BIM and the Possibilities of Digital Fabrication

In terms of what we build, we’ve been advancing for centuries. From the grandest cathedrals of the Middle Ages to the supertall skyscrapers of the modern era, our structures have soared with our ambitions.

In terms of how we build, though, change has come much more slowly. Even as we’ve developed bigger and more sophisticated machines to help us do the work, we’ve still generally built our structures brick by brick and beam by beam.

But that’s now changing as new construction materials, digital technologies, and fabrication techniques create new possibilities for our building processes. Intelligent kinds of automation are finding a role in construction for the first time. Large-scale 3D printing technologies enable the creation of custom building components on demand. And BIM provides a framework for the design and application of these methods—a framework that keeps data at the center, creating new levels of efficiency.

Check out these AU classes and articles that provide a glimpse of what’s ahead in construction and help you acquire the skills you’ll need to keep up with the transformation of the industry.

Leading Projects from Today’s Construction Industry

How do you build a lighter concrete floor? How do you put up a medical clinic in 2 days? This AU article shares breakthroughs in building from StrucSoft, Howick, and the Block Research Group of ETH Zürich.

Custom Computational Workflows for BIM Design Implementation

Learn how to combine geometry and metadata in Dynamo and Revit to create structures that might otherwise be impossible to build. Eckart Schwerdtfeger walks you through the process.

Standardize, Automate, Generate: Transforming Delivery for the Digital Age

How do you make the transition to digital fabrication? In this AU 2018 industry talk, Ian Besford and Matthew Pearce of Mott MacDonald share their process for getting a global team to adopt new technologies and processes.

Multiaxis Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing with Netfabb and PowerMill High-Rate Technology

Once upon a time, 3D printing was something that happened to plastic in small boxes. Today, it can happen on a much larger scale with proven construction materials, from concrete to titanium. Autodesk’s Dominique Mueller shares what’s new and what’s next.

Using Forge Toward Human-Robot Collaboration in Architecture

Humans and robots—building together? Now it’s possible. This AU 2018 instructional demo from Lauren Vasey shows you how to use the Forge cloud platform to make it happen.