| Subcontractor Case Study: RB Woodcraft
Project: Autodesk AEC Headquarters
Project Team: Autodesk Inc., KlingStubbins, Tocci Building Companies
Discipline: Millwork
RB Woodcraft recently completed the millwork for Autodesk’s AEC Headquarters, with Tocci and KlingStubbins. One of the significant design features in the project is the millwork ceiling in the Customer Brief Center, a 5000 SF museum-quality gallery space adjacent to the lobby.
Contract Structure
KlingStubbins and Tocci signed a single IPD contract with Autodesk. [What is IPD? ], RB Woodcraft held a traditional subcontract with Tocci. However, because the overall project was IPD, RB Woodcraft was able to participate in some of the collaborative efforts that are a “side-effect” of IPD. According to Gary Zarnowski, Senior Project Manager for RB Woodcraft on the Autodesk project, “The ability to directly contact and develop a working relationship with the management and design teams from the beginning significantly improved all phases of our commitment to this project.” In typical IPD-fashion, RB Woodcraft had direct access to the design team, which kept the project on track.
When RB Woodcraft was brought on board, the design had been conceptually developed, but not detailed. To develop pricing, RB received a 3D CAD file for the ceiling, along with a Tocci-produced Advance Bill of Material.
Tocci produced Advanced Bill of Materials
Technical Workflow
The use of 3D AutoCAD and Inventor allowed RB Woodcraft to leverage some of the geometry that KlingStubbins had initially created in Revit. “Through manipulation of the provided 3D geometry, we were able to quickly understand what the design intent was,” explained Zarnowski.
KlingStubbins also provided sketches to clarify the design intent for connections and the ceiling undulation, but didn’t do any further detailing. RB Woodcraft converted that detail into a shop drawing model, for the team to review during weekly web-conferences and on-site meetings. Again, the design team was directly available to RB Woodcraft to respond to any questions or give feedback.
Architect sketch to clarify design
Submittals
Final submittals and approvals were handled using traditional methods; however, the team’s collaboration expedited the review period. RB Woodcraft and KlingStubbins jointly resolve coordination or constructability issues. Changes were incorporated into the fabrication model, ensuring that the shop drawings reflected the team’s final decisions. Zarnowski, “Because issues were discussed with the team as shop drawings were created, our shop drawings were approved the first time around. We were able to buyout and purchase materials faster, avoiding issues related to lead time.”
On the Shop Floor
As soon as the fabrication model was approved, RB Woodcraft was able to move directly into fabrication, breaking down individual components in the model for CNC machines.
VIDEO: Prefabrication of millwork done by RB Woodcraft (click here to view)
Reflections
Zarnowski reflects on the BIM-enabled process, “Regarding the tight schedule of this project, traditional methods of submittals, redlines, and more submittals would have seriously placed this project behind. The ability to directly collaborate with the design team to jointly develop answers to issues that would occur during fabrication and trade conflict help keep fabrication and installation time to a minimum.”
RB Woodcraft doesn’t have any hard, statistical metrics for direct from model fabrication, but based on their ability to meet a tight schedule, they feel it is evident that there were significant savings.
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