PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE TO ENRICH BIM MODELS WITH USABLE BUILDING ASSET INFORMATION
3D ASSET brings a new level of capability to Navisworks with powerful functionality designed for BIM professionals
Enrich BIM models by adding comprehensive asset information
3D ASSET adds a new layer of information to any BIM or 3D CAD model through four types of tags; Custom, Shared, Contents and eRDS.
Tags consist of attributed values from BIM and user defined properties from 3D ASSET which are connected to objects in the model using search, find & link functions. An Information Manager provides an easy to use interface between the information and the model with functions to batch update all or part of the data.
Handover a complete set of O&M information
3D ASSET can be used to deliver O&M information with the model acting as a gateway to a building database. Detailed information such as supplier, manufacturer, part & model numbers can be applied to BIM assets and non-modelled assets.
Non-modelled information describing furniture, fixtures, equipment, and all finishes is held in the same database where it can be reported on and kept current.
An in-built DMS system provides efficient functionality and document retrieval.
Directly linked to eRDS Cloud
Most BIM models contain less than 50% of a buildings assets as 3D objects. The remaining assets and FF&E can be defined in eRDS Cloud as information and then linked to a buildings rooms using FM Placeholders.
Each room is enriched with five sets of information describing room details, finishes, fittings, ME components and room specifications.
eRDS information can be edited and updated through 3D ASSETS Information Manager. Enriched information is sent from the model back to eRDS Cloud to update the building database.
All kinds of graphical analysis and colour coding can be applied to the rooms or spaces containing the non-modelled assets. This helps to provide a visual context for location based planning, tracking progress and for capturing new information.
3D ASSET and eRDS Cloud have been developed in parallel to ensure a bi-directional flow of information between them.
Information Manager
The Information Manager provides a window into your building database. It gives users total control over project information whilst allowing it to be viewed in context through the model.
Various tools are provided to help manipulate or batch process the information to support your workflows.
BATCH UPDATE
Select multiple tags to be edited from the Information Manager and update any of their properties in a single process.
FILTER INFORMATION
Drill down into the information you need for the next step in your process. Filter the contents of what is to be displayed by any attributed value or user defined property.
REPORT
Send any of the information from custom, shared or contents tags to excel.
ZOOM TO
Select any record from the Information Manager and visualise its location in context with its surroundings. Highlight the objects in colour or make them transparent or hidden. Set everything else to be a different colour, transparent or hidden.
Apply a geo-referenced asset code to every building asset
The use of asset coding is becoming more commonplace on projects especially those having a BMS integration or where the information is ultimately destined for either an FM or CMMS system.
3D ASSET provides the tools and batch processes for generating thousands of unique asset codes. Once the codes have been generated, they may be imported into the eRDS building asset database and back into Revit.
BATCH EDIT ASSET CODES
Use 3D ASSET tags & properties to define the information sets needed for geo-referenced asset coding. Apply batch editing from the Information manager for a quick and structured workflow.
UPDATE REVIT WITH ASSET CODES
Export your asset code file from the Information Manager and update Revit with new parameters using our Asset Code Populator plugin.
Prepare an export file with everything needed to populate BIM FM systems with concise information to efficiently drive their functionality.
NON-MODELLED ASSETS
Assets defined as information in the rooms using Contents or eRDS tags can also be asset coded in accordance with the project protocol.
Manage and enrich COBie information
Assets defined in COBie spreadsheets but not as objects in the BIM can be imported using 3D ASSET Contents tags.
The information is linked to FM Placeholders which allows their locations to be visualised graphically.
Required COBie fields such as commissioning dates can be captured and updated from the Information Manager. New fields to monitor progress and planning can be added.
Update Revit with enriched information from 3D ASSET
Additional information created in 3D ASSET can be exported back into Revit and written as new ‘parameters’ using our plugins.
Works with any BIM authoring system or IFC files
Any file type that can be opened in Navisworks can be used in 3D ASSET in either its native file format or as IFC
Model checking and validation
When BIM is used to drive integration with other IT systems or to populate BMS, BIM-FM and CMMS databases, it’s essential to validate its information so that it can be relied on.
3D ASSET provides tools to check the underlying information in a model for consistency and accuracy. Colour coded analysis helps to identify any incorrect or missing information. For example; the red objects shown in the image are identified as having no system information.
Add intelligence to scan to BIM models
Use 3D ASSET tags & properties to add detailed asset information to models created from laser scans. Add the information required by COBie and link documentation for a better deliverable.
Use Contents tags to define assets picked up by the scan and photographs but not modelled as objects in the BIM.
