#POINT OF VIEW: Nicola Zapparoli, BIM Manager CPL Concordia
Nicola Zapparoli is a Mechanical Designer with over thirteen years of experience in plant design, specializing in 3D modeling and optimization of mechanical processes, with a focus on integrating innovative solutions to improve design and construction efficiency. After a stint as a freelancer, he joined CPL Concordia, a benchmark company located in its territory, in 2008. Driven by the desire for new experiences, he starts a collaboration in a multinational company where he trains new approaches and methodologies. In 2019, he chooses to rejoin CPL to seize the opportunity to put himself at the service of a new phase of corporate growth. From coordinator of the mechanical design team, following the reorganization of the engineering department, he assumes the role of engineering service manager and BIM manager.
BIM manager profession: by accident or by choice?
Nicola Zapparoli: "My career began at CPL Concordia in 2008 as a mechanical modeler. Even then in CPL we were designing plants with 3D software linked to databases. Although it was not called BIM, our work followed the modeling and data management principles proper to this methodology. The official advent of Building Information Modeling gave a precise profile to the nature of our work, prompting the company to create a dedicated structure to optimize workflows and improve information management. The transition to the role of BIM Manager was a natural evolution of this process, a role that allowed me to coordinate projects in an integrated and structured way. Today my goal is to lead the team in the adoption of BIM, making the most of its potential to improve efficiency and quality. The path to BIM was therefore not the result of a random choice but a consequence of our work, a natural response to the technological evolution of the sector."
BIM: What do you think are the most revolutionary aspects of this methodology?
Nicola Zapparoli: "Definitely the ability to share models and data among project stakeholders in real time and the ability to automate control processes. Rapid information sharing allows all team members to work on a single up-to-date model, reducing errors and misunderstandings. In addition, automation of controls, such as interference checking or regulatory compliance, allows problems to be identified at the design stage and delays during construction to be avoided. In this way, BIM speeds up time, improves quality, and reduces error margins-results that I believe are extraordinary in a design process."
CPL: What is the company's approach with respect to Building Information Modeling?
Nicola Zapparoli: "CPL adopted Building Information Modeling (BIM) immediately recognizing its great potential for improving project development processes, with a focus on the design and construction phases. With this in mind, CPL is implementing internal BIM processes based on specific parameters to optimize pre-assembly management on the shop floor and construction operations in the field. The ultimate goal of this approach is to increase the accuracy and quality of completed projects. I personally believe that viewing BIM as an opportunity, rather than a regulatory requirement, is the ideal approach for a company like CPL. This point of view makes it possible to grasp the true potential of the methodology, using it not only to comply with standards, but to achieve efficiency."
What do you think is the impact of an evolved CDE in managing complex projects?
Nicola Zapparoli: "The use of a CDE is fundamental to the development of the job order, as it is the key tool for sharing data and models. The CDE makes it possible to efficiently manage the internal processes that lead to the issuance of construction and executive documents, ensuring consistency and availability of information. In fact, our process extends all the way to the construction phase on the shop floor, where the managed data are updated on the model and made immediately accessible to all those involved in the job order. In this way, the CDE becomes the central element that facilitates collaboration and ensures an up-to-date, shared view of the project at all times."
In which CPL project has the Truspace platform brought effectiveness that is difficult to achieve otherwise?
Nicola Zapparoli: "CPL and 4Days have recently jointly developed the "PIPING" app dedicated to the construction phase. The main goal of the app is to follow step-by-step the plant assembly phases in the workshop, enabling real-time data collection and continuous enrichment of the design model. This process leads the model to evolve into a complete construction model, integrating information that is accessible and searchable by all figures involved in the job order."
Has there been any difficulty in the adoption of the platform by different teams?
Nicola Zapparoli: "The adoption of a new platform always represents a time of change, requiring ongoing training and support. This is especially true in a company like CPL, where several sectors with distinct operational approaches coexist. To facilitate this transition, we are working on the gradual introduction of the platform, with specific focuses on each sector, tailoring support to the particular needs of each business, training designers in BIM to increase our expertise."
What are the features of Truspace that you find particularly effective and that you could no longer do without in your work as a BIM manager?
Nicola Zapparoli: "Truspace offers numerous tools. Among those that I think are key is definitely the ability to track workflows and record their history. Another relevant aspect is the integration of data from external platforms that can be viewed in the Truspace viewer. In addition, the ability to embed the parameters of the 'extended IFC within an exportable IFC file is a feature that I find particularly useful, as it allows this information to be consulted outside the platform as well."
What do you hope the areas of development might be instead?
Nicola Zapparoli: "The goal is to extend the logic of the "PIPING" app to the field phase as well. This evolution of the app will be designed to intercept and collect all data generated directly in the field, ensuring an even more complete and integrated management of information. In this way, it will be possible to optimize the monitoring of activities, improve traceability and further enrich the construction model with updated data in real time."