Arden Building Companies recently held a three-day Trimble Training, hosted by BuildingPoint Southeast, BPSE, so all their trades – Pipe Fitters, Plumbers, Electricians, and Sprinkler Fitters – can use Trimble Total Station for project site layouts. Total Station measures the distance and angles of an area, calculating coordinates to determine the height and position points.
The training was initiated by Bill Cameron, Director of Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) Operations, and Josh Sanna, MEP BIM Designer. Bill has been with Arden for 17 years and has been instrumental in keeping construction technology at the forefront by implementing the latest modeling management systems to adapt to a continually changing industry. Bill has grown Arden’s VDC department to handle complex construction modeling projects totaling over $100 million.
Josh has been with Arden for 13 years. He was first introduced to Trimble layout by using the Nomad GPS system. Josh’s first project experience using Trimble RTS (Robotic Total Station) 633 was to layout hangers on the decking and transfer them from slab to underdeck above utilizing a laser as South Street Station Redevelopment in Providence, Rhode Island.
Arden has used Trimble Total Station for over ten years for project site layouts. “The ability to quickly and easily obtain precision layouts has streamlined our workflows and maximized productivity,” says Bill.
Pictured below is Eric Fines, BPSE Instructor provides Trimble introductions, proper set-up, station fundamentals, and care and maintenance. Extensive hands-on time to experience set-up through to layout.
Also included in the training was Trimble’s X7 Laser Scanner, a construction-ready scanner that provides 3D models and field layout points. “This field technology enables us to precisely capture accurate as-built conditions that we can incorporate into our BIM workflow,” says Bill.
“We have been using the TX-6 Laser Scanner for the last eight years for renovations, as-built verifications, and prefabricated skid layouts for project coordination of clash-free designs with multiple building systems. Now with the Trimble X7 Laser Scanner coupled with the T100 Tablet, we can see the scan in real-time on the tablet, have the benefits of auto-registration of the point cloud and move much quicker from scan station to scan station”, Bill continued.
Arden’s focus has been to maximize workflow efficiency through state-of-the-art technology. These efforts have enabled all Arden Building Companies – Arden Engineering Constructors, Corporate Mechanical of New England, Earthwise Energy Technologies, MJ Daly, and Unique Metal Works to reduce field labor hours, increase quality control, and overall project safety, and minimize material waste. Arden anticipates that all trades will utilize Trimble’s tools to gain efficiency in the field.
Arden’s Trimble Facts:
- Arden used the RTS 633 to layout four trades worth of hangers–mechanical, plumbing, and fire protection (Mechanical Pipe, PL, FP, & Mechanical Duct) at Brown University’s School of Engineering, Providence, RI
- The most recent project RTS 633 was used on was at the University of Rhode Island’s School of Engineering, where over 3000 bang-it’s were installed with an 80% usage rate. (Some were damaged during the concrete pour or during coordination shifted hangers.)
- Brown University Performing Arts Center was the first job we used our current 773 RTS to layout hangers for every building partner, including those outside the company
- Arden utilized the RTS for high-stakes skid layout for a material manufacturing company where being off +/- ½” would mean the pad would be demolished and repoured
Recent projects we’ve utilized the Trimble on include:
- Brown University’s Renovation of Watson Institute and the J. Walter Wilson Building, Providence, RI
- Attleboro High School new construction – mechanical
- Dennis Yarmouth Intermediate Middle School new construction – mechanical, sheet metal
- New Education and Research Building – UMass Medical School – fire protection, Worcester, MA
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals – HVAC upgrades, North Smithfield, RI