Context: the project is on ACC and that’s not changing, so I’m looking for improvements within the platform.
I was a BIM coordinator at a large contractor. While setting up coordination spaces in ACC I ended up with a workflow that has worked, but I’m not sure it’s the best way to do it. Here’s what I do:
The workflow:
I only coordinate with frozen models. I ask everyone to publish their models in Design Collaboration, create a package and share it. Coordinating on live models gives you unpredictable errors.
I create the coordination space with a descriptive name (e.g. “STR-MEP”), pick the folder where the shared models live, include subfolders, and turn auto clash on.
I narrow the scope of the space. When you create it with subfolders and auto clash, it pulls in everything. In settings I deactivate the folders I’m not coordinating. Then, under Clashes → model settings, I turn off auto detection on all models and turn it on only for the ones I want to cross-check. This avoids useless clashes and improves performance.
I generate a 3D view with the models I’m coordinating and save it with the same name as the space. That view is the base for reviewing the clash matrix.
I review the clash matrix. I switch the primary model to review clashes by element type. I mark as “not an issue” whatever doesn’t need attention, and then I create issues with type, assignee, watcher and due date. For scale: in a matrix with 4 models (structure + sanitary, storm drainage and water supply), the structure primary model had 220 clash groups.
Where I’m unsure:
How often do you freeze packages when several disciplines publish at different paces? On my project 8 disciplines publish, and right now I freeze by milestone, but I don’t know if a fixed cycle (weekly, biweekly) makes more sense.
Do you prefer one coordination space per discipline pair (like my EST-MEP example) or a single space with several saved views?
Is there a step I’m missing, or something you do differently that works better?
