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Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) announced the commercial availability of its cloud-based digital twin platform, Autodesk Tandem, following its successful public beta.
As plans and files change throughout the design and construction process, keeping data together is challenging. A recent FMI report reveals that more than 95 percent of all data goes unused in engineering and construction, which results in inefficient processes and lost revenue for AEC firms and owners.
“Autodesk Tandem is a cloud-based digital twin technology platform that aims to turn that stat on its head,” said Bob Bray, senior director and general manager, Autodesk Tandem. “It enables projects to start digital, stay digital, and deliver digital, transforming rich data into business intelligence.”
By embracing digital transformation and harnessing Building Information Modeling (BIM) data throughout the design and construction process, AEC firms can create and handover a digital twin to customers. The easily accessible, contextual, and insightful data in a digital twin makes for ready-to-go operations.
AEC Firms Strive to Delight, Deliver Value to Owners
When a team starts a project with Autodesk Tandem, they consider operations from the beginning. They also avoid delivering quickly outdated, static data at project handover.
“Our design teams are working with our clients to improve their operations and facility management. The focus is on creating an easier digital handover process, and better management of their assets,” said Damir Jaksic, CIO, KEO International Consultants. “We truly see the promise of Autodesk Tandem to transform our outcome-based business model. Starting with the end of the project in mind makes it easier to capture the data required for efficient building management.”
Autodesk Tandem can gather all the information about a building, its systems and critical equipment in both tabular and 3D representations. Building operators and facilities managers can then find the information they’re looking for when responding to operational issues to keep proper maintenance. This insight tells them what to expect when they arrive at the maintenance location and helps them understand how work on one system may impact another.
“We are seeing a growing awareness from our customers of the value of asset information and the insights it provides. Digital Twin platforms represent a real change in the way we and our customers think about the creation, validation and operational life of asset information,” said Andrew Field, principal, asset and digital advisory, Beca. “Autodesk Tandem will help improve long term asset performance and decision-making. It’s the bridge between the creation of assets, and the handover of asset information to our customers.”
Autodesk Tandem Promotes Operational Readiness
Over its lifecycle, roughly 80 percent of the cost of a built asset is realized in its operation. Digital twins created in Autodesk Tandem are designed to improve operational efficiency and enable predictive maintenance to prevent disruptions and reduce operating costs.
Readily available data and a digital replica of their facility puts handover information at owners’ fingertips. This lets them focus their energy on operational readiness, rather than turning documents back into useful data.
“AEC project teams using Autodesk Tandem will help owners improve the occupant experience, and enable predictive maintenance,” said Bray. “A digital twin is synonymous with greater ROI — it gives owners unprecedented insight about the operation, utilization, and performance of their facilities.”
This blog post explains digital twin technology and presents the benefits digital twins offer the AEC industry. It also articulates how Autodesk’s recent acquisition of Innovyze accelerates Autodesk’s digital twin strategy and positions the company as a global leader of digital end-to-end solutions from design to operations of water infrastructure.
