The Thomas Blog

Why Your BIM Models Could Be Losing You Specs...

Low-quality BIM models are causing manufacturers to lose out on project opportunities on a regular basis...

Every day, engineers are actively searching for BIM files to put into their projects as they work to determine which building products will meet their design and performance needs. These engineers rely on complete and accurate BIM models to help them build out systems that can be validated and tested inside of their virtual building model.

Getting your BIM files added to one of these virtual models can mean the difference between making it into the schedule or losing out, so it’s critical that your BIM files are not only dimensionally accurate but also have the connectors and characteristics to ensure that specs are correct. If your BIM models do not include the necessary data to help engineers complete their validations, they can quickly become a liability and can begin losing you specs from important building projects.

BIM Vs. CAD Files: What's The Difference?

For decades, product design engineers have used computer-aided design (CAD) programs — such as Autodesk’s AutoCAD — to design various parts and components. These sophisticated programs are capable of creating extremely detailed 2D and 3D models.

With building information modeling (BIM) files growing in demand among leading architecture firms, many building product manufacturers consistently ask the question, “Can’t I just convert CAD files to BIM files?” The short answer: No. CAD and BIM file types differ in many ways, making a successful conversion nearly impossible. 

Rethinking The Product Information Library

Product manufacturers spend an inordinate amount of time and money ensuring that their products meet the quality standards of their customers.

Don’t Cheap Out On Your BIM Content

For commercial building product manufacturers, adopting Building Information Modeling (BIM) can lead to greater visibility, more leads, and increased opportunities to get spec’d into projects.

By The Time You Hear About A Commercial Building Project, It’s Already Too Late

In the high-stakes arena of building product manufacturing, every opportunity to get spec’d into a new commercial building project can make a multi-million-dollar difference to your bottom line. Unfortunately, by the time you come across the opportunity, it’s already too late to win the bid.

How Can Building Product Manufacturers Use Content Marketing To Get Specified Into More Projects?

Content marketing is not a new concept, but for building product manufacturers, it is probably a foreign one. Even those BPMs who understand what content marketing is believe that it is an approach reserved purely for B2C businesses.

Building Product Manufacturers: Don't Miss The Building Content Summit

The commercial building industry has been undergoing immense change over the past 5-10 years largely driven by the adoption of BIM. 

BCS brings Architects, Engineers and Contractors together with Building Product Manufacturers (BPM’s) and Solution Providers to discuss changes in the way content is developed, distributed, selected and specified within the global BIM workflow. The needs of Design professionals are constantly evolving toward richer, data driven, multi-format product information.

3 Reasons ISO Standards Aren't Enough To Get Specified

International standards like ISO, ANSI, NEMA are well-established across businesses in the industrial market.

These standards, developed by technical experts in national and international trade associations, influence market requirements and have become the benchmark for quality among manufacturers.

However, the standards must be broad enough to apply to different businesses and applications, and thus define form, fit and function at only generic levels.

Product Manufacturers: Are You Targeting Your Audience With The Right Content?

In the industrial space, marketing and sales leaders target three common personas: Engineers, Procurement Managers, and Plant MRO Managers.

Each of these personas has different primary concerns based around their job focus and function within their company. Let’s take a look at these three personas in detail, so you can better understand your audiences and how to reach them.