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.) • 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/cnc.cfm • American Straight Steel, http://www.americanstraightsteel.com/manufacturing.html • CAD/CAM http://www.geocities.com/cadcamworld/ • Steelbuilding.com http://www.insideselfstorage.com/articles/291spotl1.html • The link of metal buildings companies http://dmoz.org/Business/Construction_and_Maintenance/Materials_and_Supplies/Special_Construction/Metal_Building_Systems/