In recent years, industrialized construction has become a hot topic. The term “design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA)” is used in many conversations when discussing industrialized construction. We will discuss how DfMA pertains to industrialized construction, what DfMA is, and what DfMA is not.

It’s easy to criticize the construction industry—plagued with low productivity, high risk, low margin, and little investment in research and development. We’ve heard this messaging repeatedly, but what of the growing and positive trends toward design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) and the industrialization of construction (IC)? These are often portrayed as niche and specialized, but they’re fast developing to become the norm. This class will highlight examples of how governments, traditional general contractors, forward-thinking designers, and emerging manufacturers across the globe are disrupting the industry and adopting a variety of technology to support their goals. We’ll present trends in DFMA and IC, and explain challenges to adoption. The industry is portrayed as bad—but it’s getting better.

Design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) principles play an integral part in the development of prefabrication and modular building construction projects. In this class, we'll discuss specific lessons learned in applying DfMA to building construction for designers, construction managers, and trade partners. Using examples from recent projects, we'll explore the processes and tools used to make DfMA successful. We'll highlight the best practices and strategies for implementing DfMA to projects all along the spectrum of prefabrication, from single trade assemblies to full structural volumetric modules, and how we're pushing the boundaries in utilizing Revit, Navisworks, and Autodesk Construction Cloud in the design of industrialized construction projects. By the end of the presentation, you will have a deeper understanding of the DfMA rules and rails for building construction and how to apply them to your own projects.

Design, fabrication, and manufacturing for construction is advancing in the piping industry at a rapid pace. As such, workforce training for using the latest available technologies with the latest advances in design is essential. In this class, we’ll explore design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) workflows and methods and the application to United Association training for improving the DfMA and modular assembly fabrication and installation skills of installers of mechanical piping and plumbing systems. We’ll be exploring generative design, modular assembly techniques, and automated tools, including their integration with Revit software, BIM 360 software, Navisworks software, and STRATUS, to develop modular fabrication training processes and methods.

DfMA (design for manufacture and assembly) doesn't have to be an exclusive club of certain project types. We will walk through the story of identifying levels of DfMA, working with a large contractor to develop design modules, through design, fabrication, and installation. Building on the concepts of modular construction, DfMA is the next evolution for an automated architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. This class will make the concept more accessible to different project types. The BIM (Building Information Modeling) process and virtual design and construction (VDC) process need to fit with the design process. The final output also needs to meet hard-coded engineering standards. Systems design and sequencing challenges were overcome with modularization and automation. We'll show you how.

Daiwa House has achieved early adoption of building information modeling (BIM) in the design phase, adopted Autodesk Docs as its standard common data environment (CDE), obtained ISO 19650 certification, and is currently pursuing a CDP strategy. Toward further growth and innovation beyond BIM, we've launched the "Data-Centric Project" with Autodesk this year, focusing on a data strategy. We've defined a DDP (DfMA data platform), prepared a KoP (kit of parts) using DfMA methodology, and verified its effectiveness in real projects to address social issues such as construction waste and decrease of skilled workers. As data strategy has become essential, along with the verification of the effectiveness of the DfMA methodology in actual projects, we'll present the overall concept of the data-centered project, and discuss how DfMA and data strategy are related to each other and to the realization of the digital construction industry.

Design, fabrication, and manufacturing for construction is continuing to advance in the piping industry at a rapid pace. As such, workforce training for using the latest available technologies with the latest advances in design continues to be an essential element in the delivery of successful construction projects. In this class, we’ll build upon the design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) workflows and methods discussed in previous sessions and demonstrate recent efforts within United Association training to improve the DfMA and modular assembly fabrication and installation skills of installers of mechanical piping and plumbing systems. We’ll be exploring generative design, modular assembly techniques, and automated tools, including their integration with Revit software, BIM 360 software, Navisworks software, and STRATUS, to develop modular fabrication training processes and methods

Industrialized construction is here to stay; prefabricated elements in the built environment and the design-for-manufacture-and-assembly (DfMA) process that enables it are fast becoming the norm across all sectors. So why is it that most of the case studies and best practices we see relate to volumetric modular construction of housing and hospitality? What about the vast but largely unsung impact of advanced building products, single-trade assemblies, and multitrade assemblies that make up the majority of the market? This panel will invite leaders from across the prefabrication continuum to explore why it's not just about modular.

Building configurators are essential in the industrialized construction (IC) space. By using tools like Dynamo with Revit software, we can efficiently create an assembled building using basic design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) assumptions. A configurator enables us to quickly search libraries for company assemblies and their parameter values, suggest previously engineered products (assemblies), and place these suggested products in their assumed project locations. Using this tool reduces a three-week process to one hour, and it unifies data with design, all while creating a reliable model. In this class, you'll learn the techniques involved in building a configurator with Revit and Dynamo software. You'll also learn how to evolve the process for continuous optimization, create custom searches for your products, filter methods that mimic DfMA logic and how to consume other massing inputs. Lastly, we will share lessons learned in our own experiences building configurators and discuss what resources were needed.

What happens when some enthusiastic software developers team up with a few innovative mechanical designers? Henderson Engineers is an MEP design firm that’s been working on developing a modular DFMA (design for manufacture and assembly) air duct system for a while now, and has developed some clever Revit families and Dynamo scripts to help its designers model them. The firm joined forces with EvolveLAB, a building information modeling (BIM) consulting and software development company, to create a Revit add-in that focuses on the real-time generative design of these modular duct layouts. In this session, we’ll review how these companies used some unique properties of the Revit API to create a co-authoring system that allows a mechanical design to sketch out a main duct layout in Revit while the computer simultaneously and continually produces the most optimal layout using the DFMA kit of parts for that sketch—which is then finalized and converted into a fully connected Revit duct system.

