Page 24 - MetalForming September 2011

“Turnkey Comfort Systems”
Radiant heating, advanced heat pumps, absorption chillers, vari- able-frequency drives and com- pressors, and electronic expansion valves represent just a portion of the new technologies being implemented in today’s energy-efficient buildings. Designing, fabricating and installing all of the sheetmetal components to support these new technologies—duct- work distribution systems, flues and vents, etc...has taken on a whole new dimension, as fabricators and con- tractors face tighter deadlines, smaller budgets and growing requirements for safety and sustainability.
In response, the HVAC industry has, along with other building-construction trades, seen a recent surge in the appli- cation of what’s called the Building Infor- mation Modeling (BIM) system, devel- oped several years ago as a means to create and manage building data during its lifecycle. BIM 3D modeling software tracks every element that goes into a building, including all HVAC system components, and integrates design, fab- rication and installation with detail never-before seen in the industry. The software addresses geometry, spatial relationships, light analysis and more.
Recently the BIM process of con- struction has caught fire, and we caught up with a Northeast Ohio HVAC fabri- cator/contractor to learn more.
The Changing Process of Construction
MetalForming visited Duct Fabrica- tors, Inc., in Cleveland, OH, as the firm was knee-deep in fabricating ductwork for a new renewable-energy facility under construction at the nearby
Rapid expansion of the Building Information Modeling process aims to provide precisely designed
and fabricated building elements, including HVAC-system components, to those working
in the field, to relieve them of unproductive
and costly struggles with fitup during assembly.
BY BRAD F. KUVIN, EDITOR
Southerly Wastewater Treatment Cen- ter. This relatively large job entails fab- rication and installation of 3500 ft. of aluminum ductwork, consuming 45,000 lb. of aluminum. Duct Fabrica- tors completed its BIM involvement during the summer of 2010, began fab- ricating in April of this year and expects
to complete installation mid-2012. “BIM really took off for us in 2006- 2007,” says John Sickle Jr., company pres- ident and second-generation part owner of the company that also operates two sister companies offering comparable capabilities and services—Ohio Fabri- cators (Akron, OH), and Breining
22 MetalForming/September 2011
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Prestaged coils of steel and aluminum await an opportu- nity to be fed into Duct Fabricators’ automated duct line.