T he 100-km, $19-billion Elizabeth rail line opened in London last month after more than a decade of construction. Teams used a digital workflow to install over 27,000 cladding panels in three of the new stations, reducing needed weight and improving efficiency.

“The digital workflow on this project meant we were able to reach new levels of efficiency and accuracy in the production of the panels,” says Matthew Luhrs, general manager with contractor GRCUK, now part of Laing O’Rourke, which held the contracts for stations at Liverpool Street, Tottenham Court Road and Custom House. “Software typically used in manufacturing was brought into the project to allow us to calculate the exact size and shape each panel needed to be to meet technical standards while fitting the complex geometry of the tunnels.”