Do you take up detailing work for reinforced concrete and steel structures?
We are familiar with the details and drawings requirement for both type of structures. In the past we have prepared shop drawings for steel structures using basic Autocad software. In August 2007, we procured STRUCAD licences and have got a team of eight(8) of our engineers trained on the software. This team has now commenced production for clients in India, Europe and New Zealand. Our reinforcement detailing team is powered by STRAKON software customized for our use. We take up reinforcement bar placement drawings and bar bending schedules to all major international codes.
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In what formats can you deliver engineering documents and drawings?
We normally try to avoid hand written calculations. Most of our calculations are done through MATHCAD, and such documents can be delivered in MATHCAD's native *.mcd format. Hand calculations when inevitable are scanned and delivered as *.tif or *.pdf formats. Since we do all engineering drawings by STRAKON, we can deliver those drawings as STRAKON's *.kon files or as *.pdf files. With some extra drafting and editing effort STRAKON drawings can be converted into AUTOCAD or MICROSTATION formats at the final stage of the drawings. We do not normally recommend such conversion since during conversion the drawings lose all STRAKON database links and any further modification, if required, of those drawings become tedious. CAD work can be delivered in either AUTOCAD (*.dwg) or MICROSTATION (*.dgn)files. Our CAD personnel work with both AUTOCAD and MICROSTATION.
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What are the formats in which you can accept input data?
We can accept drawings as *.dwg, *.dgn, *.kon, *.dxf, *.plt, *.dwf, *.pdf, *.tif, files and documents in *.txt, *.doc, *.xls, *.pdf files. Various other formats are also possible, please confirm the format with us should you need to send data in other formats.
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Can we send drawings and documents to you as email attachments?
Yes you may. Each of our email boxes can accept up to 10MB of data. Since the emails are constantly checked and downloaded on to our local server, we can accept quite a lot of data as email attachment. However we prefer data uploaded on to our ftp server. The data uploaded on the ftp server can be downloaded fast and it synchronizes with our back up systems.
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Where can we get the parameters to access you ftp server?
Please send an email to info@paradigm.in to tell us who you are and elaborate your need to access the ftp server. Our IT personnel will get back to you with the access information. You will then be provided an unique login name and password which will enable you to load files on the server. Except our administrator other users will not be able to view or access your files.
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Will you be placing completed documents in the same folder as where the input data is?
Yes. However we have built in a drawing transmittal system with our web server. When we upload drawings, this system will notify you by email. You can then see the list of drawings on the site pertaining to your project with the option to download drawings as and when when you wish.
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Can you receive documents by fax?
Yes. We have subscribed to a service which will email us the fax documents. If you have documents to be faxed on a regular basis, our service provider will allot us a telephone number within your country and area code. You will then just have to send faxes to this local number. The fax service will automatically scan your document and send it to us in an email.
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Do you subscribe to a telephone 'hotline' service?
We do not subscribe to any hotline service. Instead we use IP messaging and telephony. All our lead engineers are available on MSN, Yahoo and Skype messenger systems. We have subscribed to 'Skype-in' service where you would be able to dial into a telephone number in your country to access our lead engineer's Skype. (voice or voice mail)
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How do you backup your data?
All our computers are on a peer to peer network. Internet access is through a Linux based internet server. A number of our computers run day and night and these act as the hubs for different projects. All computers assigned to work on a specific project are mapped to external hard disks connected to these hubs. We have a backup server which runs a routine to check the 'file modified' attribute of each file in the connected hard disks and compare them with the last back up. All modified files are then backed up on another external hard drive connected to the back up server. These latter external hard disks are changed every day of the week. The result is Only one day's work is lost in case of any hard disk crash. One week old data is always available for access. Also since completed documents are all send to clients by ftp. The latest documents are all available on the ftp server also.
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What is your typical turn around time for design and detailing projects?
Since we have no shortage of technical staff, it is possible to assign a number of people on a project period of familiarization by the lead engineers. Hence the turn around time depends on the urgency of the work, geographical time zone and on the number of people who can physically work simultaneously on a project.
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Do you have an ISO Certification?
No. However, we have worked for several clients with ISO Certification. While working for such clients, we follow specific quality control requirements of the client. Therefore our engineers are aware of the procedures involved.
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What kind of quality control procedures do you adopt?
We normally send out only electronic documents. Before dispatching any document from the office, we take a number of hard copies of the documents for different stages of checking. At the first stage, the person who prepared the document checks a hard copy, corrects the original, takes a hard copy of the corrected document and hands over the two hard copies for checking by a second person. After the second person's checking, correction is carried out by the first person and gets the correction verified by the second person. A final printout then goes to the lead engineer and/or the principal engineer for any review and for final approval before the document is send out to the client. All the printouts are preserved till the project is complete.
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You cannot take hard copies of geographical and related digitization data. What quality control procedures do you adopt here?
Our CAD personnel have developed a number of macros and routines to automate many of the procedures for such work to minimize errors. Then there are checking routines which will identify errors and problem areas. Finally all data is checked by a lead engineer on a separate computer before sending to the client.
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Are all your technical staff are qualified engineers?
70 % of our staff are graduate and post graduate engineers. 15 % are technical school (diploma) graduates. 10 % are CAD technicians. Balance are administrative and IT support professionals.
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Do you have Architects and Building Service Engineers among your staff?
We hire the services of an external architect when required. We do not have any Building Service Engineers.
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What are the type of structures your engineers have experience in structural design and detailing?
Buildings.(Reinforced Concrete & Structural steel) Shallow Foundations. Foundations for vibrating machinery. Tall chimneys.
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Are you engineers familiar with major international building codes?
We have designed structures with Indian(IS), British(BS), American(ACI & ASCI), German(DIN) and Australian(AS) codes of practice.
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Are technical people easily available for recruitment in your area?
Kochi is the business capital of Kerala state. In and around Kochi there are a number of engineering colleges and polytechnic colleges which offer civil engineering degree and diploma courses. We have a regular training program in our office where we train fresh graduates for the additional skills required to perform the tasks in the office.
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How long will it take to mobilize a team for doing short term jobs?
If less than five people are required for a short term job, (say a week) then mobilization could be immediate. Normally a team can be mobilized within two weeks of receipt of a work order.
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