Generate reports
Information needs to be usable and accessible if it is to drive construction and operations processes.
3D ASSET allows you to create all kinds of reports from any of the information in the building database.
Powerful filtering capabilities allow you to identify just the information you need and export it to Excel.
Colour coding
Communicate intent or progress by colour coding any of your information using 3D ASSET visualisation tools.
You can apply colours to any attributes in the model, or to the property values in any of the four tag types.
IDENTIFY INCONSISTENCIES
Check the information in your model for errors and inconsistencies by applying colours to its attributes. Identify erroneous property values or highlight at a glance objects that have no information at all.
ACTIVITY PLANNING
Set up tags to identify the work areas and locations for specific trade activities, use them to show zones and departments or for way finding.
MONITOR PROGRESS
Use colour coding to show the status or progress of any activity using a simple traffic light system, or more advanced thematic views.
COLOUR CODED ALERTS
Set colours and dates to flag alerts that are overdue or upcoming. Use the function to schedule planned and preventative maintenance tasks or to show overdue workflow processes. Use the Alert Manager dashboard to show status and zoom to the assets in question.
Define, enrich and monitor project information
3D ASSET’s powerful tools and tag types not only allow almost any kind of information to be added to your project, but also ensure that everything can be sent back to the originating Revit model.
CAPTURE AS-BUILT INFORMATION
Set up tags to capture and record as-installed information from the supply chain as and when it becomes known. Use batch processes to manage large amounts of data efficiently. Write the finalised information back to Revit using our plugins.
MONITOR INSTALLATION PROGRESS AND COMMISSIONING STATUS
Track progress and monitor QA for all building assets. Keep records of the work packages, the sub-contractors, the engineers doing the work, the dates involved, and the sign-offs.
ADD MISSING ROOM DATA FF&E
Import room data from eRDS and link it to rooms in the model to improve fit-out workflows. Update the data as and when new information becomes available. Alternatively use 3D ASSET Contents List tags to create room data. Upload the completed information to Revit as new parameters on FM Placeholders, then export to COBie.
DEFINE INTERNAL & EXTERNAL FINISHES
Add information for all wall, skirting, ceiling and floor finishes to each room’s FM Placeholder. Define the information using Contents tags, imported from either a spreadsheet or from eRDS Cloud. Add individual wall finishes and describe the precise make up of the floor strata. Use the function to deal with external spaces such as walkways and car parks. And of course write the finalised information back to Revit.
DEFINE ROOM SPECIFICATIONS
Use Contents tags to define the mechanical & electrical specifications for every room in the building. Write the information back to BIM as Revit parameters on FM Placeholders.
ADD LOCATION INFORMATION
Use graphical selection and batch processing tools to apply location based information to the assets. Write everything back to Revit.
ADD SPARE PARTS LIST
Add a complete parts list for key equipment including all descriptions, part numbers and supplier information.
Field Asset
FIELD ASSET is the sister program to 3D ASSET. Using the same Information Manager, it is populated from the 3D ASSET database. This replicates all the same information and management functionality, without the need to access the model.
Running in off-line mode, it makes information and documentation available to on-site personnel, allowing existing information to be updated and new information to be captured in real time. Once a network connection is re-established, the recorded information is automatically synchronised with the central database. This ensures that all users are always working on the most up-to-date information.
FIELD ASSET does not need Navisworks to run and is cost efficient when used on projects with a large numbers of users.
Multi user system
Both 3D ASSET and FIELD ASSET are designed as multi-user systems and share a common database.
Any new information captured or updated through FIELD ASSET is becomes available in 3D ASSET where it may be analysed through colour coded views and reported as necessary.
Field Asset works on any device capable of running Microsoft Windows
Advanced Tagging
Model enrichment is about adding information to objects or groups of objects in Navisworks. 3D ASSET provides four different tag types. Each is viewable, searchable and editable through the Information Manager. All tags can consist of attributes from the model plus user defined properties. They can be linked automatically to the results of a search, or manually added using various graphical selection tools
CUSTOM TAGS
A custom tag consists of a set of attributed and user defined properties linked to an individual object in the model by one of its attributes
SHARED TAGS
Shared tags are a single set of information linked to multiple objects in the model. They are useful for oil & gas projects because a shared tag can be linked to all objects on a line to create a single line number entry in the Information Manager
CONTENTS TAGS
These tags allow multiple records consisting of multiple properties to be linked to a single object in the model. Use them to identify all assets on a skid or mechanical equipment assembly. They can also be used to record periodic instrument readings into the database
ERDS ASSET DATABASE TAGS
These tags are used primarily for BIM models to link asset information from the eRDS Cloud COBie database to room objects called FM Placeholders in the model
Link & attach
3D ASSET is designed to enrich Navisworks models with additional information & documentation to support all kinds of processes.
