December 4, 2008, Las Vegas – The architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry is on the cutting edge of embracing the promise of building information modeling (BIM), the most recent digital technique to create, simulate and generate new designs.  In fact, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) "The Business of Architecture: 2006 AIA Firm Survey Report", 16 percent of architectural firms have acquired BIM software and 10 percent are using it for billable work.   More than a buzzword, BIM represents the latest wave in the use of multi-faceted, 3D computer software data to virtually model and document a building's design, construction and operation. BIM provides companies with extremely high quality, information-rich documents – often in color – that can be used in decision making, design collaboration, predicting performance, cost estimating and scheduling before the foundation for a new structure is even laid. 

To help CAD users learn more about the impact of BIM on the AEC printing environment, Peter Lawrence, AEC Marketing Manager for the Wide Format Printing Systems division of Océ North America, is presenting a session entitled, "Plotting for CAD Managers: Optimizing Plan Set Printing Workflows", taking place on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 8:15 a.m. during Autodesk University, Dec. 2–5 in Las Vegas, NV. During this session, Peter will also review alternative workflows for print preparation, submission and output, and discuss the latest trends and technologies in wide format print management.

"Similar to when AutoCAD software was first introduced 25 years ago, BIM is now signaling a revolutionary trend in the AEC industry," commented Peter.  "Just as AutoCAD software propelled draftsmen into the realm of computer-aided design and drafting, BIM is helping AEC firms move more quickly from concept to construction and meet deadlines with improved accuracy and efficiency."

While BIM software presents a significant advancement to the AEC community, realizing BIM's full potential hinges on investment in high quality, large format technical document systems to produce hard copy output of BIM-generated designs.  Additionally, the value of these systems' ability to produce colorful output cannot be overlooked. Expanded multidimensional views in color help illuminate fine design details that might otherwise be left to guesswork or misinterpretation and create waste and inefficiency downstream. 

Below, Océ outlines three key considerations for AEC users when selecting a multi-functional system that can copy, print or scan BIM documents – or partnering with a reprographer that offers these important capabilities:

- Colorful output – One of the most attractive features of today's BIM technology is the fact that plans can be rendered in color to capture the richness of detail in 3D views.  While monochrome (black and white) printers are useful for quick check plots, the benefits of BIM may be lost without the ability to generate more final, print-ready plans in color.

- Software compatibility – While this seems like an obvious criterion, users need to make sure their large format printing system is compatible with current BIM plotting and visualization software with, for example,  drivers for Autodesk Revit, Bentley Architecture and Nemetschek VectorWorks software.  Outdated technology may not be sufficient to process large and complex BIM files. 

- Fast processing speed – Because BIM files are larger, they can be slow to process, view and print – which presents bottlenecks in project workflow. Users should ensure that their multi-function system is equipped with ample digital file processing power.  Otherwise users will be waiting…and waiting…for BIM plans to print. 

One of the many benefits of using BIM is the ability to strengthen collaboration between AEC stakeholders, project owners and even subcontractors throughout the project lifecycle.   The ability to visualize and share this depth of detail prior to construction – and even analyze and simulate it against a model – helps expedite the project lifecycle, promote greater accuracy and ultimately save significant costs.

For more information on how Océ helps its AEC customers realize the true potential of BIM – including Océ's variety of large format multifunction digital print/copy/scan systems that are compatible with today's BIM software – please visit www.oceusa.com