Midwestern Consulting

East Quad, University of Michigan

Excuse us for boasting! 

We couldn’t be more proud of the relationship we have developed over the years providing civil engineering services to the University of Michigan.  It’s long-term professional relationships like these that distinguish MCLLC from other civil engineering firms in southeast Michigan.

The University recently announced over $1 billion of current and future construction projects on their Ann Arbor campus.  News reports specifically mentioned nine major current or proposed projects; on five of these MCLLC provided either site development civil engineering or 3-D laser scanning services.  We did topographic surveying near the new entrance to Crisler Arena; we provided extensive site civil engineering services at the Institute for Social Research and at the GG Brown Memorial Laboratory.  We also provided topographic land survey services for the renovation project at the Wall Street parking garage.

Our services were provided either directly to the University Architect’s office or the Office of Architecture Engineering and Construction or indirectly through the University’s lead architectural firms.  In each case our work has been done promptly and on budget. 

Providing reliable, accurate civil engineering and site surveying services is the foundation of our business.  Long-term relationships with important, high visibility clients like the University of Michigan are a result of those efforts.

3D laser scan data can now be easily imported into Revit

One of the most exciting developments in our industry in the past year has been the release of Imaginit’s “Scan to BIM” software that allows digital point clouds to be imported into Autodesk Revit. In 2010, Midwestern Consulting was selected as a beta tester for “Scan to BIM” and now have several projects under our belt using this revolutionary software.

As more and more AEC firms have moved to Autodesk Revit, we started becoming concerned about our ability to deliver files in our clients’ native format.  Midwestern Consulting had been using standard work-arounds such as Navisworks or 3D AutoCAD and then redrafting the information into Autodesk Revit. This costs the client two valuable things: time and money. In general, we have seen up to a 40% reduction in time spent managing the data point cloud and a roughly 40% reduction in project costs.  This is big news and should encourage AEC project managers to utilize the new tool.

According to the Imaginit website, “The Scan to BIM™ software add-on takes the ordeal out of the process of getting 3D laser scanning data into Revit. It enables you to import point clouds directly into Revit, visualize them directly in Revit, and interact directly in Revit with automated recognition and placement of walls and openings, as well as pipes and ducts.”

The user will “eliminate time spent working with point clouds outside of Revit – eliminate the ordeal of scanning to BIM. Work faster and more accurately, gain new revenue streams, and stay on top of client demands. The Scan to BIM software add-in for Revit actually makes scanning directly to BIM a reality.”

Brandon Walker, PE is a senior project manager at Midwestern Consulting, Ann Arbor, Michigan (734.995.0200).  Let Brandon know how he can help you save money on your next existing conditions modeling project.

Data point cloud from the UT project

(Norcross, GA, 13 July 2010) The iconic Founders Hall at the University of Texas at Dallas is undergoing a speedy HVAC renovation and upgrade thanks in part to Midwestern Consulting, an engineering and surveying consulting firm, and its use high definition laser scanning technology.

Founders Hall was the first permanent structure built at the University soon after it was established in 1969. In 2009, the University initiated a $27.8 million renovation of the structure to improve energy efficiency and update classrooms, laboratories and meeting rooms in all three structures while adding modern amenities.

A key part of the efficiency improvements was to upgrade the complex’s existing 35,000-sq-ft HVAC piping and equipment located in the basement of the original Founders Hall Building C.

Using a Leica HDS 6000 from Leica Geosystems, Midwestern surveyors scanned the basement over the course of a week, collecting nearly 5.5 billion points of information. Then, with help from Ceeko, Inc., a data capture, processing and visualization firm, created a color-coding 3D model.

Brandon Walker, senior project manager with Midwestern Consulting, says, “With the 3D model, the architect and contractor were able to digitally compare the HVAC renovations with existing conditions and avoid potential clashes. We estimate that laser scanning saved at least three major conflicts, at an estimated $15,000 per conflict, on the project and three weeks time.

The Founders Hall renovation project is on schedule for completion in fall 2010.

3D building data collected for a previous project generated accurate elevation drawings for a new project and saved the client time and money.  Scanning data collected during an initial project can be re-visited to create continued value for the client.

In the spring of 2008, Midwestern Consulting was hired by the historic preservation team of JJR, LLC/HopkinsBurns Design Studio to scan the historic buildings of Fishtown, an active commercial fishing port in Leland, Michigan on the shore of Lake Michigan.  Fishtown is also a popular summer destination for vacationers to the area. 

The 2008 project was to scan the Fishtown buildings and generate a topographic survey of the site and wire-frame drawings of the buildings for the architectural team.  The image below shows the wire-frame drawings on top of the point cloud.  The Fishtown Preservation Society and the architects used the drawings to establish building locations and dimensions.

In February 2010, the Fishtown Preservation Society was awarded funding through the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Jeffris Heartland Fund to finance a Historic Structure Report for the Fishtown buildings and related structures along the Leland River.  As part of the project, Midwestern Consulting was again hired to generate new drawings of each building including additional dimensions, detailed elevations, geometric locations, and other fine details.  The drawing below shows the north elevation of the Manitou Outfitters building in significant detail.

These tasks were easily accomplished since we already had the data.
Without the initial scan data, we would have had to travel to the site again and do more measurements.  That means more time and money spent on the project.  With the data in hand, Midwestern was able to give the historic preservation team additional accurate details of Fishtown at a fraction of the cost needed to get the new measurements.

Now you can get more detailed information – for less!

Midwestern Consulting now offers scalable .tif images (called orthophotos) behind 2D drawings of building elevations and other structures.  We do less drawing and you get more images that are comparable to a digital photo but are scalable and can be loaded into your design software model in the exact location. You will no longer have to spend time rotating, scaling or twisting an image to set it in the right place!

 The two images below illustrate this feature.  The first image shows a drawing of the north elevation of Cook Hall at the University of Michigan.  The second image shows the same elevation but with a picture of the point cloud behind it.  Click on the images below to enlarge.�

The image with the picture of the point cloud behind it delivers a great deal more detail.  You can see the brick detail and artwork of the structures themselves.  We didn’t do anymore drawing but you get lots more information about this building. 

 By including orthophotos in our deliverable, less time would be required by us and the project architect.  The architect can include these background images in their final drawings as well.

Increase the quality and completeness of your deliverable, while Saving time and money. Get more for less with Midwestern’s  scalable point cloud images.