IT strategy for formwork industry

DonghoonYang

I. Existing processes and business environment:

ThefirstrecordedhouseusingabovegradeconcretewallsintheUnitedStateswas
builtin1844inMilton,Wisconsin,bytradesmanandinnkeeperWilliamGoodrich.The
house,withitsmassiveloadbearingwallsandsixsidedthreestorytower,remainsintact
todayandservesasamuseum.Theintroductionoftwouserfriendlyconcrete
constructionsystemstotheUnitedStateshasprovidedbuildersofsinglefamilyhomes
withmorechoicesfortheconstructionofabovegradewalls.Fordecades,homebuilders
throughoutEuropehavebuiltextensivelyusingthetwotechnologiesinsulatingconcrete
formsystemsandautoclavedaeratedconcretebutthesystemswerenotwidelyavailable
intheUnitedStatesuntilafter1990.TheseconcretesystemsarenowattractingU.S.
interestbecausetheyprovidealternativestotimberconstructionthatcombineproperties
offireresistance,superiorthermalinsulationandsoundinsulation,andareeasyto
construct.[3,PCA]

Formworkisatemporarystructurethatisusedtoconstructthepermanentreinforced
concretestructure.Theimportanceofformworkiseasilyignoredbytemporaryexistence
ofit.Forexample,structuralanalysisisalwaysrequiredforRCstructurewhereasthatof
formworkisneglectedinmanycases.Though,buildingcostforformworkincluding
laborandmaterialisusually60%ofRC
structureconstruction.[22Burd]Itis
estimatedthatthecostrelatedtostructure
isaround2530%ofentirebuilding
constructioncost.Figure1,2and3are
costanalysisdatafromhighrise
apartmentcontractorduring19891993.
[21Yoo]Fromthisstatisticof Figure1Costbystructuretype

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constructioncost,thelaborcostof
formworkisaround17%21%fromall
constructioncostincludingmaterialand
laborexceptoverheadcostof
contractorsheadquarter.

Theresultshowsin[21,Yoo]might
havelittledifferentwithrealsituationin Figure2Costshareinstructuralelement
U.Sconcretehomebuildersduetothe
differenceofbuildingtype(highrise
housingvsprivatehousing),laborcost
andindustrytype,butthegeneral
tendencyofportionoflaborand
formworkinentireconstructioncost
wouldnothavesignificantdifference.
Figure3Laborcostshareinstructuralelement

Duetothebigportionofformworkinconstructionindustry,therehavebeenattempts
tousemoreefficientformworkinconstruction.Asaresultoftheseefforts,costefficient
systemformworkiswidelyusednowadays.Systemformworkismadeofsteelor
aluminumframesandcoatedwoodpanel.Eachsystemformworkhasmodularsystem
accordingtomanufacturingcompany'sstandard.Systemformworkmanufacturershave
theirownaccessoriesfortying,cornering,andending.(ex:clamp,cornerform,endform,
tiebolt)

Designerofformworkforaspecificprojectdependsoncomplexityortypeof
buildings.Subcontractor'sdesignteamdesignsmostofgeneralbuilding,whereas
formworkmanufacturer'sdesignteamdesignscomplexshapedorspecialtypeof
customizedformwork.Designfeeofformworkisusuallyregardedasapartofproviding
formworkconstructionorprovidingformworktosubcontractor/contractor.Feeof

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formworkmaterialcanbeincludedinformworksubcontractor'scostorcontractor'scost
byprojects.

Asanindustrializedmodularproduct,somesystemformworkmanufacturersuse3D
technologytosystemformworklayoutdesignofwallandslabstructure.Germanbased
DokaSchalungstecknikerisoneoftheleadingcompaniesinformwork.Doka'sTIPOS
4.0makesa3DdesignofwallandslabformworklayoutandgeneratesBOM.Other
formworkcompanies'systemformworkcanbesupportedbythisapplication.Alsina,
Meva,Noe,Peri,Sten,andThyssenHnnebeckusethesameapplicationwithDokawith
differentformworkandaccessorymodules.Symons'DesignFastisanotherapplication
thatdrawslayoutofwallformworksandmakesBOM.Manufacturersintentionof
developingtheseapplicationsistoprovideconvenienttoolthatcanreducedesigntime
andcanexpandtheirsystemsmarketshare.Astheresultofapplyinginformationrich
3Dtechnology,TIPOSsystemreducestimetocheckmaterial,listofaccessoryand
layoutitself.

