited us perfectly may not work in other situations. Another point to highlight – data processing tasks are mostly abstract and do not require knowledge in building design, engineering and local standards. This is the best part – everyone can start learning and doing things right now (or better after this class) not being obliged to follow any external rules apart from laws of nature and work hours. The first step is always the hardest – and this is what we also know very well. 2 years seems to be long enough to learn anything and yet it is still a very rare thing to see design engineers with much more work experience who implement data processing workflows. As well as young specialists. After all we could not find any book or guidance of how one can learn and progress in data processing for AEC, so this class, perhaps, is our first step to writing one.