An Interoperable Edge

HMH Concrete Services in action in the field.

Swinerton detailers and field crews gained similar advantage from the Tekla Structures/LM80 Handheld Software connection on a college campus renovation project in Grass Valley, California, located about 60 miles north of Sacramento.

HMH Concrete Services (a member of the Swinerton Family of Companies) looked to demonstrate the power and potential of a new link between BIM and the Trimble Total Station on the college campus upgrade/renovation project in Grass Valley.

The HMH Concrete Services team prepared the column bolt templates for the foundation within the Tekla Structures 3D model. Bolt locations and slab edge positions were automatically sent from the model to the Trimble Total Station. Then the HMH Concrete Services carpenter took the BIM-loaded Trimble Nomad (handheld computer) into the field and connected it to the Trimble Total Station, where he could quickly and easily pinpoint the necessary locations for the site contractor.

Jeremey Melton, Superintendent and Detailer with HMH Concrete Services, explains, “Better yet, once the foundation or other site work is complete, we can quickly resurvey the site to gather the actual bolt locations and other data from the field and transfer it back to the original 3D model to create as-built drawings, map out the floor wall locations, and other items and create drawings.”

Swinerton is continuing to work with Tekla development teams to expand the functionality and capabilities of the Tekla Structures/LM80 Handheld Software link.

Dan Gonzales, VD&C Manager of Swinerton, explains, “The Tekla Structures/LM80 link is a testament to the value of our strategic relationships with technology developers such as Tekla. Through these partnerships, we’re able to leverage technology to improve the design and construction process, and then translate those improvements to the job site where we can bring true value to the client with more efficient and cost-effective project delivery.”