Important Thread for Product Manufacturers Implementing BIM – how much information and what sort?

The twitter thread below began when Keith Wilkinson, BIM Manager for J M Architects in Edinburgh shared a screenshot of a light switch provided by a manufacturer which shows not only the switch body but the switch itself, chamfers and the screws used to fix it. The conversations that follow focus on the incredible amount of graphical and geometric information that manufacturers are providing for their products within the ‘BIM Objects’ that they are offering to designers.

Reading the conversation shows not only how frustrated designers are about the objects they are offered, but that many don’t want the information they are given and aren’t getting the information they want. Some of the people posting are manufacturers, some are from the standards community, but all are involved in some way or other in the practical implementation of BIM.

I’m interested in this conversation because I feel it reveals the challenges that being able to offer information into the construction supply chain produces. What information is required, and by whom, and when? How do people choose whether or not to get certain information, and are they making the right decision at the time?

If you’re a manufacturer thinking about or struggling with the issue of product information, you may in particular be interested in sections 3 and 5 of the UK BIM Alliance’s Report “A Fresh Way Forward for Product Data: State of the Nation” which identifies some of the key issues about providing product information that people told us about over the last year. The Executive Summary also provides advice about what product manufacturers (and other professionals) should be doing now and what they shouldn’t be doing. Take a look.

If you’re interested in joining the conversation why not post a comment or question? I’d be interested to hear your experiences.

This is one very good reason why we wrote the @UKBIMAlliance #product_data report. Manufacturers are being told to do/given an approach that costs th shedloads and doesn’t work. This isn’t structured data. It’s a scandal!

— Su Butcher 💚 (@SuButcher) January 13, 2019

Section 5 is all about the issue of objects (which go in a model). Section 3 also refers to the way that information can become trapped in models.

— Su Butcher 💚 (@SuButcher) January 13, 2019

I will make more of an effort to tweet @robertklaschka on the CEN/TC442/WG4 work, it might enlighten on data, I’m sorry I’m not a very confident social media person but will try. Take “model, software” away, look at today’s data need, tomorrow’s especially, I do.

— Patricia Massey (@PatriciaLM) January 13, 2019

Good to hear. Do you know about this Kevin? Apologies if you already do https://t.co/u0kjvbZrg7

— Su Butcher 💚 (@SuButcher) January 13, 2019

I would appreciate that. CEN/TC442/WG4 is so important yet so hard to find out about.

— Robert Klaschka @robertklaschka@mastodon.online (@robertklaschka) January 13, 2019