Implementing BIM to streamline a design, manufacture, and fitting workflow : a case study on a fit-out SME in the UK

This paper presents a case study of BIM implementation for Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA). The project is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between the University of Salford and Links FF&E, a design, manufacture and fit-out SME based in the UK. The project aims to implement BIM as a catalyst for a Lean transformation, streamlining process and operations. Initially, organisational process are reviewed, which is followed by implementing appropriate technologies to enable subsequent people and process transformation. The 30 month project is organized in 6 key stages. This paper presents findings from the first four stages that have been completed to date of 1. Establishing best practice knowledge in BIM; 2. Conducting a review and analysis of the organisation’s current situation, 3. Developing a BIM-based collaborative strategy, and the fourth, which is currently progressing, 4. Pilot implementation of BIM collaborative strategy for DfMA. The remaining stages will conduct a project evaluation, before finally implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.