Out of all new technologies applications that have appeared in recent years, BIM is one of the most promising for maintenance in general and facility management in particular.
In order to make this tremendous potential available to their customers and users, Mobility Work and its partner RS Components have joined forces to create the ecosystem essential for the successful integration of BIM into CMMS. The managers and persons in charge of maintenance can thus have from now on a single source of information to optimize always more the maintenance of their equipment.
What is BIM?
The term BIM stands for Building Information Modeling. Here the term “building” can refer to any infrastructure or real estate asset.
There is no precise definition of BIM that is shared by all: it is mainly a working method based on a 3D digital and parametric model containing intelligent and structured data. These methods allow the sharing of reliable information on a piece of equipment or infrastructure, during its entire life cycle, from design to demolition. The digital model consists of a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of the equipment, building or infrastructure.
What is the purpose of BIM?
BIM makes it possible to structure, share and analyze information more easily and efficiently. Thanks to modeling, the representation of data in 3D simplifies the visualization of the various elements of a building, an equipment or a machine: electrical networks, piping, transmissions… Digitization thus allows both to simplify the construction and maintenance stages of a building or equipment and to obtain a complete and detailed virtual vision of the elements composing a structure.
In addition, the model facilitates communication between the various actors in construction and maintenance: the structured digital model enables better collaboration between all participants, either through data exchange or by making it possible to work on a single model.
Often seen as a tool primarily for the design and construction of real estate, BIM is also very useful in optimizing the management – and therefore maintenance – of these assets but also of any infrastructure and equipment composed of several elements.
BIM and CMMS, how does it work?
By grouping the existing information and technical trees on a piece of equipment or a building, a modern CMMS can, thanks to BIM, activate a 3D module that makes it possible to cross all this information and present it in an interactive visualization mode.
Eventually, it will even be possible to interface with the building’s technical management system, for example to provide real-time information on measurements or even to remotely control certain equipment.
With the combination of BIM and CMMS, all the technical and functional characteristics of a building are transcribed within the same system, which allows:
- facilitate the transfer of building or equipment data from the manufacturer to the operator;;
- help maintenance operators locate each piece of equipment thanks to the 3D visualization and quickly access the technical data sheets;
- real time transmission to the owner of the information concerning the maintenance of his assets.
The concrete benefits of combining BIM and CMMS
Generally speaking, the possibility of using BIM in a CMMS helps companies meet two major challenges: TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).
The combination of BIM and CMMS makes it possible to build up a considerable knowledge base for managing the maintenance of buildings and equipment, while facilitating their sharing between all those involved in the maintenance of buildings and equipment. By integrating IoT (connected objects) technology, data collection is further enriched and simplified, making maintenance and decision-making even more accurate and easy. Information such as the energy consumption of each piece of equipment, for example, is transmitted and analyzed in real time.
For maintenance and facility managers, the integration of BIM data into a CMMS allows them to analyze, organize and manage interventions more efficiently. The contribution of BIM is particularly valuable when there are multiple maintenance workers, especially when some are external to the company and are not familiar with the site. Thanks to the 3D digital model, they can find the location of the elements on which they must intervene much more easily and without risk of error and access their technical characteristics (flow, volume, structure, etc.). The reactivity and quality of interventions are thus clearly improved thanks to the quality of the information and its sharing.
Finally, the ability to access a BIM view in a CMMS reduces the frequency of manual surveys in hazardous areas, which significantly improves the safety of maintenance technicians and, in some cases, their exposure to toxic substances.
How to combine BIM and CMMS?
The integration of BIM with CMMS is only possible through solid and innovative partnerships, such as the one between Mobility Work and RS Components. This partnership is one of the components of a connected ecosystem totally dedicated to maintenance.
Companies wishing to benefit from the combination of BIM and CMMS can therefore contact RS Components or Mobility Work to benefit from the latest innovations in this field.