Table1Comparisonofformworklayoutdrawingsystem

TIPOS4.0 DesignFast
Dimension 3D 2D
Importingtranslator DXF,IFC Yes
Exportingtranslator DXF
BOM Yes Yes
Supportedstructure Wall,Slab Wall
Typeofformwork Systemformwork Systemformwork
Otherfeatures Providelibraryofallother
formworkstoAutoCAD
Structuralanalysisof
formwork
Sequenceplanning

Thereexistaround20concreterelatedassociationsandorganizationsintheUnited
States.Dependencyofformworkindustryresultsinorganizationofformworkbelonging
concreterelatedorganization.Recentconsiderationofcastinplacereinforcedconcreteas

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housingconstructionmaterialmadeanewassociationnamedConcreteHomeCouncilin
2001.Itisanallianceofconcreteindustrysystemproviders,builders,developers,
concretecontractors,andconcreteindustriesfortheadvancementofsafeandenergy
efficienthousing.ParticipatingformworkcompaniesarePreciseForms,DowChemical
Company,WallTies&Forms,OutinordUniversal,DurandForms,andWesternForms.
Followingtableissummaryofproducts.

Table2ParticipatingformworkmanufacturerofCHC

PreciseDow WallTies Outinord Durand Western

Forms Chemical &Forms Universal Forms Forms
Company
Product Aluminum Sandwich Aluminum Steel Aluminum Aluminum
formwork, wallwith formwork formwork formwork formwork
Vinyl insulation
formwork
Reusability AlO X O O O O
VX
Layout O
Application 2D

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Figure4Highlevelprocessmodelofformworkmanufacturer

Abovefigureisahighlevelprocessmodelofformworkmanufacturer.Reusabilityof
formworkandlonglastinglifetimeofsystemformworkmakesadifferenttypeof
contractbetweenmanufacturerandcontractorfromotherconstructionmaterial.
Contractorcanbuyorleaseformwork.Asaresult,theformworkmanufacturermakes
formworkaswellasrepairsusedformwork.

II. Available and suitable information technologies

2.1 Possible domain

Theoverallprocessofconcreteformworkcanbebrokendowntoformworkdesign,
fabrication,placementandstrippingprocess.Asweoverlookedinfirstsection,formwork
erectionandstrippingprocessisabigchallengingareaforcostreductionofentire

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constructionaswellasofformworkindustry.Cuttingdownfieldlaborbyusingcost
effectiveformworkwouldbeoneofapparentinnovationsintheformworkprocess.But
weneedtolookdowndetailedlevelofnewformworkapplication.Therestillremains
possibilityofconstructioncostreduction.Concretewallandslabusedinhousingrequire
specializedopeninganddetails,someofthecustompartsandaccessoriesofmodularized
formworkofferedbythemanufacturercouldbeusedinsomecases.Thereisaneedfor
fieldmodificationoradjustmentofformworkbeforeerectionofit.Theworkabilityof
formworkinthefieldwouldbeinfluencedbythisfactor.Thedropintheefficiency
wouldalsobeincreasedbythecomplexityofbuilding,ifitrequiresfieldwork.A
mistakeinconcretestructurecostsmorethanthatofwoodstructure.(Drillingaholeina
concreteisquiteadifferentfromdrillingawood)

Tominimizefieldmodificationofformworkandtokeeptheaccuracyandtoleranceof
theformwork,theformworkshouldbemodifiedtoreflectallthedetailsrequiredbythe
structurebeforeitiserectedinthefield.Detailinginformationofstructuralconcreteis
requiredtobetransferredfromdesignteamtoformworkmanufacturer.Whenan
informationrich3Dmodelofaconcretestructureisusedasthebasetogenerate
formworkdesign,modificationondetailandotherinformationofformwork(BOM,
structuralanalysisofformwork,packing,erectionschedule,reshoring,stripping
schedule,andetc)wouldbegeneratedandbeusedbymanufacturerandsubcontractor.
Andmorecostefficientformworkprocesswouldbegained.

