INGENIEUR
Figure 8: Vertical and Horizontal
Joint between PVM units during
Construction (BCA, 2017)
Figure 9: Robustness Scenarios
for a PVM Structure (Lawson,
Ogden, & Goodier, 2014)
Figure 10: Vertical and Horizontal Alignment between PVMs
during Construction (CIDB, 2019)
conditioning (HVAC), liquid petroleum gas (LPG),
and any other PVM system parts. Figure 11 shows
the typical MEP services in a PVM house.
Manufacturing Process
The fabric ation of module s should be
considered as part of the design of modular
projects, so it is important that designers have
at least a general idea of how the modular
manufacturing processes work. For example,
designers should understand the central role of
digital technologies in the fabrication of modular
components, including building information
management (BIM) tools, computer aided design
(CAD) tools, computer aided manufacturing
(CAM) tools, and computer numerical controlled
(CNC) machiner y. Designers should also
understand how these tools support mass
customisation, a method by which modular
manufacturers produce custom designs at a
cost-effective industrial scale using a range of
standardised components (Wilson, 2019).
6
10
VOL
VOL 79
55 JULY-SEPTEMBER
JUNE 2013 2019
Unlike traditional on-site construction, in
which the building is generally completed from the
outside in, PVMs are typically constructed from
the inside out. In such cases, the box frame of the
module is first completed, then, the interior finish
is added, the MEP components and insulation
installed, and finally, exterior sheathing and
cladding applied.
However, although this general sequence is
common, it is not the only way PVM units can be
manufactured. Different manufacturers may have
different processes, so it is important for project
teams to understand the specific methodology
of the selected manufacturer. For example,
while some manufacturers may employ a linear
production process in which the tasks of each
trade are performed sequentially, others could use
a static production process in which modules are
worked on by various trades simultaneously.
Static production is where the PVM units are
manufactured in one location, with materials,
services, and workers brought to the site. Here,
the geometry of the PVM needs to be precisely