Model-to-Machine Fabrication Will be a Focus of MCAA’s 2022 Fabrication Conference

Registration is now open for the 2022 MCAA Fabrication Conference, powered by MSUITE. The conference is returning to Seattle, November 2-4, 2022 with a tour of one of the country’s most dynamic mechanical contractors – McKinstry Company. It will feature how innovative contractors are integrating digital information throughout their fabrication process by using a “Model-to-Machine” approach.

Digital integration has been driving a lot of productivity increases to the industry. With VDC coordination, a lot of time, energy and expense is spent building a BIM model. Fabrication has already been one of the best ways to make up ground by improving the productivity and safety on projects. Up until new software was developed, information from the BIM model could only be used to generate detailed spool drawings. It created an immediate disconnect as soon as spool drawings left the detailing department and went to the fabrication facility. 

Modern contractors have begun using software that is not only used in design and coordination, but also fabrication, communication, and manpower tracking. Fabrication facilities now use computers and large displays that can manipulate the latest drawings in 3D, track progress, update the team and even drive some manufacturing tools to cut, prep and even weld-assist on projects.

“What we are finding is that people are driving efficiency by being able to go directly from model to machine. They are able to also actually measure their efficiency directly from the machine and the shop floor using software”, as Benny Baltrotsky, COO of MSUITE puts it. 

This means that the software can now directly drive tools that can measure and cut pipe like TigerSaw or Razor Gauge. This can be applied to copper, med gas, PVC and soil pipe. The same software can also push cuts and bevels to plasma cutting CNC machines or sheet metal manufacturing equipment. It can track status on anything produced in the fabrication shop so that project managers and foremen can be kept up to speed without constantly calling the fab shop foreman. 

Many of these workflows will be demonstrated as part of the McKinstry tour, as well as in the education for the conference itself. McKinstry’s Seattle headquarters is a multi-building campus that includes fabrication, design, coordination, facility maintenance, incubator space and a public showroom for some of their services.

This is one of MCAA’s most popular conferences and it sells out quickly.  Registration is limited to 2 people per company, including those from multiple locations.