Digital Fab-to-Field: Regenerative BIM for 2D Panelized Construction

The pursuit of construction projects with error-free design, streamlined manufacture and assembly, and rework-free construction is often dominated by project management best practices. Yet this paradigm can be increasingly supported by cyber-physical systems that include elements such as generative design, laser scanning, computational algorithms, and digital fabrication, thus closing the gap between design and reality. This paper presents a regenerative BIM system that adapts 3D geometry in real time to match field conditions, thus achieving the ability to digitally fabricate to field conditions (i.e., “digital fab-to-field”). Such a system is particularly useful in 2D exterior panelized construction (e.g., curtainwalls and composite metal cladding), which frequently undergo design iterations and onsite rework due to geometric inconsistencies between site interfaces and manufactured components. The proposed framework is demonstrated using a digital mock-up of an exterior cladding assembly, which is shown to adapt to changing site conditions as described by a 3D point cloud.