Opinion
The pillars of Fabrication Integrated Modelling (FIM) Tal Friedman explores how a fabrication centric approach, one where the entire building process is considered holistically, could help impart real change in the construction industry
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t is a common notion in the AEC industry that building is a linear process. It begins with conceptual design, moves into compliance, then analysis, and finally, fabrication. That process can take months, and sometimes years, every single time. But FIM (Fabrication Integrated Modelling) offers to reverse the equation, allowing us to get fabrication right from the start. Looking at the construction software 14
November / December 2022
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industry roadmap in past years, it is evident that the design/engineering process is perceived as a ‘solved’ issue by the mainstream CAD/BIM companies that dominate the market. In the eyes of executives at these companies, the next stop on the journey to conquering the entire construction value chain is project management and procurement. But I would like to propose an alternative perspective. To my mind, procurement and project management are not a
‘continuation’ of the design process, but a derivative of it. Instead of running forward, perhaps we need to go back to basics, and think about the building process more holistically. In the age of FIM, the one who controls the initial design/ engineering process controls the rest of the value chain, too. Though BIM’s original concept was to simplify the design process and cut resources, current methodologies demand special BIM managers and experts and www.AECmag.com
29/11/2022 14:10