By now, most of us are realizing the value of BIM and figuring out the best ways to make it work. Part of making BIM work, unfortunately, requires generating a building information model. This is easy enough to do when your building’s new and you can pass the data along, but an existing building is often significantly different from the original design. That means you’ll need to scan it and generate a BIM model that reflects the building as it actually is.
Luckily, companies like IMAGINiT and Global Resources Management Consultancy (GRMC) are stepping in to make the process easier for customers who would rather not dig into the work themselves. GRMC has recently announced a complete Scan-to-BIM and BIM modeling service.
For the scan portion of the workflow, GRMC uses the Viametris iMS 3D, a popular indoor mapping system that captures a point cloud, 360° imagery, and a 2D floor plan. The system offers accuracy of 0.25″, which should be more than enough for facilities-management applications.
After the capture stage–which GRMC boasts can cover 500,000 square feet in a single day–the company passes the data to a team of employees in NYC and India offices who will generate AutoCAD or REVIT models “to client’s specifications in a turnkey fashion.” Coordination and final QC are performed in the US, and GRMC says that the entire process can stay within the US at the client’s request.
GRMC says it has worked to develop standardized deliverables based on the iMS 3D “that are clear, consistent and uniform for all BIM and surveying applications.” That includes 3D models, 3D model verification, CAD drawings, CAD drawing verification, point clouds, virtual tours (with measurements), existing conditions surveys, and construction phase documentation.
The company has already worked on projects for schools, office buildings, hospitals, factories, big box stores, and retail chains.