Various methods for linking information to 3D objects are provided, whether they are intelligent objects from professional 3D plant design, BIM systems, or geometry only models produced from laser scan surveys.
Drag & Drop Linking
Tags, documents or batches of documents can be linked by manually dragging and dropping them onto individual items or groups of objects in the model
Search & LINK
Search for objects in the model by their attributes or the properties of tags previously linked to them and link new information to the search results
Auto LINKING
You can run searches for model attributes or properties within custom and shared tags and link documents to the search results.
excel import link
Provided your excel file has a unique identifier matching objects in the model, 3DA will create a tag using the column headings and automatically link it to the model
link MULTIPLE TAGS
Attach as many tags or tag types to the same 3D object as necessary to support your processes
TAG TO TAG LINKING
Tag to tag linking is an essential feature for working with geometry only scan to as-built models. Link a tag to an object or group of objects to provide an attribute where none previously existed, and then add more tags to it.
Search for anything
You can search any object in the model through its attributes or search for the properties in any of the four tag types.
A search generates a set of results for the objects being searched or those with tags or documents linked to them.
Visualise their locations in context with the surroundings using graphical filtering functions including zoom-to, hide and transparency, highlight the results in colour, or set non selected items to a different colour.
Search Model
Search for any attributed value in your Navisworks model and generate a set of results for the next step in your process
Search Tags
Find any user defined or attributed properties in any of the four 3DA tag types
Drill Down Searches
Use combinations of attributed data or tag properties to drill down precisely into the information
Search Documents
Search for any document previously linked to the model and find what objects they are linked to
Search asset database
3D ASSET is tightly integrated with eRDS Cloud. Search for any fitting or mechanical component in the asset database and identify its location in the model
Search COBie
You can search for any COBie information imported from spreadsheets or from the eRDS COBie building asset database
Document access
3D ASSET provides near instant document retrieval with the ability to view documents in context with their surroundings.
The software includes its own functional document manager with capabilities for mapping across networks to central document repositories.
Where companies have an existing DMS system in place such as SharePoint, we provide the functionality to bypass our own DMS and link documents direct to their source.
find objects from documents
3D ASSET provides all the search functionality when working with documents you’d expect. It also allows you to find in the model the items you see in a document.
Global documents
Use this DMS function to organise project documents that will not be linked to objects in the model.
HTML linking
Link to documents stored in the cloud on external DMS systems.
Document categories
Construction projects have a lot of supporting documentation and often their file names differ from the document titles making it difficult to find the right document in a timely manner.
To help with this 3D ASSET provides document categorisation to filter documents into types and make document searches easier.
Template builder
We provide all the tools needed to set up the four types of tag that can be linked to a model.
Tag setup is easy to do and understand and our tag templates give you full control over the appearance and layout of your forms.
We offer a high degree of automation allowing you to drive processes using information from excel sheets to create, populate and attach tags to the desired objects in the model.
SETUP FROM EXCEL
You can create tag templates from spreadsheets whereby the column headings become tag properties and the cell values are imported as property values
colour coded properties
Apply colours to your tag to highlight groups of information for better usability
PARENT / CHILD RELATIONSHIPS
Populate a tag property with the values from an existing property
READ ONLY
Tags are used to inform as well as capture information. You can set property values to be read only to protect your data
SQL FIELDS WITHOUT THE HASSLE
Just type the name of your property and set them to be text values, validated lists, colour coded status lists, sequenced values, dates, yes / no fields or hyperlinks
expand & collapse fields
Manage your tag real estate by setting groups of properties to be collapsed or expanded
AUTO-FILL ATTRIBUTES
Set a property value to be an attributed value from the model and auto-fill the values in your tag
sync from master
Import from a spreadsheet and have 3DA apply a predefined template set-up
Arrange a demo
Contact us to arrange a demo and find out how 3D ASSET can contribute to your workflows and processes. Or request a 30-day trial and we will send you the demo software
About Us
3D ASSET and FIELD ASSET software and IP is developed & owned by Joe Augustino & Paul Goodman-Simpson and distributed through eRDS Solutions & Services Ltd.
eRDS provides sales, support, training and consulting services for all types of oil & gas, BIM and scan-to as-built database projects.
We are based in London in the UK. Contact us for a demo, or to arrange a trial by calling +44 207 0601197 or email info@erds.co.uk
