I’m working as a department manager in the field of structural engineering in Insinööritoimisto SRT Oy. Throughout my career, the computer has been the main tool in my work. Only some easiest calculations and structure sketches are done with pen and paper, everything else is done on the computer. My work includes structural design and strength calculations, mainly for the concrete structures. There is also a lot of scheduling, meetings and continuous training of new things, for example new computer program or some new innovation in the field of structural engineering.
When I started my career, about ten years ago, there were clearly more calculations done on paper, although the computer was already the main tool at that time. All design work was done in 2d-world and calculation programs were quite simple. The increase of computation capacity of todays computers has enabled wide adoption of 3d-modeling in our industry. Computers that are more powerful than before also enable the use of ever more advanced calculation programs.
Today, all planning is done in a 3D model, and the same model can be accessed not only by designers, but also by a factory producing concrete elements as well as a construction site. From the model, you can see directly how far the design is progressing and at what stage the installation of the elements is at the site. The manufacturing factory gets all the information it needs directly from the 3d model. However, there are still challenges in the transfer of information between the designer and the factory, which I hope will be corrected in the coming years. I also think, based on Maurice Conti’s lecture, that artificial intelligence will help structural designers in the future develop their plans more and more stronger with less material.
I haven’t noticed any change of my work since the GDPR entered into application, because I don’t have to handle personal data. I think that GDPR is very good thing to have, for data protection matters, but it is very hard to notice if you don’t deal with personal data in your everyday work. I have always been careful about where I give my personal information. For example, I don’t use social media very much. And since the GDPR came into force, it is nice to know that you have right to know what personal data the organization has about you and you can always request the deletion of your personal data.
The study material reminds me about the importance of data security. If the information security is not in order, criminal activity can even prevent the continuation of the design work if, for example, the data stored in the cloud cannot be accessed. So it can be said, that digitalization brings quite big risks in today’s working life. So I need to even more pay attention to information security in my free time, but especially at work.
The videos of this part was a bit outdated, but it was interesting to see that even before the 2010s, Pranav Mistry has developed quite advanced technology, even by today’s standards.
A very interesting piece of writing about your own area of expertise, which is very different from mine, which is the health sector. I myself have been working in the current field for about the same amount of time, and it’s funny to see how similarly the development of digitalization has progressed in both of our fields, even though they are so different.
I agree with you that the video material is already a little outdated, but also timeless in its own way.
It was really interesting to read your blog, because we work on very different fields. I think that digitalization in your line of work is quite ahead of socialwork and the need for digitalization is different. I think it’s very impressive how you can use so many different applications, programs and machines working as an engineer. You brought up digital security and data protection and how important it is for everyone to think about it in our everyday lives, thank you for that!
3D modeling is very interesting and if I had more time, I would also like to develop that skill myself. In connection with model protection, some modeling has had to be done, and thus at the hobbyist level it takes quite a lot of time to do it. The development from that 2D world and from calculating and drawing on paper has been amazing.
A very interesting piece of writing about your own area of expertise, which is very different from mine, which is the health sector. I myself have been working in the current field for about the same amount of time, and it’s funny to see how similarly the development of digitalization has progressed in both of our fields, even though they are so different.
I agree with you that the video material is already a little outdated, but also timeless in its own way.
It was really interesting to read your blog, because we work on very different fields. I think that digitalization in your line of work is quite ahead of socialwork and the need for digitalization is different. I think it’s very impressive how you can use so many different applications, programs and machines working as an engineer. You brought up digital security and data protection and how important it is for everyone to think about it in our everyday lives, thank you for that!
3D modeling is very interesting and if I had more time, I would also like to develop that skill myself. In connection with model protection, some modeling has had to be done, and thus at the hobbyist level it takes quite a lot of time to do it. The development from that 2D world and from calculating and drawing on paper has been amazing.