SIGNAX TOOLS: Checker – Automated BIM manager for your company

About the author

Pavel Goretskiy — BIM manager in SIGNAX, responsible for overseeing on-site BIM implementation, managing the client’s learning program, and implementing SIGNAX solutions.

Introduction

The continuous development and growing adoption of the BIM technology led to an increasing interest in model checking tools and to the development of a new generation of software for Quality Assurance and Quality Control based on parametric rules. Today model checking is an integral and essential component of Information Modelling and Management.

SIGNAX successfully integrated its solutions for a Basalt Fiber factory construction project, demonstrating its expertise. One of the key products integrated was the Checker within the SIGNAX TOOLS module. The team closely consulted with the EPC contractor team: designers, project managers, and engineers, including Eng. Mahmoud El-Khatib, Senior MEP & Infrastructure VDC Manager, who provided a detailed review of the product and shared the positive results of its implementation. SIGNAX was not just a vendor in this project, but also an SME that excels in seamless software implementation.

Basalt fiber factory federated model

Challenge

SIGNAX technologies facilitate the implementation of digital projects in the construction industry. However, a critical requirement for effectively utilizing data on construction sites is ensuring its accuracy, completeness, and quality, all of which stem from the design phase. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize the quality of project data and models. This responsibility can lie with the design organization, which must ensure data quality before transferring it to the customer, or with the customer, who may seek to automate the verification process to ensure compliance with their information requirements (EIR).

A VDC manager in a company is a highly multitasking professional who must excel in various areas. They need to communicate and manage data effectively, identify potential project issues, and coordinate actions between different teams and departments. Additionally, they must stay within budget, comply with regulatory requirements and standards, ensure the accuracy of project data, and keep up with industry development pace.

Some of these tasks, such as project data verification, can be automated or simplified. Verifying BIM models manually is challenging due to the vast amount of information they contain and the constant changes within the models. It is also impractical to track these changes manually.

Solution

To address this, we developed the Checker feature within SIGNAX TOOLS. Checker is a comprehensive solution for checking and verifying BIM models based on specified rules. It allows you to check the model for:

• Clash detection
• Presence of properties
• Presence of properties for groups of elements
• Presence of at least one property
• Completeness of property values for groups of elements
• Presence of elements

The Checker tool features an intuitive interface for creating various checks in BIM models, enabling efficient control and monitoring of compliance with informational requirements and the quality of the BIM model. Checker operates within Navisworks and Revit, facilitating the exchange of check results between these programs and other project participants. Additionally, it allows users to save and share check templates with other designers, BIM coordinators, or managers, enhancing collaboration and consistency across the project.

Checker options

Presence of properties

This rule checks that all specified properties of all model elements have values. Suitable for checking properties that must be filled in for all model elements. For example, check that the property "Assembly Code" is filled in for all elements.

Presence of "Assembly Code" check for all model elements

Errors found during the verification process are displayed in the "Check Results" area. From there, you can navigate directly to the model element with the error and add comments. Verification results can be exported to Excel or XML. For instance, an XML file can be imported into Revit to quickly locate and fix elements with errors. The comparison function allows you to compare the current verification with previous ones to see which comments have been addressed. Importantly, all checks can be initiated with just a couple of clicks or by using pre-prepared templates, making the process efficient and user-friendly.

“One of the main requirements for the informational content of MEP systems is the presence of System Name and Classification properties. Presence of these properties and many more was checked using SIGNAX Checker. This requirement is crucial not only for easy navigation within the model but also for the convenient creation of equipment/material specifications, additional documentation sheets, and various other practical tasks.”

Mahmoud El-khatibSenior MEP & Infrastructure VDC Manager

Displaying MEP systems elements with various properties in the System Name

Presence of properties for groups of elements

This rule checks the completeness of properties for all model elements that contain a property with a specific value. For example, if the property "Category" has the value "Walls", then Checker verifies the presence of the properties "Building" and "Floor".

Presence of "Building" and "Floor" properties check for model elements with "Walls" category

Creating rules for this check is more convenient in an Excel spreadsheet.

Verification template example

“There are strict requirements for presence of properties for BIM models especially in MEP disciplines. We perform regular model checks, using SIGNAX Checker to control BIM models quality for every revision. One of the key tasks is to conduct calculations within the BIM model. For instance, all elements within the compressed air system must have flow rate properties, and compressors must include performance properties. This allows for the use of additional tools to verify the compressed air flow rate under various scenarios, ensuring accurate and efficient system analysis.”

Mahmoud El-khatibSenior MEP & Infrastructure VDC Manager

Compressed air system room

Presence of one of the properties

This rule checks the completeness of the property values based on specified variants for each property. For instance, if a property like "Volume" can appear under different names such as "Volume", "Vol.", or "Dynamo_Volume", etc. The tool verifies if at least one of these variants exists and has value.

Presence of “Volume” property in elements of the model

Completeness of properties values for groups of elements

This function checks if all model elements that contain a specific property value have a required value assigned to a property. For example, if elements with a conditional property "Category" have the value "Walls", the verification property "Thickness" equals "0.020".

Check if "Width" has a certain value for elements with "Walls" Category

Clash detective

This function checks for clashes between created search sets, allowing you to identify conflicts between elements within these sets. Check elements for clashes with other elements or for self-clashes within the same search set. Create search sets comprising elements that need to be checked for clashes to effectively manage coordination issues in your project.

Clash detective rules and results

“When modifying the routing of MEP systems, such as HVAC ducts, it is essential to perform clash detection. Clashes should be checked not only with other MEP systems but also with structural elements and within the system itself. This proactive approach saves time on subsequent corrections and model coordination. For instance, during the clash detection of the latest HVAC model revision, intersections with steel structure elements were identified. This allowed for the preventive correction of design errors, reducing the time needed for on-site approval and adjustments.”

Mahmoud El-khatibSenior MEP & Infrastructure VDC Manager

HVAC and Metal structures collisions

Presence of items

Check the presence of elements in the model based on specified properties. For example, check if the model contains 50 windows.

Presence of 50 elements with "Windows" category

“Throughout the design stage, we conducted weekly checks across all project disciplines using SIGNAX TOOLS. We continue to perform these checks to account for as-built changes in MEP systems, significantly reducing the resources needed for rework and the time required for further coordination.”

Mahmoud El-khatibSenior MEP & Infrastructure VDC Manager

Conclusion

The Checker tool allows for a quick review of the model according to EIR requirements for clashes, or completeness of information. Moreover, when working with large models or assemblies, Checker can perform checks in background, automated mode without requiring the specialist’s involvement, allowing other parallel tasks to be addressed simultaneously. Checker enables seamless and effective multidisciplinary collaboration and always meets client’s requirements.