Success Story
Seven years ago, steel detailer and modeler Adrian Mangan made the bold choice of going into business for himself, leaving behind his secure job as a steel foreman. With 15 years of experience in steel fabricating and erecting, he lived again and again through costly mistakes, like staircases turning right into a concrete column and others of the sort. How could this happen? Sometimes, he would hear answers as silly as “It was too difficult to explain it to the guy doing the drawing so, I just left it like that, figuring you would come in and fix it.”
In such mistakes, he saw a business opportunity to do better and created Advanced Detailing and Modeling, Structural & Miscellaneous Steel Detailing (ADM). Now Chief Detailer and 3D designer at his own firm, Adrian had the additional pressure of doing it all: managing a business, finding clients, producing structural and miscellaneous steel detailing drawing, while starting a family with his wife.
Having learned AutoCAD in college 25 years ago, and used the software periodically through the years, Adrian already had the skills needed to deliver on his promise. However, he needed to improve productivity and quality of output to add value to his proposition.
When Adrian contacted Graitec, he had already made the move from AutoCAD to Advance Steel through another Autodesk partner who was unable to provide adequate technical support. He selected this software solution for its Drawing Styles customization capabilities for standardized general arrangements (GA) and output, as well as steel specific features that facilitated modeling of assemblies, erection plans, labels, dimensioning and more.
Self-taught on Advance Steel, Adrian searched the internet for videos and pdf tutorial to hone his skill. He also regularly turned to Advance Steel user groups and online communities for help and to exchange tips and tricks. This is how he learned that Graitec, the original Advance Steel developer, was also a valuable Autodesk partner who had a full team of experts available to train and support the software’s user base.
When he first got in touch with Graitec, he needed to:
As a solution, Graitec proposed to become ADM’s Solution Provider for Autodesk software renewals, new purchases, and technology watch. By moving ahead, Adrian would also be provided rights for unlimited technical support from Graitec’s Advance Steel technical team, and a PowerPack for Advance Steel standard license. The account manager also proposed Adrian attend Graitec’s Advance Steel Academy and User Group, a 3-day learning event which usually precedes NASCC The Steel conference.
As Adrian Mangan continued to grow his business and relationship with Graitec, he adopted Fusion 360. In addition to providing customers with quality design and detailing for fabrication and erecting, he attests: “With Advance Steel and Fusion 360 solutions, I help reduce costly errors due to miscommunication.” He continues: “This technology combined with my both field and drawing expertise, I am able to better communicate design intent, fabrication and erection instructions.”
He then add: “I use renderings at the design stage once I have received a project. I like to include a quick model rendering to show clients and design team what their final product should look like. It’s much easier for them approve or make changes requests. I also get the occasional rendering request from customers looking to win projects with many stairs. The renderings can help impress contractors. And this is a win-win situation, as these projects are too large for me to bid on my own.
Today, Adrian is in this special place where he takes significant time giving back to the community, sharing his own knowledge. With over 300 videos posted on his YouTube channel, Advance Steel users can find him online, where he frequently contributes to user groups. Over the years, he has introduced Graitec’s Advance Steel Academy attendees with valuable classes demonstrating the practical use of Fusion 360 in the steel industry.
Project summary
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Autodesk solutions
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B.T.L. Construction Mitigates Risks and Improves Project Outcomes with Accurate Estimates
For over two decades, B.T.L. Construction has been contributing to the success of small, medium, and large-scale industrial, commercial, and institutional building projects in Quebec and Ontario. Their projects have been varied: pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cosmetics, high technology, aerospace, mines & metallurgy, chemical & petrochemical, energy, transportation, commercial real estate, hotel, education, and health. Focused on designing, building, and managing safely and responsibly, B.T.L. carries out each mandate in a manner that best meets the client’s needs. Valuing customer relationships and the well-being of their own staff at work, they pride themselves on staying on budget as close as humanly possible. In a context where the COVID-19 world pandemic dramatically affected costs of materials in the construction industry, the old way of doing things wasn’t cutting it anymore. B.T.L. needed ideas on how they could mitigate financial risks on new and ongoing projects.
IKO moves from Vault Basic to Professional for Better Control Over Design Revisions and Approvals
IKO is a world-wide leader in the roofing, waterproofing and insulation industry for residential and commercial markets. A vertically integrated company, IKO operates more than 35 manufacturing plants throughout North America and Europe. IKO is a family-owned business established in 1951, with head office located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Committed to investing in state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing to meet the ever-changing needs of their customers, this vertically integrated organization also manufactures and supplies the bulk of their own materials so they can better control quality and demand. As IKO’s products continue to evolve and improve to meet customer demands, so must the manufacturing processes, technology, and equipment.
JCB Construction Leverages the Cloud in Design-Build Projects
Founded in 1985, JCB Construction Canada has known incredible growth. From humble beginnings managing and executing private construction, renovation, and interior fit-up projects, they have carved themselves a very enviable place among the country’s best general contractors by staying focussed on customer satisfaction and striving to continuously improve their practices and work methods. Today, with the combined expertise of 115+ employees, JCB now manages and builds medium- to large-scale projects from coast to coast, which include commercial and industrial development, institutional and multi-residential buildings. From their offices located on the South Shore of Montreal (Québec), in Toronto (Ontario) and St. John's (Newfoundland), JCB carries out hundreds of projects annually, for clients across the nation. Challenge: Optimizing communication between headquarters, local offices, construction sites and project stakeholders in Design-Build projects to stay on time and on budget.
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