GALLERY

A CALL FROM A SITE SUPERINTENDENT FOR ASSISTANCE GOT THIS PROCESS STARTED.

THE PROJECT: 

MECHANICAL ROOM RENOVATION - TOP FLOOR - COOLING TOWER REPLACEMENT WITH NEW DISCHARGE PLENUM - TIE IN EXISTING LOUVERS TO REMAIN.

THE PROBLEM(S):

LOUVERS ARE INSTALLED ON A PITCHED RADIUS ROOF RESEMBLING AN ODDLY SHAPED CHRISTMAS BULB - LOUVERS ARE INDIVIDUALLY OUT OF SQUARE AND ALMOST DIAMOND SHAPED - FITTINGS ARE REQUIRED TO TWIST, CHANGE SHAPE AND HAVE A MITERED END - FIELD TEAM COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT-SHOP MUST BE ABLE TO INTERPRET INFORMATION FOR FABRICATION.

THE PLAN:

A SITE VISIT AND SOME DATA POINT COLLECTION LATER AND ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO CREATE A NEW CAD PROCESS WAS THERE. 

- MODEL AN EXTRUSION TO TRANSITION SQUARE TO DIAMOND

- CREATE AN ITM FILE CAPABLE OF EXPORTING TO A MAJ FILE FOR FAB PROCESSING

THE RESULT:

CALL FROM A SUPERINTENDENT, INSTALL WAS, "A BREEZE."

FULL DESCRIPTION BELOW:

ON A PAST RENOVATION PROJECT A DIFFICULT SITUATION AROSE IN THE FIELD. THE MECHANICAL ROOM ON THE TOP FLOOR HAD A COOLING TOWER THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT ALONG WITH A NEW DISCHARGE PLENUM PROVIDED THAT HAD TO TIE TO EXISTING LOUVERS TO REMAIN. THE ROOF THESE LOUVERS WERE INSTALLED IN IS A RADIUS ON A PITCH RESEMBLING AN ODD SHAPED CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT BULB. LOUVERS WERE OUT OF SQUARE AND ALMOST DIAMOND SHAPED. THE SITE SUPERINTENDENT CALLED THE DETAILING DEPARTMENT. WE DIDN'T HAVE A FITTING IN OUR DATABASE. AFTER A SITE VISIT, WE PUT A PLAN TOGETHER. WE HAD THE TRIMBLE OPERATOR GO OUT AND COLLECT POINT DATA ON THE TIE IN POINTS FOR THE LOUVER AND WHERE THE NEW PLENUM WAS TO LAYOUT. WE IMPORTED THE POINT FILE IN CAD AND OVERLAYED IT ON TOP OF THE MECHANICAL ROOM BACKGROUND. FROM THIS POINT IT WAS CONNECT THE DOTS. THE FITTINGS NEEDED TO TWIST, CHANGE SHAPE AND BE MITERED ON ONE END. WE HAD A TWIST FITTING IN THE DATABASE BUT NOTHING TO CHANGE FROM SQUARE TO DIAMOND, SO WE MODELED AN EXTRUSION IN CAD TO MAKE IT UP. WE NEEDED TO SOMEHOW TRANSLATE THIS INFORMATION TO THE SHOP FOR FABRICATION AND PATTERN LAYOUT. WE DID A 3D CONVERT IN CAD TO CREATE AN ITM FILE THAT COULD BE EXPORTED IN A MAJ FILE SO THE SHOPS FAB PROCESSOR COULD MEASURE OFF OF IT AND DEVELOP FLAT PATTERNS TO BE BURNED OUT ON THE PLASMA TABLE. THE FAB PROCESSOR FIRST MADE A SCALED DOWN VERSION OUT OF CARDBOARD TO FULLY VISUALIZE THE DEVELOPMENT. AFTER QUICK REVIEW OF THE CARDBOARD CREATION IT WAS SENT TO THE SHOP FOR FABRICATION. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A HAPPY SUPERINTENDENT THAT SAID THE INSTALL WAS A BREEZE!