The prefabricated metal buildings

1
The prefabricated metal buildings

• A strategy for the adoption of advanced
  Information Technologies

2
Introduction

• Existing processes and business environment
• Available and suitable information technologies
• A framework target plan, including assessment of
  potential benefits
• Assess the expected costs of achieving the plan
• Analysis of the readiness for implementation of
  the framework plan
• A detailed plan for the next incremental step

3
Business Environment

• What is the prefabricated metal buildings
  industry?
• Composed of firms fabricating the components of
  complete low-rise nonresidential building systems
• Categorized in the manufacturing industry section
  according to the Economic Census

4
Business environment (Cont.)

• An economic review
• Popular as nonresidential structures
• 65 percents share of nonresidential market
  compared with about 50 in 1990 and 35 in the
  early 1970s. (U.S. industry and trade outlook
  2000)
• Affordability, faster completion and occupation
  times, and high quality

5
Business environment (Cont.)
Companies No. Employees No. Add value (1,000)
Less 20 employees 364 2,079 114,427
20 to 99 178 7,995 545,984
100 to 999 61 15,893 1,107,416
Total 603 25,967 1,767,827

• The total number of companies is 603.
• Added value is 1, 767, 827, 000.
• Companies with less 20 employees are over a half
  among total
• The majority of the output are the larger
  companies
• Source The 1997 Economic Census

6
Processes environment

• How are companies involved?
• Companies can serve the consumers directly as a
  design-build team
• Companies can be involved in the design process
  only
• Companies can be involved in the manufacturing
  and erection process only
• Companies can be the subcontractors and materials
  suppliers

7
Processes environment (Cont.)

• What activities exist?
• Win contract to acquire project
• Planning and scheduling
• Design
• Manufacturing and assembling
• Storage and delivery
• Erection

8
Processes environment (Cont.)
9
Available Information Technologies

• A list of technologies being used
• 2-D drawing
• 3-D modeling e.g. PresentationPlus 3D
• Fabrication and assembly CNC, CAM, Robotics
• Interactive online system (Design, pricing,
  detailing, bill of materials, erection and
  fabrication drawing) e.g. QUESTmb

10
Available Information Technologies (Cont.)

• PresentationPlus 3D by Loseke Technologies, Inc.
• Show the clients the building in color and in
  three dimensions
• Can modify the building from size to location of
  openings then show the clients the results
  instantly.

11
Available Information Technologies (Cont.)

• Integrated online system by steelbuilding.com
• Customers can choose the building dimensions and
  roof pitch, and accessories
• The computerized design and pricing system
• Produce a color image of the building and an
  itemized price including delivery charges
• Automatically calculate shipping charges

12
A frame target plan for simple buildings

13
Assessment of potential benefits for simple
buildings

• Reducing direct cost of design
• Reducing the time-From several weeks or months to
  several ours or minutes
• Fabrication benefits with CNC
• Reducing cost of detailing
• Errors reduction

14
Expected costs of achieving the plan

• Items of expected costs for achieving
• Software cost
• Hardware cost
• Maintaining cost

15
Reference

• Reference
• U.S Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census
• The 1997 Economic Census Manufacturing Industry
  Series
• The 1997 Economic Census Construction Industry
  Series
• The U.S Industry and Trade Outlook 2000
• William D. Booth, Metal Building Contracting and
  Construction, 1999
• CNC fabrication,
• http//www.efunda.com/processes/metal_processing/c
  nc.cfm
• American Straight Steel,
• http//www.americanstraightsteel.com/manufacturing
  .html
• CAD/CAM
• http//www.geocities.com/cadcamworld/
• Steelbuilding.com
• http//www.insideselfstorage.com/articles/291spotl
  1.html
• The link of metal buildings companies
• http//dmoz.org/Business/Construction_and_Maintena
  nce/Materials_and_Supplies/Special_Construction/Me
  tal_Building_Systems/