Brian
Roundy
English
1010
Kamri
Goff
07/20/14
Major Writing 2
This paper is about technology use
in construction, and how tablets are making a huge impact with lighting fast
apps, and easy to use technology. The main ideas that we will focus on for this
topic, are new and improved software. How it is helping the construction industry
be more productive. How this technology is better equipping the construction
professionals on the job site. How it is helping to save time and money. What
the people using this technology think of it.
Latistas new iPad 2.0 software is
changing construction sites everywhere, Thrilled with its speed and
performance, they cant help but boast. Adding increased speed for viewing 3D buildings,
making it possible to add issues directly to a drawing, and features that give
you the ability to switch between an interactive PDF view where the user can
draw or take notes. To giving the general contactor the ability to manage his
project from begging to end, from giving a price quote, sign off on a transaction;
plan a concrete pour—to showing where the mixing trucks are in traffic. Tablets
are offering new ways to speed up communication, obtain client approvals,
complete inspections arrange and manage other complications in an industry that
is highly mobile. With there lean design
and easy to use technology iPads are becoming the most valued tool on the site.
With all these new features and apps
construction sites are becoming more and more productive as they learn and put
this technology to action. Productive being the key word, if you can quickly
access a rendering of a drawing you can use this to correct things as
necessary. Having access to over a 1,300 drawings at your fingertips takes away
more chances for human error, and time saved running back and forth to the
office to back up your argument. When you have the plans pulled up on your iPad
its easy to show subcontractors what they are doing wrong and what they need to
do to render a fix. Typically it took two or more to complete an inspection.
Now you can send one guy with an iPad and he can document the site, adding
notes as he goes, and photos as he needs, and when finished hit send. The iPads
bigger screen size allows the user to see more of the area at one time, giving
the user a lot more control and allowing more to be done.
Equipping the project management
teams with cutting edge technology, allows them to be prepared for anything
they may face while on the job site. Having access to drawings and the ability
to pull up an individual floor, or room as they are walking through their job
site, gives them the ability to look at notes that they have made right on the
plan. At the same time giving them the technology to add a new note or add a
photo to the area in question. No more looking for a piece of paper or making a
note on a scrap of wood lying on the job site. Now everything can be done on your
iPad in the area of question, and tagged with a reminder so you don’t forget to
follow up on the matter. And any changes or decisions can be automatically sent
to those individuals. This technology is literally changing how businesses are
run and managed.
Saving
time and money are the two things that most businesses want to be sure of. The
new iPad technology is doing both. The value is you can access everything you
need in the field. You can view blue prints as you walk the site, sketch out a
quick plan-using Sketchbook pro or type out notes instead of using pen and
paper. It also can be a great selling tool, by showing examples of previous
work. Those using this technology are able to do more in less time. This
technology is allowing management to get out of their office and take a more
hands on approach. Giving them access to their files anytime and anywhere has
literally put their office in their hands. Imagine being able to do your job
from anywhere, which is what this technology is doing for the construction
industry. It’s speeding up the communication process, directors, upper
management, foreman, superintendents, inspectors, and site managers can forward
information, which will cut down on time wasted waiting on answers. If time is
money then this technology will save your business both. Think if your top paid
people are being more productive, and cutting down on common mistakes, and
fixing larger mistakes due to this technology, then your business is not only
saving money, but also making money.
People are responding saying the iPad has changed
the game, and construction sites are now buzzing with tablets. Construction
workers, managers, superintendents are excited. This new technology has not
only changed the construction industry but has changed the way construction is
being managed. This technology has given the individual a way to be organized
and confident, knowing everything he needs is on his iPad. The entire design of
the iPad, and its new technology is designed so anybody can pick it up and feel
comfortable using it. The apps are user friendly making the device wonderful
for the end user. And for those who are still to embarrassed to admit that they
don’t know how to use the technology or ask for help, it’s not hard, with a
little guidance on some basic actions, you will be feeling confident in no
time.
The new iPad 2.0 Software
has been tested up against many of the leading companies. Not only was it
faster on 14 of 20 files, they upgraded the files making them simpler to
use. Now you can drag and drop an issue
right on the floor plan, where before all you could do was take a picture. The
software is a visual punch-list tool that allows one to drag a master punch
list onto floor plans, create issues and attach them directly to the drawings. It
can also filter the view of a plan and only show certain issues or parts of the
building. This software has the ability to read barcodes with a built in
camera. Allowing the user to tag equipment and when scanned show a 3D view of
the equipment and the condition it is in. Another use is putting barcodes in
different rooms so when they are scanned it would give information about that
room. Imagine this technology used in hospitals, like the doctor diagnosing a
patient, a barcode would tell you what was wrong in that room, from the AC running
to cold, to the heater not coming on, lights could show whether it’s a bulb or
the ballast needs to be changed.
Boise State University’s
construction management program saw the wave coming and has now requires the
use of iPads for all their students. They use the tablets to upload data
reports, photos, and delivery of specifications, safety materials and requests
for information. Their goal is to
prepare their students for the increasing amount of building sites that are
more commonly being run without paper. They say there are still many who are
slow to adopt this new technology but they realized that using tablets at the
job site saves time and money. An operations manager for Hoffman construction
said his crews and the subcontractors on his job rely on iPads all the time. He
said they are set up for our subcontractors and their employees so that they
can access a whole variety of information in the field so they don’t have to
make multiple stops into the office. The apps are user friendly and have really
changed the way work is conducted on the site.
In this paper we have talked a lot about
technology use in construction, and how this new technology has really changed
how the construction industry is viewed. How tablets are making a huge impact
with lighting fast apps, and easy to use technology. How this technology is
helping the construction industry be more productive, by literally putting their
office in their hands. How this technology is better equipping the construction
professionals on the job site, by equipping them with software that makes their
job easier by letting them take notes wright on the drawing or add a photo to
that area, making your notes make sense when you get back to the office to you
and to those you forward them to. This new technology is saving Construction
Company’s time and money by simplifying the process in which they do their
jobs. Construction professionals are finding it easier to manage the growing
more complicated job sites with the use of the iPad. They are excited about all
the new user-friendly software that is making it so anybody can pick it up and
with little instruction feel confident.
Work Sited
Abaffy, Luke. "Field
Data Management Tool Ups Capabilities." ENR: Engineering News-Record
270.1 (2013): 21. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 July 2014.
Abaffy,
Luke. "Ipads And Tablets: Time Saved Vs. Time Spent." ENR:
Engineering News-
Record 267.9 (2011): 20. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 July
2014.
Abaffy, Luke.
"Software Puts All Plan Sets At Your Fingertips." ENR: Engineering
News-Record 269.12 (2012): 18. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 July
2014.
Gonzalez,
Jennifer. “Tablets Have Changed The Game At Construction Sites.” Idaho Business
Review (Boise, ID) (n.d.): Regional Business News. Web. 8 July
2014.
Van Hampton, Tudor. "Tablets
Take Off." ENR: Engineering News-Record 267.7 (2011): 20-23.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 July 2014.
"Q&A: State Of The
Slate." ENR: Engineering News-Record 267.7 (2011): 23. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 6 July 2014.
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