Fabbim: Traceability Software for Structural Steelwork

In a structural steel construction project, information is extensive and operations move quickly. A part may be fabricated in the workshop, sent for galvanizing, returned, loaded onto a truck, then received on site before being erected. Without a clear tracking tool, risks increase: missing parts, loading errors, difficulty knowing where an assembly is, and lost time for workshop and site teams.

Fabbim was designed to respond to this field reality. The platform creates a practical link between the digital fabrication model, physical assemblies and logistics operations. The goal is simple: make traceability of structural steel parts visible, reliable and usable every day.

Why traceability is essential

Traceability has become a central challenge for structural steelwork companies. Projects are increasingly complex, deadlines are tighter, and communication between stakeholders must remain smooth. When a part is missing during loading or an assembly cannot be found at the right time, the entire chain becomes disorganized.

Good traceability makes it possible to:

• quickly find an assembly in a project containing hundreds or thousands of parts;
• check truck departures before delivery;
• track parts sent for galvanizing or painting;
• confirm reception on site;
• reduce communication errors between workshop, logistics and erection teams;
• make actual project progress more reliable.

With Fabbim, this traceability is based on a pragmatic principle: use the data already available in the IFC model, then extend that information into the real world through labels and scans.

How Fabbim works

Fabbim’s operation follows the natural flow of a project. The platform retrieves data from the model, structures the assemblies, then allows users to manage them through fabrication and logistics stages.

1. IFC model import

Everything begins with importing an IFC file from the fabrication software. This step allows Fabbim to read the assemblies, marks, profiles, weights and other information useful for tracking. This foundation is essential because it structures the project from the very beginning.

2. Assembly identification

Once the model is imported, each assembly becomes a usable entity in the platform. Teams can search for a mark, isolate an assembly in the 3D view, visualize the associated parts and prepare the next actions.

3. Label printing

Fabbim makes it possible to print identification labels with QR codes. These labels link digital data to the physical element. Once attached to parts or assemblies, they make field tracking very fast.

4. Scan and status change

Scanning a label makes it possible to update the status of an assembly. A part can therefore move from one state to another according to the defined workflow: fabrication, ready, loaded, delivered, erected or returned from galvanizing.

5. Logistics and site tracking

The platform then supports teams in logistics: preparing truck departures, checking transported parts, site reception, return control, progress visualization and movement history.

Fabbim and IFC models from Tekla Structures

Fabbim integrates naturally in an environment where fabrication is prepared in software such as Tekla Structures. The idea is not to replace the modeling tool, but to extend its use into daily production and logistics operations.

When the model is well prepared, the IFC export contains the data required to build the project in Fabbim. Assemblies and properties then become the starting point for practical tracking, much closer to real field needs.

This continuity between model and workshop is one of the key strengths of the solution. Information already produced in the office becomes immediately useful for fabrication, labeling, loading and reception.

Benefits for a structural steelwork company

The value of Fabbim goes beyond displaying data. The platform provides an operational framework for actions that are repeated every day in workshops and on site.

• Better project readability: teams know which parts exist, where they are in the process and which workflow they belong to.
• Fewer loading errors: truck departures can be checked part by part.
• Clear subcontracting tracking: galvanizing, painting or other external stages remain visible.
• Time savings: fewer manual searches, fewer calls, fewer doubts about a part’s location.
• Better coordination: workshop, logistics and site teams share the same information base.

Example of a complete workflow

A structural steelwork project can follow a simple but demanding chain. Here is an example of a flow in Fabbim:

1. Preparation of the fabrication model and IFC export.
2. Import of the model into Fabbim and structuring of the assemblies.
3. Printing QR code labels to identify the elements.
4. Workshop scan to validate fabrication progress.
5. Loading parts onto a truck with departure checks.
6. Sending to galvanizing or direct delivery depending on the project workflow.
7. Reception, return or site delivery with status updates.
8. Final confirmation during erection to ensure complete traceability.

This type of workflow makes it possible to move from partial tracking logic to continuous tracking logic. Each scan becomes proof of movement from one stage to another.

A tool designed for the field

Many industrial tools are powerful on paper but difficult to use in real workshop or site conditions. Fabbim is designed to remain simple: find a part, identify it, print it, scan it and know its current status.

This simplicity matters because it drives adoption by teams. A traceability tool must be quick to learn, otherwise it remains theoretical. By relying on practical and repeatable actions, Fabbim integrates naturally into the daily work of steel fabricators, logisticians and erection teams.

Conclusion

Fabbim provides a clear answer to traceability needs in structural steelwork. By linking the IFC model, assembly identification, label printing and field scanning, the platform makes it possible to track parts through all the major stages of a project: fabrication, galvanizing, transport, reception and erection.

For companies that want to reduce errors, better organize their flows and gain visibility over their operations, Fabbim provides a strong and directly usable foundation.

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