What are construction platforms?
A Platform approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly identifies features such as floor heights and structural spans that are shared across different types of buildings to reveal the kit of standardised parts that can be used to deliver assets across multiple sectors.
These parts are readily available from existing suppliers and can be assembled easily and intuitively, in countless ways, to sustainably create a huge range of spaces. Using these repeatable, cross-sector components creates the economies of scale that have allowed the manufacturing sector to continually drive down time and cost while increasing safety, productivity, and quality.
This approach also allows the application of automation - both in the manufacture of individual components, and in the assembly processes that create whole assets on-site. It is this automation that has the potential to transform the productivity of the sector, as we have seen across so many other industries.
Why P-DfMA
The power of P-DfMA is in its ability to create standardisation at component level, while retaining flexibility of design at asset level. Construction platforms support highly site-specific designs, and the widest range of architectural ambition and creativity, while still bringing the benefits of a manufactured approach.
The components of the system are conceived such that they optimise the construction process while using the minimum number of standardised components. This makes it possible to create pipelines for large quantities of these standardised components and significantly increases the benefits of using this product platform industry wide.
Straightforward assembly means we can use up-skilled or even non-construction operatives, working under safe and controlled conditions. This facilitates new jobs and opportunities to help tackle the challenge presented by an ageing and under-resourced construction workforce.