How Automation Improves Concrete Construction Project Profitability
Technology is making it possible to automate a ton of things in the construction workflow that used to only be possible with manual effort. Not only does automation remove steps from processes, it also reduces human errors and facilitates data sharing. All of this has a tremendous effect on the success of a project.
The benefits of automation give your company a competitive edge and make sure you can deliver the best possible quality without resource waste.
Simpler workflows improve productivity
A lot of the time on a construction site is used on non-productive tasks, such as scheduling, transportation, checking for information and so forth. Gaps in communication lead to unnecessary manual work. With software, significant parts of the workflow can be automated. With automated documentation and tracking, bottlenecks in productivity can be identified and tackled. Real-time communication at and to the site reduces unnecessary hassle. When it’s clear what is expected, where and when, more can be accomplished in a given time.
Fewer errors means less rework
With manual work, there is always potential for human error. Mistakes are inherent, but in a construction chain, they can end up being costly. One miscalculation in a large estimation Excel accumulates into gross inaccuracies in the long run. Faulty material orders can leave you with a much higher bill than anticipated. Whether a mistake is caught early or only later in the production chain, there is always rework that needs to be done to fix it. With automated calculations, the likelihood for errors is minimized. When all changes are automatically updated, real-time information reaches all stakeholders and everyone is up to date.
Data sharing leads to higher quality
Contractors and subcontractors hold on to a lot of data that could be shared. When information is available for everyone and at every stage of the production chain, decisions are more educated and communicative collaboration ensures that everyone is on the same page. Data from designers, estimators and fabricators can be shared in a dynamic 3D model that updates and develops automatically based on each stakeholder’s input. Dimensions, amounts and other details are found in one place, so working together is possible at an early stage of a project. This has a positive effect on quality due to both innovative cooperation as well as the reduced likelihood of mismatches along the line.
A streamlined, polished process means you can offer a competitive schedule and also deliver it.
Success helps you win more projects
In the future, more and more industries and stakeholders will move towards using software. By embracing automation, you ensure that collaboration with a wide array of companies continues to be possible. A streamlined, polished process means you can offer a competitive schedule and also deliver it. Successful execution helps your business’ profile and leads to even more bid wins and happy contacts.
People are often wary of new technology, especially when the old way seems to be working. It’s important to approach automation as a tool that doesn’t change construction—it just makes it more effective. On top of seamless and error-free cooperation, moving tasks from humans to computers releases time and resources for new, value-adding tasks.
It’s important to approach automation as a tool that doesn’t change construction—it just makes it more effective.
Free ebook
Digital transformation doesn’t have to be difficult, it can start with improving things like quantity takeoff - the essential, everyday tasks in the concrete construction production chain.
Using digital, model-based takeoff methods and purpose-built BIM software can dramatically improve concrete contractors' productivity and eliminate unproductive work and rework, both at the office and in the field.
Click below and read this ebook to find out the 5 common resource problems that traditional 2D-based takeoff methods and single-use data preparation create for Estimators, Planners and Site Engineers, and the ways digital tools and methods can remove them and streamline the work from bid to pour.