Industrial BIM for an Evolving Technology Landscape

Wally Elarusi

As the technology landscape of today continues to expand and become more nuanced, it is that much more difficult to understand which solutions fit into which bucket of problems to solve. This has never been truer than with building information modeling (BIM) and the spectrum of solutions that fall within the category of BIM. But this expansion has led to the fracturing of BIM into many variations and flavors suitable and tailored for the industries they serve. This splitting has, on the one hand, been successful for scaling industries, but has also created confusion and paralysis by analysis by treating all BIM solutions as having the same utility. To better understand BIM and its intents, it is best to start with its origins.

In 1850, the first modern US refinery (a one-barrel still) was built in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This refinery was used as a simple heat source to separate out kerosene, which quickly replaced oil as the preferred fuel for lamps and lighting. This project may have been simple enough to execute without computers, but the amount and type of material handling processes in place today are much more complex. Pen and paper just aren't enough to record all the data required to develop these brownfield / greenfield projects. Over the last century and a half, our industries have modernized and matured. Now, multiple streams of data, across several disciplines and trades, must be coordinated throughout larger teams. This is to ensure that complex facility projects can be executed in shorter and shorter timeframes.

BIM Goes by Many Names

BIM goes by many names. Sometimes it's Facility Information Modeling (FIM), Plant Information Modeling (PIM), Process Information Modeling (also PIM) or Asset Information Modeling (AIM). The acronym of BIM has even been interchangeable from information modeling to information management. So, when people say BIM, what do they really mean? Well, building information modeling is the digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility. It serves as a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility, forming a reliable basis for decisions during its lifecycle. It is typically a 3D-based modeling process meant to enhance collaboration and communication. It does this by providing detailed information about building components. And when you talk about building components, you're talking about slabs, beams, walls, windows, equipment, and maybe some pipes and ducts.

This form of building information modeling emerged in the 1970s as architects began using computers for design and drafting. By the 1990s, BIM evolved from 2D to 3D modeling, integrating geometry with data. The early 2000s saw BIM's expansion into collaboration among disciplines, improving project coordination and efficiency. Governments worldwide mandated BIM for public projects, driving its adoption across the construction industry. Today, BIM encompasses not just modeling, but also simulation, analysis and lifecycle management. It revolutionizes how buildings are designed, constructed and maintained.

The Specialization of BIM

Yet, BIM is not new to the process and manufacturing industries, except in name. BIM was defined by multiple sources over the years, evolving mostly from computer-aided design (CAD) systems needing to meet new standards for data inclusion. But the data that's now being defined, which may be new to the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), industry and commercial, has long been used in other industries. Parsing, securing and sharing the data to the correct collaborators at the correct time is a problem that is collectively shared by many industries.

So, while building information modeling does cover a wide range of aspects in facility design, there are some components specific to industrial facilities that may not be fully addressed. Process design, detailed process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, or P&IDs, require specialized software and expertise beyond typical BIM tools. Additionally, there is also heavy machinery and equipment. Typical BIM may include basic representations of equipment, but detailed specifications, operational data and maintenance requirements for large industrial equipment often asks for specialized software and databases. Then you have control systems. Designing and integrating complex control systems - like programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or supervisory control and data supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for industrial processes - typically requires specialized engineering tools and expertise.

After that, we look at detailed safety considerations, hazard analysis and risk assessments specific to industrial environments - often involving specialized methodology and software tools. While typical BIM capabilities encompass some basic functionality, specialty engineering and analysis tools are required most of the time for other industries such as utilities and infrastructure - specifically with power distribution and water supply. In addition to safety, ensuring compliance with industry-specific regulations and standards often requires these specialized knowledge and software tools not typically included in BIM platforms.

So, while BIM is evolving to include more integrative capabilities, these specialized components often require collaboration between BIM models and other specialized tools to comprehensively design managed industrial facilities. The complexity of these industrial projects makes it difficult to sort out elements based on the relatively simplistic definitions of traditional building information modeling.

For example, a mechanical system for heating and cooling, along with plumbing and electricity is, at best, the most basic functionality for industrial manufacturing and process facilities. With many more subsets of trades and specialties, the terms to define these systems require much higher levels of intricacy.

Industrial BIM for Industrial Facilities

So, how does BIM fit into industrial facility design and engineering? Essentially, BIM is a subset of this broader field. It brings significant advantages that streamline the entire process. So, the good news is that BIM enables detailed 3D models, allowing stakeholders to visualize the facility before construction begins. It then fosters better collaboration among team members, thereby reducing errors and conflicts, optimizing resources, reducing waste and controlling costs. And for life cycle management, from design to demolition, BIM aids in managing the entire life cycle of the facility. But again, BIM is a subset of the intelligent industrial model.

So, if building information modeling is a digital process that involves creating and managing detailed 3D representations of physical and functional characteristics of buildings and structures throughout their life cycle, Industrial BIM is a specialized application of BIM tailored to meet the unique requirements of industrial facilities - including the industrial process data. This will be used for manufacturing plants, power plants, refineries and other large-scale industrial projects, and involves the creation and management of these digital representations of the physical and functional characteristics of the industrial assets throughout the entire life cycle. The term “building” in the context of Industrial BIM really extends beyond traditional structures to encompass these complex industrial facilities and infrastructure.

Industrial BIM integrates the various design and engineering disciplines, including architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical and piping into a unified digital model. This model serves as a centralized database of information that stakeholders can access and utilize for design, construction, operation and maintenance. This idea can be known as a digital backbone, or in some industries a digital or golden thread for data tracking, linking and integrating for an overall better utilization of data throughout the physical asset’s lifecycle. Almost every asset benefits from having a digital backbone because the information from the digital project is relevant and useful in the accompanying digital asset. The data from the planning and design phases are not lost during the execution so that the facility can be operated, maintained and secured. The entire asset lifecycle depends on proper information being produced, developed and consumed by stakeholders and project participants.

The challenges truly revolve around the marriage of BIM into the traditional industrial facility practices. You want to properly apply the benefits of that BIM methodology while preserving the data integrity throughout the entire life cycle so that you can provide the data to the right stakeholders at the right time. And the challenge is bridging that gap between the BIM capabilities and the industrial requirements. This is where Hexagon has been the industry leader and pioneer in developing Industrial BIM solutions for stronger facility design, as well as creating a digital foundation for all future phases into asset management and operations. Learn more here.