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Author's profile photo Carson Diltz

The Intersection of 3D and Business Data Is Real!

One thing I find especially interesting about my job is the ability to work with specialists in various non-construction industries to share best practices and identify areas in which our real estate and construction customers can learn from companies outside their industry.  Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of work with my colleagues in Oil & Gas and Aerospace & Defense to understand how they are using 3D data or models to enable visualization of business data and maximize efficiency

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For example, a number of our oilfield services customers are using 3D models of oil rigs to visualize equipment status in realtime, color-code equipment that is nearing end of life based maintenance:replacement cost ratios, and even produce interactive animations of key maintenance or repair processes.  All of the data to be presented exists in their business systems, and the addition of 3D makes it easy for a user to see where they need to focus their attention.  The alternative, of course, is looking at a printed or onscreen list of equipment numbers or cost codes with corresponding values.

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In Aerospace & Defense, our customers are using 3D models of complex aircraft and ships to see how material shortages or quality issues will impact manufacturing schedules, visualize percent complete based on data entered by their workforce, and provide interactive animations for critical build processes, as seen in this short video.

I’ve spent a lot of time recently talking to some of our construction and real estate customers about how they can apply these best practices and technologies from other industries in their own business.  We’ve identified quite a few really innovative use cases already.  Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some of those use cases in the preconstruction, construction, and facility maintenance phases of a building.  Can you think of any innovate ways to combine the world of 3D models and data from your cost control, project management, scheduling, or other business systems?  Please share your ideas in the comments below – we’re always interested in hearing more!

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      Author's profile photo Johnny Clemmons
      Johnny Clemmons

      Carson - The ability to see what our counterparts in other industries are doing and leverage those great ideas in our industry is one of the really exciting things about working at SAP.  Thanks for shaing this and I look forward to the rest of the series.

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      Carson, this is great! Thanks for sharing!

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member
      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      Hi,

         We are one of the leading Real estate and Construction company in South India. As you know scheduling and knowing the progress of different activities are really challenging in construction. As per the design and quantity given by the client can we structure the complete view and once the daily progress in punched the completed areas can be green. If the scheduled activity is not started then that area can be yellow. If the activity has started and stopped [Punching stopped during execution]it can be marked in red. Business can easily monitor the progress and once the quantities are completed we can view the completed building.

      In real estate we sell units, once a unit is sold then that area can be marked in green in that building.

      Is there any product available of this kind.

      Regards,

      Senthil Venugopal

      +91 9159803999

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      Really helpful to explore ideas.

      Author's profile photo Johnny Clemmons
      Johnny Clemmons

      Senthil - All the things you describe are possible with a custom application built on the SAP 3D Visual Enterprise Platform.  This link is to a youtube video of a Proof of Concept that Carson built well over a year ago.

      SAP 3D Visual Enterprise for EC&O - YouTube

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      Dear Carson,

      Thanks for nice info. We are a leading Class-A Contractor in KSA and we had a demo of SAP VE for EC&O few months back.

       

      As stated in that demo that SAP uses Noumenon XMLpLant which extract ISO 16739/ 15926 format files and then SAP VE Adapter will import the BIM data in VE resulting in a two step procedure . We cause some questions which are stationed under.

      If possible, could you please answer them?

      Query’s:

      1. Is this connector developed and owned by SAP?  Here our concern is regarding
        Risk reduction for implementation by using standard solution and hence reduce
        dependencies on external solutions.
      2. Does Noumenon XMpLant is IFC Certified (2X 3, IFC 4 etc) for export of data and SAP VE is certified for Import of Data?
      3. Does the connector available out of the box or needs to be customized as per specific company requirement/ BIM environment?
      4. How does SAP VE make sure that the consummate BIM Model prepared in various solution (for ex. Arch & MEP model in Revit and Structural Model in Tekla) get imported in SAP VE has complete attributes mapping and BIM data get
        imported in without any loss of information?
      5. You would be echoing our concern’s that in construction projects, the BIM Model
        alters many times as the project progresses due to change request from client
        or if there is a design change etc. Now in order to cater this scenario, can
        you throw some light on below?

               

      • When BIM Model get imported to SAP VE and estimation will be done in Estimation software ( RIB iTWO/ VICO  etc).   How about 3D Quantity take off (QTO)? Will it be done in SAP VE or Estimation Solution?
      • If we do 3D QTO in SAP VE, how does we maintain revision changes & its comparison? And importantly do we need to start from scratch for every time if model changes?

      Last but not the least , Could you please provide suitable SAP VE customer reference using SAP VE , SAP ERP , Estimation solution integration and Primavera for scheduling.. or How does SAP VE fits in typical IT landscape of Contracting Companies with integration with contractual application like Primavera / Primavera Contract Management?

      Regards

      Suhas Jadhal , PMP