Demystifying working with IFC files.
For some, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a synonym for working with Revit. For others, BIM is synonymous with exchanging IFC files of the 3D models - the Open BIM workflow. As not every trade is working with Revit and the complexity of the designing and building increases, chances are good that somebody will be asking for an IFC model. Therefore knowing a little bit about IFC is a valuable skill.
IFC files are more like a pdf than a dwg.
That means it's an excellent format to communicate, but it's not a suitable format to continue working on the geometry. Every BIM modeling tool has its own logic for describing geometry and data. And often, when you import an IFC file into your BIM tool, information get's lost. So great to look at not so good for exchanging geometry with the purpose to continue working. For exchanging geometric information, look at the work of Speckle.
You are allowed to change the information in an IFC file to fit your requirements.
This "pdf" like property made people believe that they are not allowed to change the IFC file. Why not? What's the difference between a pdf file I import into my cost calculation tool and an IFC file I adapt to the needs of the cost calculation tool? There is none, and you can change as much as you like or need to do your work. You are just not allowed to claim that the changed information is from somebody else. You keep responsible for your work.
IFC is actually a text file.
You can open an IFC file in the editor and change it by just changing some values. As it is a text file, chances are very high that you will be able to extract information from the file in some distant future. Unlike your native Revit, Archicad, Tekla files...
IFC is a hierarchical file structure that represents the project reality well.
There is an IfcProject, IfcSite, IfcBuilding(s), IfcBuildingstorey(s), and predefined building elements like walls, slabs, windows, pipes, and so on. If you want to know more about what elements exist, check out the IFC Schema Navigator.
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IFC provides a standard to store information.
And every standard is an enabler for innovation. When you are a software company - and in the future, every company will be a Software company to a certain extent - developing new solutions makes it much easier to build on top of an existing standard than pushing the market towards yours. Therefore the better you follow the norm, the more software tools will develop some amazing stuff using the data. E.g., when the attribute load-bearing is set, you can easily filter and only look at the structural components.
Work with the standard instead of inventing new attributes.
There are 1000 attributes predefined. You need to pick the right one and fill it with life. Still, the temptation is big to invent your own once. You are allowed to do so, but I highly recommend only doing it when necessary!?
The standard IFC export is like plotting every layer of your CAD file.
Only export attributes and values you are sure about, and you can guarantee correctness, just like when printing a plan. You don't want to show the internal comments, and you don't want to show all the "bullshit" attributes from your tool.?
IFC is not a bad format; the implementation is
IFC gives a lot of leeways on how to interpret the standard, and many software companies use this wiggle room. The other aspect is that many people don't use the right tools to work with IFC files.?
My recommendation in terms of software clustered by user group:
- Every employee and the project manager needs a tool to look at IFC files - not only for the geometry but to visualize attributes and to measure. For this, I usually recommend BIM Vision (great at measuring) and BIMcollab ZOOM, great at visualizing data. Both have free versions.
- BIM specialists need a tool to manipulate the IFC, check, enrich the model with information and normalize data. For this, I recommend SimpleBIM.?
- For advanced project quality checks that go beyond simple clash detection and coordination, I recommend Solibri.?
And most importantly, ask if there is an IFC file to get started. Often they exist but nobody thought about distributing them!
Chartered Architect / Managing Director at KR.eativ: Architects Ltd
2 年Of the three authoring BIM software programmes I’ve used professionally for 20 years Revit is the least suitable for me as an architect. I find Vectorworks and ArchiCAD (both written by real architects for real architects) far superior.
building imagination and collaboration with HEGIAS
2 å¹´Thank you for sharing. Another possibility to view or even walk through your IFCs together with other stakeholders, materialize and furniture them is the browser-/cloudbased Virtual Reality Software of HEGIAS AG - building imagination. building collaboration. You can upload your IFCs just by drag n' drop into your browser and few minutes later is available in the HEGIASverse. More: www.hegias.com
Arquitecto de Procesos BIM en LAZARO Arquitectura | Director BIM
2 å¹´Thank you for making a clear and accurate summary!
Director - AEC Implementation (BIM), Product Manager, Customer Success
2 å¹´Thanks Simon Dilhas for sharing this content to educate about IFC. Highlighting some of the endless possibilities using IFC and BCF can only drive our AECO industry to new levels. Great stuff??
Owner stereoraum Architekten GbR, BIM_Profi und Holzbau-Spezialist
2 å¹´Thanks for the valuable contend! Yes, BIM is about ifc - I will always recommend working in an open BIM style - And much more: Everybody must understand BIM is not a software - not refit, not archiCAD, not Vectorworks, - name it; but about working digital on projects - it's about the information and not only the geometry or a nice 3D for renderings...!! Still so many people out there already not understanding this important fact!