Unlike the world of human interactions, popularity is equated with quality in the world of technology. The AEC industry is firmly supported by the technological advances of our age, and manufactured homes are becoming increasingly popular. The rise of prefab or modular construction in the housing industry is an affordable and reliable solution to the challenge of quality housing around the world. Manufactured homes, sometimes known as manufactured homes, prefabs, or modular homes, are manufactured off-site in sections, from just bathrooms to entire floors, that can be transported, placed, or assembled to form housing units. Manufactured housing can be freestanding single family housing units (houses) or individual units that have been stacked on top of each other to form multi-story dwellings or apartment blocks. How useful precast is in the housing industry, why this is the case, and who can provide key services for accurate precast design are some of the things we will explore.
So what are prefab buildings?
Manufactured buildings can be built from components (such as panels), modules (in the case of entire modular homes, houses on wheels), or sections (portions of manufactured homes) built off-site and transferred to the site when ready to be installed. . A team of technical experts attaches the different services to the layout of the building. These can include two-story homes and custom homes. Modular or manufactured homes can be created in sections and then transported to the site to be assembled as part of the construction process or installed. Entire rooms, such as bathrooms or kitchens, can be created in a factory environment as pre-fab units. Steel framing can be erected on site to ‘fit’ into the prefab units or full concrete foundations can be placed in the ground in preparation for the arrival of the new home. The financing, construction and appraisal of these homes is carried out in the same way as for normal homes. Manufactured houses can also be assembled on production assembly lines, which are transferred in complete sections or floors to the site, where these complete housing units are connected floor by floor and then also connected to the main water supply, sewage system, etc. sewage and electrical lines of the place.
How are they built?
They are usually built in factories that are some distance from the actual housing site, in fact they could be in a different country. These purpose-built factories are effectively assembly line environments, where different items and trades come together at different stages of the assembly line to add the various components to the building. Starting with floors, walls, and ceilings, the structure moves along internal fixtures and MEP elements such as pipes, plumbing, boilers, bathrooms, and complete kitchen fixtures, before moving to finishing areas such as glazing, doors, electrical fixtures. and even bathrooms. tiling. Once the house is assembled, it goes through final quality checks before being handed over to logistics teams for transport to its permanent site.
The plumbing and electrical lines are connected to the city’s water and electrical connections and the precast sections are sealed. Manufactured homes can have multiple rooms and be of different designs. These houses can be established on a permanent basis, blending seamlessly with other regularly built houses. Home repairs are carried out by the real estate agency involved in the sale.
During the break-in period, a manufactured home is ‘set’ in place, after which some cracking in the drywall may occur. Improperly installed appliances can be fixed by changing the wiring or plumbing, and ventilation, heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems can be properly installed by an installation crew.
One of the driving forces behind a successfully assembled and reliably operating manufactured home is the effectiveness of its design. Increasingly, BIM (Building Information Modeling) construction drawings are used by architects, engineers, contractors, and trade contractors at some point as part of DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly). DfMA is a design process that brings together design for manufacturability, or the ease with which parts of a product will be manufactured, with design for assembly, which refers to the ease with which parts will be assembled. DfMA helps the design team reduce manufacturing and assembly costs by identifying, analyzing, and eliminating waste and inefficiency from a product’s design. DfMA modeling and drawing is fast becoming an integral part of design for prefabrication.
Construction drawings, or shop drawings, graphically illustrate the details, data, and specifications of a precast design, contain information about MEP (M&E) systems, and include details of precast components. BIM technology is part of the larger virtual design and build (VDC) process that helps find solutions to challenges subcontractors and designers face before building pre-fabricated components in the factory.
Technological advances have made it possible, and indeed preferable, to outsource the provision of BIM services, such as modeling and drafting. Outsourced companies specialize in delivering drawings and models quickly, using the latest software such as Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks and others, and employing well-qualified experts. The modular construction drawings provided by these CAD drawing companies are usually accurate and error free.
Prefab construction has reportedly been used in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai and in the construction of the prestigious Sydney Opera House.
Advantages of prefabrication
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Faster completion of projects, therefore cost reduction.
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Various uses: It can be used to create tall buildings, single-storey buildings, villas, municipalities, as well as create roof slabs, terrace blocks, wall panels, columns, stairs, bathrooms, lamps, etc.
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Personalization – Unique property specifications can be easily tailored, reducing expenses
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Durability: Prefabrication in the structural aspect of building reinforces structural strength, sometimes helping to withstand earthquakes and other natural disasters. Concrete panels are created from high-quality elements in a controlled factory environment and therefore last longer.
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Well suited for certain industries that have repetitive design elements, such as student housing, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, prisons, police stations, and senior housing.
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Greater and more efficient quality control in the factory configuration
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Safer and less stressful work environment for workers in a factory than on-site, especially in crowded areas, as on-site hazards to workers are eliminated
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Less on-site space is required to assemble components that have already been assembled off-site
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Less waste is generated during construction, as precast component waste is disposed of at the factory and not transported to the site.
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Competitive advantage: allows flexibility in design decisions until the nth moment
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Save space: the house can be built in small spaces on tight schedules and takes up less space
Modular construction in the housing industry has broadened its reach for buyers and builders. Buyers have more options to choose from and builders have more construction options for construction, changing the overall construction landscape. On projects, MEP contractors are using an increasing number of modular construction plans during collaboration. Prefab construction is more affordable and greener, as such buildings are better sealed against drafts and there are better quality control systems in factories, leading to better insulation and better energy efficiency. Ultimately, this will benefit neighborhoods and residential and commercial projects.
The various advantages of using manufactured homes can only be enjoyed when the DfMA model and drawings are perfect. Since this requires a considerable amount of time and resources, an increasing number of Western companies are looking abroad for their precast design services.
Benefits of Outsourcing Precast Design Services
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Cost reduction, as skilled labor and resource spending abroad is significantly less expensive
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Use of advanced tools and technologies, such as AutoCAD and Revit, by experienced and well-qualified human resources.
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Drawing standardization across projects, making MEP installations and other services easier
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3D axonometric drawings of the entire construction project are generated, showing the methods and means by which individual subcontractor components or systems can be placed on the project.
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Skilled draftsmen and other technical professionals work faster, maintain accuracy, provide audit trails complete with drawing references, approval records
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Faster turnaround time, as foreign companies employ ready, dedicated teams of trained personnel capable of working with constantly changing specifications, helping to complete projects on time.
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Greater flexibility, as outsourcing allows Western companies to pick and choose services based on their needs. The flexibility thus generated helps to expand the business.
Outsourcing precast design services is therefore an increasingly popular option and this approach will save time, increase productivity, ensure higher levels of safety and increase profits. Using Revit, AutoCAD, and other software to create modular construction drawings and models helps provide high-quality precast design support for Western companies in the industry.