Innovations for precast element planning from Vienna
In May 2015, a new chapter in the successful company history began with Nemetschek Engineering‘s change of name to Precast Software Engineering. In order to emphasize the company’s independence within the 13 brands of the Nemetschek Group the successful Allplan Precast CAD solution got a new product name too, namely “Planbar”. The company hence supports the competitive edge in technology of the customers by means of innovative further developments.
Innovations and open BIM (Building Information Modeling) in planning and design of precast concrete elements also were the dominant topics of the Engineering Days 2015, which took place in Vienna at the beginning of December 2015. The positive response of the visitors as well as the annually growing number of participants affirmed the conference program arranged by the organizers Precast Software Engineering (CAD), RIB SAA Software Engineering (automation technology) and Prilhofer Consulting (consulting service). In particular, the report on the customer’s experience, commenting on the software solution in practical application, met with keen interest.
Sales Manager – the tool for the sales department
The professional experience report of Lütkenhaus was about the challenge to optimize the process from the quotation through to the signed order. At present, precast concrete plants are compelled to submit an offer on the basis of rudimentary layout plans or very simple models. In practice, this often does not lead to the desired accuracy of a quotation – keyword: cost certainty.
Whereas the Sales Manager developed by Precast Software Engineering determines the quantities from the building model in a quick and easy way. Afterwards, the program creates lists and graphic reports and transfers the data to a calculation program. The Sales Manager, furthermore, provides a complete visualization, which can be submitted to the customer as 3D PDF file. Finally, the Sales Manager appeals by simple use, enabling sales staff to start immediately, even without any previous CAD knowledge.
Fast and easy planning
of complex structural
components
Another highlight is the remarkable representation for efficient planning of complex structural components. In this regard, the planners are moving between conflicting priorities of the highest efficiency of parameterized components, on the one hand, and the greatest possible flexibility by using architectural components or freely modeled 3D elements, on the other hand. By using iParts, the Lehner company was able to save between 35 and 40 % of the planning time even in comparison with 3D planning.
Projects with a large number of precast elements, in particular, require several planners to work on the same project simultaneously. In contrast, there is the desire of the head designer to link the components tightly in order to get an overview of the overall project. For this purpose, the solution is BIM Booster, which separates the model in feasible parts allowing the planners to work in parallel efficiently. This minimizes both the planning complexity and the amount of data, resulting in a very fast handling of the software. Moreover, BIM Booster provides an elaborate merger and synchronization of the partial plannings.
