OpenSpace, the global leader in 360° reality capture and AI-powered analytics, announced OpenSpace BIM+, a set of simple 3D tools that enables field teams and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) teams to complete work more quickly by enabling BIM coordination on the jobsite.
This is OpenSpace’s third product, announced at its Waypoint customer conference, that uses cutting-edge technology to empower project teams to complete tasks more quickly and collaboratively. OpenSpace Capture, which was launched in 2018, is used to thoroughly document building sites in over 93 countries, and OpenSpace Track, which will be launched in 2021, will automatically quantify progress on those sites. OpenSpace BIM+ expands on this portfolio by including solutions for accelerating BIM and field coordination workflows.
Customers of OpenSpace are accustomed to working in both 2D drawings and 3D models. OpenSpace Capture’s renowned BIM Compare tool allows field workers to traverse and compare site conditions to the project’s BIM, with the model fully aligned to the OpenSpace 360° capture. Last quarter, more than half of OpenSpace’s clients used this service, and they were the most engaged OpenSpace customers.
“We recognized that many of our customers were seeking more powerful, yet easy-to-use BIM tools from OpenSpace,” Neel Sheth, Vice President of Product at OpenSpace shared. “Our customers’ BIM usage in OpenSpace was outpacing the industry’s overall rate of BIM adoption. That told us that OpenSpace might be able to help drive BIM utilization for those teams that are adopting and investing in BIM. With OpenSpace BIM+, we have partnered with VDC leaders and their project teams to help them work with BIM as easily as navigating a Google Street View.”
OpenSpace BIM+ is an add-on product to its successful OpenSpace Capture solution that includes the following features:
BIM analysis tools: Navigating and evaluating BIM in the field frequently necessitates the time and knowledge of a VDC manager. OpenSpace BIM+ analytic tools facilitate this collaboration by allowing field teams to work in BIM and compare it to what they are building. Any project team member may browse to saved views in the BIM, study model elements overlayed within 360° photographs, and access the model when offline using any iPhone, iPad, or Android smartphone. Point cloud data from mobile and terrestrial laser scanners, as well as OpenSpace’s 3D Scan function, may now be stored, viewed, analyzed, and shared in OpenSpace, bringing reality capture data to one central spot.
BIM coordination tools: Construction projects necessitate a great deal of cooperation, and OpenSpace BIM+ provides capabilities to assist teams in quickly solving difficulties by aligning design intent with on-site conditions to speed up replies, approvals, and project deadlines. The popular field note function of OpenSpace Capture is now integrated into BIM workflows with OpenSpace BIM+, allowing field teams to submit comprehensive photographs and notes during site walks or back at their desks. BCF file export is also supported, allowing for more efficient workflows with top BIM coordination products such as Revizto, Navisworks, and BIM Track.
Seamless model management: Updating the BIM model can help to speed the design and construction process by ensuring that everyone has access to the most up-to-date information. With Autodesk model import, support for multiple models, and model usage reporting, OpenSpace BIM+ makes it simple to manage BIM changes.
While BIM has received universal acceptance among design and engineering experts, its application in the field has been limited, owing in part to the complexity and expertise required to traverse and understand the building information model.
“With the implementation of OpenSpace BIM+, our project teams will gain the ability to swiftly address inquiries directly from the field, significantly minimizing the time-consuming exchanges they encounter while resolving challenges,” Swinerton’s Regional Support Services Manager, Breawn Felix, elaborated. Mrs. Felix intends to assess the time savings that OpenSpace BIM+ can bring to her field teams during OpenSpace’s early access program, which begins next quarter.
