Bradley BIM Initiative Evolution | Manufacturer BIM Project Partner

The Bradley BIM Initiative (founded in 2009) achieved several new milestones for serving architects, engineers, contractors and facility owners using BIM processes and Revit. In 2014, Bradley BIM expanded its roles into these processes:

1. BIM for MEP General Contractor (GC) Prefabrication
2. Revit Content Interoperability (Bentley)
3. Revit Model Data Standards
4. Design-Build | Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) with an Expanded Digital Toolset
5. Revit As-built Model | General Contractor Collaboration

1) BIM for MEP General Contractor (GC) Prefabrication

In late 2013, I visited several BIM-based MEP GC fabricators; that were using Bradley TMV and re-circulation stations models in their CADmep plumbing fabrications.  One firm was constructing one of the nation’s largest corporate facility projects. Throughout 2014, we confirmed national MEP GC\Fabricators using Bradley Revit models.

In early 2015, Bradley TMV, re-circulation mixing stations, dialysis boxes and shower valve Revit models will be configured & available –to serve both SysQue (Revit) and CADmep (AutoCAD) for plumbing fabrication clients.

Related Articles

• BIM Means Business | Plumbing Engineer Magazine – ASPE
• Skanska Revit-MEP Prefabrication | Ford Assembly Line Flash Back?
• BIM Means Business | Plumbing Heating-Cooling Contractors – WI Association

2) Revit Content Interoperability (Bentley)

Our thanks to Bentley for using the Bradley Revit Family Library (1,000 families) as part of their larger data set –to test Revit family import stability \ integrity in the new AECOsim Building Designer V8i (SELECTseries 5) software.

Bentley’s Technical Manager (a former Revit Manager) for this project, focused on

1. maintaining the Revit family geometry’s dimensional integrity,
2. retaining the Revit family parametric & visibility control behavior,
3. retaining the embedded parameter data type values,
4. retaining the Revit family types (embedded or family catalogs)

This new feature immediately provides Bentley users access to 10’s of thousands of Building Product Manufacturers’ (BPM) Revit families in their native RFA file format.

View Article: Bentley AECOsim Building Designer Reads Manufacturer Revit Family Files

3) Revit Model Data Standards

This summarizes the Bradley BIM 2.0 Library Updates; that we finalized uploading to the Bradley Revit Library during October 2014.

New embedded Bradley BIM Shared Parameters are designed to assist BIM \ VDC and FM Managers with

1. Revit Model Data Collection & Management,
2. Scheduling & Tagging,
3. Design & Specification and
4. Operations & Maintenance processes.

My thanks to John Grady, Virtual Construction Director at CRB Builders , Van Woods & the US Army Corps of Engineers’  BIM Practice Team & their private Industry BIM Experts for our OmniClass discussions –that led to the inclusion of Table 21 Title + Number Shared Parameters.

4) Design-Build | IPD Expanded Digital Toolset

Bradley Corporation’s core product design, engineering, manufacturing and delivery processes; partner well with these alternative project delivery processes:

• Design-Build,
• Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
• Contractor-at-Risk and
• Design-Assist.

Visit the Bradley Design-Build | IPD Resource Page and Download the Resource Guide.

Revit As-built Model | General Contractor Collaboration

Our first requests by General Contractors came late last year to access their As-built BIM File –to help expedite product releases. GC Model access would help Bradley to obtain as-built installation wall dimensions. We’re looking forward to expand those As-built Revit model requests in 2015 –and broaden our partnering contributions with our design + construction partners.

2014 Bradley BIM Achievements:

1. 6.5 Million Bradley Revit Family Downloads from BradleyCorrp.com
2. 80,000+ Unique Visitors on BradleyBIM.com Resource Portal, from 120+ Countries
3. Autodesk Seek Library Ranking: #14 based on Revit Family Downloads
4. The Bradley BIM Initiative celebrated its 5-Year Anniversary in June

Our sincere thanks for the ongoing input from our global design + construction client-base on how to best serve your BIM-based projects.

Related Autodesk Articles:

Download Complete Bradley Revit Family Library (1000 Families) – Download All Options

Download Bradley Revit Family Library From Autodesk Seek Building Product Manufacturer Revit Library