Although most people think of construction as manual labor, you’d be surprised just how much technology is involved in literally every aspect of the industry. Of course, it is widely known that architects and engineers have had the benefit of technology for many years, but now technology is even brought into the field and has had a major impact on the industry. Here are just three of those ways.
1. Project Management Software
Gone are the days when a site foreman had to either make use of two-way radios or walk from location to location to communicate with various workers on the job. Now with the aid of an internet connected device and cloud-based project management software, every worker on the job can log in to see what their tasks are at any given moment. It is possible to communicate via a chat feature and as tasks are completed, they can be digitally ticked off. A notification is sent to the foreman to inspect each task upon completion, freeing the worker to go on to the next duty on the list. When it comes to increased productivity and reduced costs, there is nothing quite like the technological benefits of project management software.
2. Hi-Tech Tools and Equipment
In recent years there has been a huge influx of hi-tech tools and equipment to aid in the speed and efficiency of many jobs. Sitework, for instance, doesn’t take nearly as long as it used to before the development of such things as Ditch Witch and Subsite transmitters. Crews can easily communicate with each other using two-way radios. These enable ground crews to quickly locate horizontal channels where anything from wiring to sewage lines is to be laid. Unfortunately, some smaller companies simply don’t have the funding to sink into this kind of technology, but the good news is that it is possible to get completely refurbished Subsite trackers that also come with a warranty. There are ways to take advantage of hi-tech tools and equipment at affordable costs, and refurbished products are about the best way to accomplish that.
3. CAD and Blueprint Apps
CAD (Computer Aided Design) and blueprint apps go hand in hand. Now with the aid of technology, architects and industrial designers can lay out precise measurements which a blueprint app transfers to paper or a digital screen. Gone are the days when the draftsman sat at a table laboriously drawing a blueprint or schematics. Technology aids in the computations as well as in the physical representations, making that part of a project so much quicker and cost-effective.
At this point, we could get into 3-D printing. which is being used in many parts of the world to literally build homes and structures within a single day or two where previously it would have taken weeks to complete. There are literally so many ways in which technology has brought the construction industry into the future and if you are in the business, it pays to keep current on innovations that can save you time and money. Why not let technology do the ‘heavy lifting’ (figuratively speaking) for you so that you can get more projects underway? If you think only in terms of initial costs, you’ll be losing out on so much more in terms of jobs you’ll need to pass up on. Remember that and technology will be your most valuable worker.
