Trimble introduced Trimble Connect2Fab, a web-based application within the Trimble® Connect® collaboration platform that enables a seamless connection between design and fabrication workflows for Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) contractors. Using an intuitive interface, Connect2Fab provides unparalleled visibility into, and control over, work packages and spool drawings that are sent to the fabrication shop and then to the field. This empowers teams to work with maximum transparency, streamlining traditionally cumbersome workflows and enabling stakeholders to execute data-driven decisions throughout a project’s lifecycle.
The announcement was made at the MEP Innovation Conference powered by Trimble and hosted by the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA).
Using Connect2Fab, shop and field personnel do not need modeling experience or CAD platform access to create or modify spools. Now users can create spool drawings and set end-points directly in Connect2Fab based on what works for the fabrication and installation teams, reducing bottlenecks between design and fabrication teams.
By providing a digital workflow that removes disconnects between processes and people, Connect2Fab allows for real-time status tracking and gives Building Information Modeling (BIM) access to fabrication and field stakeholders. This in turn reduces a range of issues that challenge contractors, such as re-work, waste, constructability and clash detection.
“We know that the MEP pre-fabrication process suffers from inefficiencies, redundant work, and waste when design and fabrication departments aren’t connected by digital workflows,” said Lawrence Smith, vice president and general manager of Trimble MEP. “By providing pre-fabrication stakeholders access to spool data, no matter their CAD access, Connect2Fab allows for model-centric planning and tracking according to real-time information.”
Availability
Connect2Fab is now available as a stand-alone subscription that includes Trimble Connect Business Premium for MEP contractors in North America. Connect2Fab is also included in the Trimble VDC Pro+ subscription..
The VDC Pro+ subscription is also available as part of Trimble Construction One™, a connected, cloud-based construction management platform that drives speed, efficiency and accuracy at each phase of the construction project lifecycle. Using Trimble Construction One, contractors can leverage a purpose-built connected construction management platform that reveals the right information at the right time so organizations can make the right decisions.
