Product information and BIM at Schöck Bauteile

Initial situation

The collaboration between Schöck, 4PACE and AUSSCHREIBEN.DE enables the efficient provision and use of digital product and planning data. The aim is to offer planners, architects and engineers a simple, free and always current platform for tender texts, product information and CAD/BIM data.

Procedure

The interaction between all the partners involved is easy to explain: Schöck provides the products to be published via crossbase, including product structures, technical data, product images, documents and tender texts. 4PACE supplies the CAD/BIM data, which can be integrated into all common CAD/BIM systems. AUSSCHREIBEN.DE presents this product information and CAD/BIM data on its platform for planners and architects - all integrated on one interface.

Users thus have free and direct access to the content from Schöck that is relevant for tenders and planning. "Data is automatically transferred from Schöck to AUSSCHREIBEN.DE every week," explains a project manager. "This means that the data is always up to date, even in the event of product changes and further developments." With the help of CADClick through 4PACE, planners have quick access to the CAD/BIM data of individual products. "The BIM objects each contain a link to the appropriate page on AUSSCHREIBEN.DE, so that planners have quick access to the required tender texts when designing the components with the BIM objects from Schöck," explains software developer Christian Altmeier from 4PACE.

AUSSCHREIBEN.DE: Leading platform for construction product data

With over one million free tender texts and product information, AUSSCHREIBEN.DE is the leading online platform for construction product data in German-speaking countries. Over 700 manufacturers from various trades present their digital product catalogs here, which include basic information as well as images, videos, installation instructions, certificates and CAD/BIM data. Every day, around 10,000 visitors use the high-quality data to research products and create specifications.

"Anyone planning a construction project is under a lot of time and cost pressure," emphasizes Manfred Scholz, Managing Director of ORCA Software GmbH, which operates the platform. "Whether product research or the selection of suitable solutions: an effective workflow becomes a decisive factor here. All players in the construction industry benefit from the high-quality, relevant data on one platform."

Thanks to the technology partnerships, the product data or BIM objects from AUSSCHREIBEN.DE can be downloaded in numerous formats. These range from native file formats such as ARCHICAD, ALLPLAN, AutoCAD, REVIT, MicroStation, SKETCHUP and SolidWorks to exchange formats such as DWG, DXF, IFC, PDF, STEP and VRML. "Suitable products can be defined at an early stage of the project," continues Scholz. "This makes the entire planning process more convenient, more digital and more efficient."

4PACE: CAD/BIM component catalogs for designers and planners

4PACE specializes in configurators and the 3D visualization of multi-variant individual parts and assemblies. The company uses its in-house CADClick technology to create digital product catalogs and CAD/BIM data. It also offers innovative solutions such as interactive videos, 3D animations and virtual and augmented reality applications.

Christian Altmeier from 4PACE explains: "In particular, the customer is relieved of the time-consuming multiple maintenance of the data. The data generation from CADClick is provided to AUSSCHREIBEN.DE in the form of a viewer component. The return links from the product catalog to the appropriate product pages make it easier for planners to find the necessary data." This bidirectional link increases the visibility of Schöck and AUSSCHREIBEN.DE in equal measure.

"It was a pleasure to establish the contact between CADClick and AUSSCHREIBEN.DE," adds Diyan Rashevski, project manager at Schöck. "Both companies have realized a project with a high level of professionalism so that Schöck's CAD/BIM libraries are seamlessly integrated."

crossbase.pim: PIM and MAM - efficient data management

Schöck has been using crossbase's Product Information Management (PIM) since 2011 to centrally manage product and media data. This data flows into various media such as technical documentation, price lists and the website. ERP data is automatically transferred to crossbase via an SAP interface and maintained there.

A special product structure was created for AUSSCHREIBEN.DE, which includes more than 13,000 relevant products such as Isokorb, Sconnex and Tronsole. "In addition to product images and documents, the products also contain technical data such as dimensions, building physics parameters and building authority certificates," explains a project manager. This information is processed in tender texts with text variables, which means that a single template is sufficient for numerous product variants. This ensures that the data in the Schöck catalogue is highly standardized and up-to-date. Schöck catalog at AUSSCHREIBEN.DE.

The data for AUSSCHREIBEN.DE is provided in the standard GAEB XML format. The automation eliminates the need for manual maintenance in the portal. In addition, the product data can be integrated directly into BIM/CAD files via the interface to CADClick.

The result

The benefits are obvious: the complete digitalization of the maintenance, provision and presentation of product information ensures that planners and architects can meet their needs for up-to-date product information and CAD/BIM data. And with minimal additional effort on the part of the manufacturer.