Baltimore-based Avatech Solutions Inc.'s professional services group is working with the Building Technologies Division of Siemens Industry Inc. in designing building information modeling content and developing a building product model publishing strategy.
Siemens Building Technologies Division is a supplier of building automation, security, and fire/life safety systems and HVAC control products. For the past several months, Avatech has been providing BIM consulting services creating BIM content for Siemens. These models, covering hundreds of Siemens' products, are in the process of being published and made available to the building design industry for download and inclusion directly into building information models.
To date, the joint Siemens/Avatech team has identified product model standards, documented Siemens' internal best practices, and created an initial group of models from existing manufacturing drawings. Plans call for expanding product coverage to suit market demand once the success of the first group of models is established.
"We've worked with Avatech since 2000 on automation projects, so we were familiar with their expertise in both manufacturing and architecture, engineering, and construction," said James Head, manager of tools development for Siemens. "We invited them to help us create our BIM strategy because they were the obvious choice to guide us through the creation of product models from concept through publishing."
