Standardised data will vastly improve transparency and efficiency, and open up opportunities for future innovation..
By MMC, we mean all forms of innovation in construction - physical forms like P-DfMA, as well as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), robotics, data, automation, point cloud surveys, and so on… This is all in addition to the frequently used term ‘offsite’ which, in fact, only represents one aspect of MMC, or industrialized construction.We aren’t exclusively referring to the process of manufacturing large modules in factories and moving everything off construction sites.
Although offsite will certainly form part of the solution, we propose to use a full range of new techniques and technologies, including platform design.Our approach creates an entirely new way of working, one which sets out to achieve the best possible outcomes right from the start.This makes sure that the goals of quality, efficiency, suitability, productivity and sustainability inform every stage of the process.. By adopting a way of working that includes P-DfMA and a standard component design programme, we can achieve repeatable and consistent quality, and also facilitate operational and delivery excellence across projects.
This goal has been identified as a focus for the future of UK construction by The Construction Innovation Hub, and the application of a Platform approach is discussed within the.Construction Playbook.
Our DfMA journey.
We began to use the term ‘Platforms’ (P-DfMA) while working with the UK Government Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).Research in the sector has found that while construction-related spending is 13% of global GDP, productivity has been flat for decades – with an ageing workforce and additional post-Brexit losses affecting the UK.
Similarly, construction accounts for a large portion of global waste and carbon emissions, but is yet to see large improvements.With Discrete Event Simulation previously a niche activity requiring a specific skill set and often costly software, the industry has not been able to see and leverage the benefits, which include predicting the full effects of a project – whether related to efficiency, cost or the environment – until site work is completed.. A recent shift in the construction landscape has been an increasing focus on Design for Manufacture and Assembly, or DfMA, which aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction centre, improving productivity, reducing waste and aiming for net-zero carbon emissions.
Bryden Wood have been pioneers of DfMA and successfully delivered benefits around the world with Platform Construction (P-DfMA) and other types of solutions [.constructionplatformsforasia/s90575/. ]
(Editor: Top Consoles)