The UK Government has joined the private sector in its commitment to a Platforms approach to industrialized construction and DfMA, outlining how this process underpins UK policy for social infrastructure in its ‘Construction Playbook’. The supporting plan to unify and mobilize data seeks to identify cross-department commonalities to inform the centralized, standardized design that will create economies of scale great enough to supply predictable, consistent pipelines and bolster a disaggregated manufacturing supply chain. Plugged into the existing supply chain, the barrier to entry is low, with no need for vertical integration or investment in manufacturing/prefabrication. As a result, opportunities for new programme-level roles will arise. Already a major feature in the procurement of 40 UK healthcare facilities, not only is this approach transforming the way the UK delivers public sector assets, but it is also paving the way for swift mainstream adoption.

Uniformity is becoming more important and is still an elusive concept for many. We will outline this issue and mention the importance of consistent output. This seminar will cover how you can create and adopt efficient workflows for your project(s) and company. Make sure you are up to date with technology and innovation and discover how important active research is for a business. Discover a path that ensures you and/or your company is not a follower but rather a leader, making a positive contribution to improving the industry standards. This seminar is relevant to anyone, from engineer and technician to management, and all others who are interested. A structural background may be beneficial but is not required, as we cover software such as Revit software, Advance Steel software, and BIM Docs 360 software and their interaction in practice through case studies.

This presentation walks through various examples illustrating the benefit of augmenting 3D models with construction data. At the convergence of Laing O’Rourke’s Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) approach and its investment in BIM, component tracking has proven an efficient aid to the delivery of projects. The data visualisations enabled by linking planning and manufacturing data—both from our suppliers and our own off-site manufacturing facilities—with models provide a clear overview of the construction, for various disciplines. This allows us to detect issues earlier, plan further ahead, and reduce user errors. At the heart of it are agreed processes for ordering and tracking progress and flexible tools which can be configured easily to suit. Expanding on this, we’ve increasingly linked up new sources of data to models to visualise different sorts of information: non-conformity reports, fire safety checks, operation and maintenance documents, etc. The flexibility of the tools developed in-house for Autodesk Navisworks allow us to work with a wide range of data sources: spreadsheet, SQL based databases, planning programmes.

Japan has a lot of natural disasters. We suffer from damages by earthquakes, typhoons, tornados, flood etc. For those victims of large-scale disasters, temporary houses are provided by the government. With its prefab building technology, Daiwa House Group has built the largest number of temporary houses in Japan. By utilizing BIM, we are challenging to shorten the lead time to provide temporary houses. Two types of programs by Dynamo are under development. One is to create layout drawings with interactive design method and the other is to create Revit detailed models and detailed drawings automatically.

In this one-day event before Autodesk University Las Vegas, numerous classes, workshops and thought leadership presentations will leave you with actionable takeaways and an insider’s view into disruptive trends like Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), modular construction and digitization. You’ll hear inspiring real-world stories from successful firms about how they minimize risk, improve collaboration, and make the most of their Autodesk investments. Please join us for an inspiring closing keynote with Brian Helm, President of the MCAA and CEO of Mechanical Inc. and its corporate parent, the Helm Group - one of the largest plumbing and HVAC contractors in the Midwest. Brian will provide a unique perspective on some important trends, including how DfMA and digitization are disrupting our industry

In 2017, the U.K. government funded an analysis of the various costs associated with a typical construction project, and identified that for every pound spent, just more than 51% results in residual asset value for the client. The Construction Innovation Hub (CIH) was subsequently established with the vision to cause change and demonstrate better solutions to deliver the U.K. government £35 billion pipeline. The chosen strategy was to develop, prototype, and test platform solutions (pDFMA), with a common “kit of parts.” This would demonstrate the delivery of better outcomes for social infrastructure. Integral to the strategy was the use of a new digital toolchain to unlock the approach. Grimshaw Architects, Buro Happold engineers, and Mace Construction were commissioned to develop a new suite of configurators to enable the "kit of parts” approach during procurement and delivery.

Minworth is a ﾣ40 million upgrade to the sludge treatment facility that Stantec Treatment are delivering for Severn Trent Water to enhance the production of renewable energy at the site. Digital delivery has been applied extensively to realise benefits and mitigation risks. The presentation will capture these and also quantify other benefits realised through the digital delivery approach.Specifics covered include: 1) project brief and drivers; 2) governance; 3) risk and delivery principles: Minworth Board and workshop; 4) client relationship: kickoff workshop, video blogs from CEOs; 5) DfMA ambition; 6) supply chain and stakeholder engagement; 7) programme and collaboration planning: P6/plan/sigma; 8) digital tools: scanning, VPI, Glue, Synchro, 4D, Field, AV & VR, mobile devices, visualisation; 9) communication and access of data by all, feedback, and tracking; 10) construction and commissioning rehearsals; 11) HAZOP and safe to operate; 12) inspection and test plans; 13) handover experience; 14) realised benefits: cost, cost avoidance, programme, SHEQ, stakeholders, well-being, risk, comparison with other THPs; 15) case study; 16) awards, commendations, and sector papers and articles; 17) future development: asset dand-over; 18) ongoing learning into future projects.

During this session Autodesk will share its vision for the future and discuss why subcontractors are important players in the Future of Making Things. Attendees will learn how fabricators are already disrupting the industry through the adoption of new technologies and work processes. Finally, you’ll hear from innovative Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) companies who will illustrate how their move to BIM has driven significant productivity enhancements. We will also hold a happy hour after this event with beer, wine, and snacks.