CONCRETE
DEMONSTRATING DIGITAL DESIGN
Over the past few years, specialist offsite design and build contractor PCE has developed a unique offering for its clients with its HybriDfMA structural frames system which combines the benefits of precast concrete, structural steelwork and insitu concrete to deliver optimised structural systems. creates much greater predictability and certainty around the design solution, enhances coordination and integration with the other stakeholders within the project, and maximises the benefits of DfMA.
1 The HybriDfMA system has been developed to replace traditional RC concrete frames and structural steelwork frames through resolving many of the issues associated with these traditional approaches. HybriDfMA systems are structurally more efficient, provide greater co-ordination and flexibility with other building systems whilst being quicker, cleaner, safer and more environmentally friendly than traditional solutions. This approach coupled with its expertise in delivering integrated façade solutions with the structure has enabled PCE to position itself as a strategic partner to some its key clients, delivering alternative design solutions tailored to solving project specific challenges whilst optimising the use of offsite technology and maximising the benefits derived through the adoption of a DfMA delivery strategy. This has allowed PCE to build a portfolio of award
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winning, multi-million-pound structural solutions across many sectors not usually associated with offsite for many leading Tier 1 contractors including Wilmott Dixon, Mace, Kier, Sir Robert McAlpine, BAM and Galliford Try amongst others. BIM & Offsite The principals of offsite and building information management (BIM) perfectly complement each other due to the level of definition created around any particular solution and the ‘kit of parts’ or system adopted in the delivery of that solution. Through the delivery of numerous government contracts and complex integrated design solutions with these Tier 1 contractors PCE has developed its BIM delivery model to achieve level 2 compliance and beyond. The ethos of BIM coupled with the digital age has presented many opportunities for PCE to develop systems and processes which optimise efficiency in both offsite and onsite delivery which
To PCE, BIM is not just about designing in 3D and collaborating with others in this virtual world. BIM and digital construction (DC) is about collaboration through the manufacture and assembly stages also. BIM and DC are the tools and systems which allow the optimisation and efficiency of every delivery process and every activity. It allows effective coordination through the offsite and onsite phases, it allows construction driven solutions to be developed by PCE’s designers, it creates safe systems of work before designs are finalised through the mitigation of risks and hazards, it optimises offsite and onsite logistics and allows informed decisions to be made as to whether offsite preassembly or onsite assembly is the correct approach and it allows PCE to effectively integrate other building systems in to the structural system to provide their clients with ‘smart’ solutions. The successful delivery of any offsite engineered solution is the effective resolution of any interfaces within the system and the key to efficiency in offsite construction is standardisation. To PCE, standardisation doesn’t necessarily mean that components must be the same, or ‘repetitious’. However, the principles of how components fit together, how components are manufactured, assembled, preassembled, handled, stored and delivered do need to be standard. The key to repetition is to make the processes the same, not the
WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018