White House TN Facility Upgrade
Industrial · Manufacturing · Digital Twin · Facility Scanning · Middle Tennessee
Vendor Data Isn't Enough.
We Scanned What They Missed.
A packaging manufacturer in White House, Tennessee was installing a new large-format digital printing press. Vendor-supplied BIM data covered the machine — but not the facility conditions around it. A forklift path collision wasn't discovered until the supporting equipment was already in. Schimmel Engineering captured the discharge and slitting end of the press with localized scan data, merged it with the vendor model, and delivered a complete facility improvement drawing package for under $10,000.
The Problem
Vendor BIM Data Is Never the Whole Picture.
The manufacturer had received machine data from the equipment vendor — a BIM model of the new digital printing press that looked comprehensive on paper. But BIM data from equipment suppliers is built to describe the machine, not to describe how it interacts with an existing facility. The facility's as-built conditions, existing structure, utilities, and traffic paths are never in the vendor model.
After the supporting equipment was installed, it became apparent that one of the press enhancements — a long lead-time component that had been ordered and delivered months in advance — would land in an active forklift path. The collision wasn't hypothetical. It was real, and it stopped work.
The solution required a platform support span doubler to clear the forklift path, a custom cable tray to route utilities around the new obstruction, and a complete cable routing study to verify no secondary collisions were introduced. None of that could be designed from the vendor model alone — the facility data wasn't in it.
Installed platform span doubler — designed from merged scan and vendor BIM data
The Workflow
Scan the Gap. Merge the Data. Design Without Collisions.
The Schimmel Engineering approach to facility work is straightforward: we capture what the vendor didn't, merge it with what the vendor did, and design in a complete digital environment where collisions are found on screen rather than on site.
On-site scan capture — discharge and slitting end of the press
Merged scan and vendor data — complete facility digital twin
We captured localized scan data of the discharge and slitting end of the press — the area where the forklift conflict existed and where the facility improvements needed to connect. This scan data was registered and merged with the vendor-supplied machine model to create a complete, accurate digital twin of that section of the facility.
From that merged model, we designed the platform span doubler, the custom cable tray, and the cable routing solution in SolidWorks — checking every component for clearance against the forklift path, the existing structure, and the machine geometry before a single piece of steel was cut.
The vendor data told us what the machine looked like. Our scan data told us what the facility actually looked like. Neither was sufficient alone. Together, they eliminated every installation collision before fabrication started.
Production drawing package — 22 weldment and part drawings sent directly to local fabricator
Project Summary
Scope & Deliverables
| Location | White House, Tennessee |
| Client | Packaging manufacturer |
| Equipment | Large-format digital printing press |
| Scan Scope | Discharge and slitting end of press |
| Data Merge | Schimmel scan + vendor-supplied BIM |
| Design Deliverables | Platform span doubler, cable tray, routing study |
| Drawing Package | 22 weldment and part drawings |
| Documentation | SolidWorks native files, EASM assemblies, BOMs |
| Fabricator | White House-area local fabricator already supporting facility |
| Total Cost | Under $10,000 — turnkey drawing package |
| Installation Collisions | Zero |
Why This Matters
The Best Time to Build a Facility Digital Twin Was Ten Years Ago.
Every manufacturing facility that installs new equipment without current as-built scan data is accepting avoidable risk. Vendor models describe machines. They do not describe the facility the machine goes into. The gap between those two models is where collisions live — and where projects stop.
A localized scan of the impacted area, merged with available vendor data, is not a multi-month BIM initiative. For a project like this, it is a few hours of scanning, a week of engineering, and a drawing package that goes directly to the local fabricator already supporting the facility. The total cost is a fraction of the cost of a stopped installation.
For manufacturers in Middle Tennessee — whether you're installing new equipment, expanding a line, or upgrading a facility — Schimmel Engineering provides the scan data and mechanical engineering to design it right before the steel is cut.
Planning a Facility Upgrade or Equipment Installation?
We capture as-built facility conditions, merge them with your vendor data, and design the improvements. Middle Tennessee and beyond. Consultations are free.
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