Defining digital engineering:

Digital engineering is the convergence of technology to streamline and improve engineering projects. Well-known to the industry as Building information modeling (BIM), this technology creates digital models of engineered systems and structures. It’s up to digital engineers to apply these models to capture and store design data between disciplines in a virtual environment, which allows for streamlined collaboration across one common platform.

What are the benefits of digital engineering?

Collaboration potential has moved from strength to strength since the introduction of BIM, enabling more efficient design, coordination and integration of systems. The combination of these enhancements has instituted superior outcomes for end users and project collaborators, with regards to quality, performance, cost, efficiency and sustainability. In conjunction with these benefits, digital engineering also facilitates computational power to push design and construction into new and unexplored territories.

What opportunities has Matter identified through digital engineering?

As an early adopter of digital engineering in Australia, Matter continues to advocate for further implementation of these practices in the Australian construction industry. The efficiencies and inherent value of digital engineering not only benefit structural designers but also contribute to a more holistically integrated discipline, with other project teams, such as architecture, building services, and construction, experiencing more streamlined collaboration. By embracing digital engineering early, Matter is well-placed to be at the forefront of these developing technologies once they inevitably become the new norm.

How does digital engineering help consultants?

Alongside the potential for streamlined collaboration, digital engineering has a myriad of other benefits for consultants, including:

• Automation – digital engineers can automate many of the time-consuming tasks within their workflows such as drawing creation, analysis and calculations, influencing more efficient operations overall.
• Communication – digital engineering tools can be used to create virtual visualisations of projects which accurately communicate design and engineering information to clients, stakeholders and the public.
• Information management – digital models represent a superior method of storing and managing engineering data while allowing consultants to have real-time access to information.

Where is digital engineering heading?

Digital engineering is expected to grow and evolve in the immediate future and will significantly disrupt traditional building practices. The inherent benefits of streamlined collaboration between disciplines, live data management and automation, while continuing to enhance fundamental engineering principles, suggest that these practices will inevitably reach mainstream adoption. With this technology advancing at an exponential rate, digital engineering will ultimately play a critical role in the development of smart and sustainable cities in the years and generations to come.