Withinthisviewpoint,formworkindustryshowsdifferentaspectwithotherindustry.
Thedomainthatusesinformationtechnologyisnotthemostprofitabledomainby
adoptingITtechnology.ITtechnologyadoptedbymanufacturerinfluencesproductivity
ofconcreteformworksubcontractorsproductivity.

2.2 Applicable IT technology

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 Ingeneral,informationrich3Dmodelingrequiresbuildingproductmodelofconcrete
structure.Formworklayoutdesignpackagesimporterwilltakeingeometricinformation
(dimensionofconcretestructure)andproceduralinformation(buildingsequence,
constructionjoint).Formworklayoutdesignpackagewillhelpdesignertolayout
formwork,tocheckstructuralstabilityandtodetailrequiredcustompartandaccessory.
Constructionsequence,BOM,manufacturingdrawing,manufacturinginformation,and
packinginformationwillbegeneratedastheresultofthisprocess.

Table3ApplicableITforconcreteformwork

3D Structural CAM Manufacturing Scheduling

Modeling Analysis and andERP
Robotics
FormworkLayout
StructuralAnalysis
Detailing
BOM
Fabrication
ReusedFormwork
Erection

PossibleareaofITforeachworkdomaincanbesummarizedasTable3.ManyofIT
technologyareimplementedinthecurrentavailablesystem(DokaTIPOS4.0).Tipos
systemcanhandlemostofapplicableareaexceptdetailingpart(customdesignpart).A
systemthatcanhandledetailingofformworksoastoreducefieldmodificationisnot
provideduntilnow,whichisexpectedtoenhanceproductivityofformworkinstallation
andstrippingonthesite.DetailingdesignisthekeyareaforimmediateITtechnology
adaptationforformworkindustry.

Reference

1.ConcreteHomesCouncil,http://www.concretehomescouncil.org/
2.ConcreteHomes,http://www.concretehomes.org/

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3.PortlandCementAssociation,http://www.portcement.org/
4.PreciseForms,http://www.preciseforms.com
5.DowChemicalCompanyInc.,http://www.tmass.com
6.WallTies&Forms,Inc.,http://www.wallties.com
7.OutinordUniversal,http://www.outinordamericas.com
8.DurandFormshttp://www.durandforms.com
9.WesternForms,http://www.westernforms.com
10.AdvanceConcreteForm,Inc.http://www.advanceconcreteform.com/
11.DuraformsInc,http://www.duraform.com/
12.EFCOForms,http://www.efcousa.com
13.Gate&Sons,http://www.gatesconcreteforms.com
14.ICS3DPanelworks,Inc.,http://www.3dpanelworks.com
15.SCIGlobal,http://www.sciglobal.com
16.SymonsCorporation,http://www.symons.com
17.TufnLite,http://www.tufnlite.com
18.WallTies&Forms,Inc.,http://www.wallties.com
19.WesternForms,Inc.,http://www.westernforms.com
20.WilliamsFormEngineeringCorp.,http://www.williamsform.com
21.YooYongmin,CostanalysisofApartmenthousinginKorea,1993
22.M.K.Hurd,FormworkforConcrete,1996
23.Artifice,Inc.,http://www.artifice.com
24.3DHomeArchitect,http://www.broderbund.com

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III. A framework target plan, including assessment of
potential benefits:

AsetoflongtermITadoptiongoals.IdentifyactivitiesandcostcentersinXXXX
companieswhichmaybenefitfrominformationtechnologyadoptionandintegration.
Identifysystemlevelbenefitsbenefitstootherpartiesinthesupplychain.Presenta
highlevelprocessmodeloffutureITintegratedworkflows.

IV. Assess the expected costs of achieving the plan:

Capitalinvestments,costsofreorganization,training,etc.Coststoothersinthe
supplychain.

V. Analysis of the readiness of the XXXX sector for

implementation of the framework plan:

Whatconditionsarepresentlysatisfied,whatcanbesatisfiedintheshortandlong
termsthroughchangesinsoftware,humanresources,organization,oracrossthesupply
chain.

VI. A detailed plan for the next incremental step the

XXXX industry should take: