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How MEP Contractors Avoid Costly Obstacles—and Create Competitive Advantage

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How 3D Laser Scanning Helps Solve the MEP Contractor's Problems Accuracy and coordination are critical for the MEP contractor. When you use an intuitive and reliable 3D laser scanner, you're able to: Ensure Accuracy When you're able to quickly and efficiently gather accurate and thorough as-built information upfront, you're able to plan MEP systems with more precision and confidence. Ducts, pipes, electrical outlets, HVAC equipment, and other elements are easier to position correctly when you have an accurate account of as-built conditions and existing limitations. Accurate as-built data enables you to realize the benefits of prefab components because you can ensure they're properly constructed and will fit when installed. When you have access to accurate and thorough project data, you can quickly identify and resolve issues, even avoid them altogether. 3D laser scanning enables clash resolution—or the ability to identify and solve problems in the design before construction begins—to avoid costly rework later. Document Your Work 3D scanners aren't limited to just capturing as-built conditions before work begins. You can also use a 3D scanner during work to record your progress. If you need to make changes on the fly, you're able to document with both images and scan data what you changed and why. Should questions about your work arise, you'll be prepared and able to use the digital data to provide proof of work performed. You can also use the 3D scanner to model as- built deliverables of the completed project as an extension of your BIM workflow. This allows you to provide the owner documentation of the completed MEP work to assist with maintenance or as an invaluable reference for future construction projects. Facilitate Communication and Coordination While strides are being made to improve communication and collaboration on construction projects, much of the work is still performed in siloes. A 3D scanner allows you to bring field data back to your office and share it with internal and external teams, including other MEP trades, architects, BIM, project engineers, and project managers. You're able to help those who aren't in the field visualize the space and more quickly identify and solve problems. 3D scanning can solve some of your biggest challenges, giving you quicker and easier access than ever to accurate project data, and enabling digital documentation of work performed and greater collaboration among construction teams. Contractors using prefabrication on more than 50% of their projects are not only more effective, they also expect to save over 16% of total annual field labor cost. 11 The benefits of collaboration include reduced project cost for the owner, higher profits for contractors, earlier completion, and fewer contract disputes. 12

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