CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY

Scan to BIM Helps

Midwestern Consulting Reduce
Revit Modeling Costs by 40%
The Organization
Midwestern Consulting is an award-winning civil engineering firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Established in
1967, the firm provides exceptional civil engineering consulting and support services by adopting state-of-the-art
technology. In fact, Midwestern Consulting was the first company in the region to offer laser scanning to help
architects, facility owners and general contractors obtain a more precise picture of the current size, shape and
design conditions of their projects.

The Challenge
Midwestern Consulting recognized a shift in software adoption by their
customers. Their clients were steadily migrating to Autodesk Revit
and this platform was quickly becoming the building design software of
choice for companies deploying a building information modeling (BIM)
initiative. Like many firms, Midwestern Consulting found the process of
converting their laser scanned data into useful information in a Revit
model to be time-consuming and repetitive. This complex workflow
began with the creation of a model based on the scan in an AutoCAD
environment and then the data would be transferred into Revit. At this
point, the model was a static dummy object and had to be remodelled
within Revit to gain minimal intelligence. The process was so laborious,
their team referred to it as double modeling. As a modellers time is
the most expensive part of the process, Midwestern Consulting knew
they needed to find a way to streamline and deliver a more efficient,
less expensive service to their customers.

Our initial reaction to

Scan to BIM was that finally
someone has got it right!
Prospects and clients are
always floored with the
options and savings we can
provide them in such a short
timeframe.

The Solution
In the midst of negotiations to work on a large federal office building, Midwestern Consulting began to examine
Scan to BIM. Produced by IMAGINiT Technologies, the Scan to BIM software add-on was specifically designed to
take the ordeal out of the process of transferring 3D laser scanning data into Revit. This software would enable
Midwestern Consulting to efficiently import point clouds, visualize them, and interact with them directly in Revit.
The team realized that this unique software with its automated
recognition capabilities could generate elements directly in Revit such
as walls, openings and pipes and ducts. The firm quickly confirmed
Scan to BIMs capabilities
that Scan to BIM would significantly reduce the effort and time
required to import laser scanned data into Revit and create an
provide us with a tremendous
intelligent model.

competitive advantage and we

are getting more business as
a direct result.

Significant Rewards
Time & Cost Savings

Using Scan to BIM, Midwestern Consulting was able to drastically

reduce the time required for their team to create an intelligent Revit

model. Because the modellers time is one of the most costly parts
of the process, reducing their time directly impacted the overall cost
of the project.
With Scan to BIM, Midwestern Consulting was able to reduce the
costs associated with this process by 40%. This significant savings
could in turn be passed on to their client. The first time Midwestern
Consulting developed an estimate with Scan to BIM as part of the
process, they resubmitted their bid to scan a federal office building
with a 40% reduction in cost. The potential client was so pleased
with the promise of both a greatly reduced budget, combined with a
better quality end product, that Midwestern was awarded the project.

Scan to BIM speeds up both

the process and delivery
times while reducing hard
costs by 40% making the
results even more valuable
to our clients.

Improved final product

Now Midwestern Consulting can fully leverage the vast amounts of accurate data they collect with their highdefinition laser scanners. Scan to BIM provides the easiest way to slice up and import a point cloud from a 3D
laser scan directly into Revit. This allows the firm to efficiently offer intelligent models precisely addressing the
clients needs and specifications.
Increased productivity

This streamlined process not only allows Midwestern Consulting to deliver accurate and intelligent Revit models
to their clients, but also enables them to deliver these models faster. This gives their clients more time to review
designs for interference and make more informed decisions regarding the renovation before site work begins.
These accurate BIM models also allow the building owners to make smart downstream decisions regarding
necessary maintenance.
Since Scan to BIM is easy to learn, the Midwestern Consulting team minimized downtime when implementing
their first project. With the teams enhanced productivity, the same number of staff can now take on more projects
for new clients. This increase in efficiency is combined with an improved final product.

About IMAGINiT Technologies

IMAGINiT goes the extra

mile every time to provide
us with outstanding
customer service and
support so weve never
even thought about
looking elsewhere.

IMAGINiT Technologies is a division of Rand Worldwide. IMAGINiT

Technologies advances the way architects and engineers design,
develop, and manage projects. Customers of this leading professional
services and technology company include organizations in the building,
infrastructure, manufacturing and facilities management industries.
Fortune 500 and Engineering News Records Top 100 organizations
work with IMAGINiT Technologies to gain competitive advantages
through expert technology consulting, implementation, training, and
support services. As one of the worlds largest integrators of Autodesk
software, this team leverages unrivalled industry experience to design
systems that accelerate innovation while improving project quality and
profitability. For more information visit rand.com and imaginit.com.

161 Worcester Road, Suite 401, Framingham, MA 01701

imaginit.com

800-356-9050

info@rand.com

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