Advantages of Digital Prefabrication for the Modern Construction Industry
The cutting-edge of the modern construction industry revolution
In light of technological advances, the construction industry develops new methods to respond to customer needs and labor-related difficulties, and diversifies the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in order to increase productivity in the sector. Digital prefabrication is a type of production where digital data directs production equipment to create various building components. It is the cutting-edge of the modern construction industry revolution.
Today, it is seen that multicomponent prefabricated building elements offer high quality projects with lower costs and accelerated optimizable programs. Recently, concepts such as Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) and Designing for Industrialized Methods of Construction (DIMC) constitute the most basic and modern elements of Off-Site Construction and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Both concepts not only support engineering methodology simultaneously but also the industry transition from fully on-site construction to on-site assembly of ready-made prefabricated building components.
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) in the simplest definition; It is the application of the factory production conditions realized in industrial facilities to modern construction projects. It also includes prefabricated modular building elements. In practice, building structural elements are manufactured off-site in a controlled environment, transported to the site and made ready for assembly
The Design for Industrialized Construction Methods (DIMC) aims to programmatically select and supply building components for use in the project. It aims to accomplish without compromising the improved design, construction quality, cost and project schedule (timeline).
Exclusive solutions supported by virtual models
DORCE Prefabricated Building & Construction Industry Trade Inc. , manufactures prefabricated modular building components directly with Building Information Modeling (BIM) and completes their assemblies completely digitally off-site in total accordance with the project requirements; including load-bearing panel system structures, paneled exterior walls and internal walls with built-in electrical and sanitary installations. DORCE integrates the digital fabrication of the building components that make up the main structure into its projects from the very beginning of the design process. Modular building systems, manufactured by DORCE, are used for projects that require rapid solutions and must be completed in harsh climatic and geographical conditions. The components of these modular buildings are manufactured in a controlled environment at the industrialized facility (factory conditions) and transported to the construction site as units and assembled on-site.
Customized (customer-oriented) prefabricated modular structures are built to suit the unique needs of each project, utilizing Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) processes and data-rich Building Information Modeling (BIM). DORCE works in integration with its in-house engineering, design and project management department in order to maximize and optimize the architectural design for the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) process without changing the design.
Related Listening:
Examining the Global Modular Construction Market w/ DORCE Ltd.
In this episode of Inside Modular, Mehmet Yucesoy, business development manager at Turkey's DORCE Ltd. shares DORCE's 40-year story of international success and details how modular construction can be applied to almost any construction market around the world. Mehmet also gives advice on how modular companies can begin and expand their globalization efforts.
Is it possible to enhance construction efficiency with improved digital programs?
Digital prefabrication reduces costs and workforce on site, increases quality, and accelerate the construction schedule. Enhanced digital modeling applications that facilitate the link between design and construction put prefabrication at the forefront of the technology revolution that transforms construction industry.
Including digital prefabrication in the design process of the project provides the following advantages:
Higher Quality
Digitally prefabricated modular building component in a factory-controlled environment improves quality control. Identical products are created on the basis of models and then components requested in the field are presented.
Cost Control
Waste material is minimized since construction materials are grouped. The workforce managed in the factory environment offers greater predictability by providing higher productivity, safer working environments and cost advantages. The cost of site workforce is approximately 2.2 times that of factory workforce, and factory productivity is approximately twice that of construction site.
Accelerated Work Plan
Prefabricated modular building components such as panels, walls and roof are manufactured in parallel with infrastructure, concrete, installation and site preparation works etc. In this way we ensure that the project is completed earlier. Since the weather conditions do not affect the production activities in the factory environment, less negative factors are encountered in the production processes.
Less Workforce
Off-site construction requires fewer workers on-site, thus provides a safer working environment. Since it provides consistency, it is defined as the most attractive sector of the construction industry in terms of workforce. The controlled factory environment also offers the opportunity to cross-train in specific tasks, which helps to balance the workforce and develop various skills.
Sustainability
Since mass production is carried out in the prefabricated modular construction sector and it takes place in a controlled environment, the waste material is significantly reduced or even totally avoided. In addition, fossil fuel consumption and related emissions are reduced as the number of vehicles traveling to and from the construction site decrease.
Site Restrictions
Weakened mobility due to pandemic has made site restrictions become even more common. Prefabricated modular construction minimizes the number of workers needed on site. For this reason, the applicability of off-site constructions gains more importance with each day passing.
More from Modular Advantage
Modern Desert Oasis: Building Reset Hotel the Modular Way
While the off-site construction part of the Reset Hotel project has been carefully controlled and with every necessity close at hand at BECC Modular’s factory in Ontario, Canada, the remote location of the project site has created additional challenges for the on site portion of the build.
Revisiting Yellowstone Canyon Village—a Groundbreaking Modular Construction Feat—Ten Years On
With such a short building period due to impending cold, it made the most sense for park developer Xanterra to pursue modular. Yellowstone’s high visitor traffic also required some odd transportation scheduling, as traffic from the West Yellowstone entrance determined the times when trucks could unload modules. Guerdon was up to the challenge.
Built for Brutal Cold, This Modular Office Building Shines
Houlton, the county seat of Aroostook County, Maine, is a small town with a population of about 6,000 residents. Situated along the border between the U.S. and Canada, what the town is most known for is bitterly cold winters. When the U.S. Border Patrol needed new office space, a modular building approach from Modular Genius offered the perfect solution.
Panel Replacement Adds Years of Life to Navy Vessel
Panel Built, Inc., recently replaced all the wall and roof panels on a two-story US Navy barge deck house that the company had originally installed 30 years ago, giving the vessel new life. Now, the commanding officer of the unit that uses the barge said the difference between the condition and appearance from when the barge left their facility to when the project was complete was beyond his expectations of what was possible.
True Modular Building Seeks to Revolutionize Housing. It’s Next Stop: MBI’s World of Modular Europe
True Modular Building (TMB) specializes in crafting attainable, eco-friendly, and comfortable build-to-rent (BTR) housing with modern designs and customizable features, ensuring that residents feel at home both today and tomorrow.
From Toronto to Suriname: A Global Modular Building Story
When I AM Gold – a Canadian gold mining operation based in Toronto, Ontario – wanted to expand its mining operations in Suriname, it knew it would also need to expand its infrastructure. More specifically, they needed to build a mechanical services compound that would allow their local crews to maintain and equipment critical to their mining operations. They also knew that it would be a challenge.
There Were a “Sea of Challenges” for this Modular, Island Development
Question: Can modular construction be used to build a series of affordable, unique housing buildings, all styled to look like they were built in 1845, on an
island that caters to the wealthy? The answer is, of course, yes, but how the
team at Signature Building Systems and KOH Architecture got there is quite a story.
America’s Construction Economy: A Race Against Time
If the economy has been able to handle higher interest rates thus far, undoubtedly it will be able to manage the lower interest rates to come. But many economists are pointing out that the Federal Reserve may already be too late to the game. While they gradually reduce interest rates, the U.S. economy could quickly decelerate, at least based on theoretical grounds if not on the most recent data releases, culminating in that long-predicted recession. Only time will tell.
Top Five Benefits of Modular Office Space
Modular office spaces are transforming how businesses think about their work environments. These innovative structures offer a mix of flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability, making them a smart choice for companies looking to gain an advantage.
Opportunities for Innovation
The construction industry stands at a crossroads. By embracing the principles of industrialized construction, learning from other industries, and harnessing digital technologies, the modular building industry can tackle its major challenges head-on. This transformation promises a future of increased productivity, improved quality, cost control, and a more sustainable, affordable and resilient built environment.