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Bricsys > Case Studies > BricsCAD: A Game Changer for Studio Mouton's 3D Design Workflow
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BricsCAD: A Game Changer for Studio Mouton's 3D Design Workflow

Technology Category
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries
  • Cement
  • Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions
  • Product Research & Development
Use Cases
  • Construction Management
  • Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing
The Challenge

Studio Mouton, a construction engineering office based in Ghent, Belgium, was facing challenges with their design workflow. They were involved in a wide range of small and large structures, including complex international projects. While standard CAD tools were sufficient for most components of their projects, some portions with complex geometry required more specialized tools. The team needed software that could compute highly complex structural elements, utilize BIM data, and operate on a universal DWG file format. Furthermore, the team's rapid project decision-making process necessitated a system that could accommodate fast, seamless changes. Prior to the introduction of BricsCAD, Mouton's approach combined 2D and 3D drawing elements for each project, which was not optimal for their workflow.

About The Customer

Studio Mouton is a construction engineering office located in Ghent, Belgium. They work on a wide range of structures, both small and large, including one of Zaha Hadid’s last international projects, the magnificent Antwerp Port House. The team at Studio Mouton is known for making 'very rapid' project decisions and requires software that can keep up with their fast-paced workflow. They need a system that can compute highly complex structural elements, utilize BIM data, and operate on a universal DWG file format. Their projects often involve complex geometries that require more specialized tools than standard CAD tools can provide.

The Solution

The solution came in the form of BricsCAD, an open, customizable CAD platform. After nearly a year of testing various software packages, the Mouton team decided to switch to BricsCAD BIM. This platform's approach to 3D was more in line with what the team needed. BricsCAD offered a lot of room for adaptation and customization, allowing the team to adapt to every situation depending on the project. It operated in the DWG format, which was compatible with any CAD software, making it a valuable tool for Mouton. The biggest change for the team was that the 3D model became the basis for all the 2D drawings. BricsCAD's classic 3D modeling approach made it very easy to use, and the team could start modeling after just a brief look at the tutorial.

Operational Impact

  • The switch to BricsCAD has significantly improved Studio Mouton's design workflow. The team now designs everything in 3D, which has streamlined their process and made it more efficient. The 3D model is now the basis for all the 2D drawings, which has simplified their approach and made it easier for the team to work on their projects. The open and customizable nature of BricsCAD has allowed the team to adapt to every situation, depending on the project. The software works as expected, which has reduced the amount of time spent troubleshooting and allowed the team to focus more on their design work.

Quantitative Benefit

  • Switched to a 100% 3D design workflow from a combined 2D and 3D drawing approach

  • Spent nearly a year testing various software packages before finding the right fit with BricsCAD

  • BricsCAD operates in the universal DWG format, making it compatible with any CAD software

Related Case Studies.

Case Study
IoT System for Tunnel Construction
The Zenitaka Corporation ('Zenitaka') has two major business areas: its architectural business focuses on structures such as government buildings, office buildings, and commercial facilities, while its civil engineering business is targeted at structures such as tunnels, bridges and dams. Within these areas, there presented two issues that have always persisted in regard to the construction of mountain tunnels. These issues are 'improving safety" and "reducing energy consumption". Mountain tunnels construction requires a massive amount of electricity. This is because there are many kinds of electrical equipment being used day and night, including construction machinery, construction lighting, and ventilating fan. Despite this, the amount of power consumption is generally not tightly managed. In many cases, the exact amount of power consumption is only ascertained when the bill from the power company becomes available. Sometimes, corporations install demand-monitoring equipment to help curb the maximum power demanded. However, even in these cases, the devices only allow the total volume of power consumption to be ascertained, or they may issue warnings to prevent the contracted volume of power from being exceeded. In order to tackle the issue of reducing power consumption, it was first necessary to obtain an accurate breakdown of how much power was being used in each particular area. In other words, we needed to be able to visualize the amount of power being consumed. Safety, was also not being managed very rigorously. Even now, tunnel construction sites often use a 'name label' system for managing entry into the work site. Specifically, red labels with white reverse sides that bear the workers' names on both sides are displayed at the tunnel work site entrance. The workers themselves then flip the name label to the appropriate side when entering or exiting from the work site to indicate whether or not they are working inside the tunnel at any given time. If a worker forgets to flip his or her name label when entering or exiting from the tunnel, management cannot be performed effectively. In order to tackle the challenges mentioned above, Zenitaka decided to build a system that could improve the safety of tunnel construction as well as reduce the amount of power consumed. In other words, this new system would facilitate a clear picture of which workers were working in each location at the mountain tunnel construction site, as well as which processes were being carried out at those respective locations at any given time. The system would maintain the safety of all workers while also carefully controlling the electrical equipment to reduce unnecessary power consumption. Having decided on the concept, our next concern was whether there existed any kind of robust hardware that would not break down at the construction work site, that could move freely in response to changes in the working environment, and that could accurately detect workers and vehicles using radio frequency identification (RFID). Given that this system would involve many components that were new to Zenitaka, we decided to enlist the cooperation of E.I.Sol Co., Ltd. ('E.I.Sol') as our joint development partner, as they had provided us with a highly practical proposal.
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