topic Re: IFC who's using it? in Collaboration with other software

IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 20:31:03 GMT

We've had a few more companies recently wanting to know more about IFC & how to support it.

Just wanted to know how many people on here are actively using IFC ??

Re: IFC who's using it?

Erika Epstein — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:53:46 GMT

You should turn this into a poll.
My answer is yes.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Link — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 05:55:24 GMT

Mine is yes too.

Cheers,
Link.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 06:03:57 GMT

Erika wrote:
You should turn this into a poll.
My answer is yes.

good plan i will!
& great to hear that you do actively use it!

Re: IFC who's using it?

Mats_Knutsson — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:21:36 GMT

Lot's of companies in the Nordic, especially Norway and Finland. But they are not on this forum. I think AC14 will really raise the use of IFC. It's really simple now and the only way of improving it is to use it.
/Mats

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:32:10 GMT

Mats_Knutsson wrote:
Lot's of companies in the Nordic, especially Norway and Finland. But they are not on this forum. I think AC14 will really raise the use of IFC. It's really simple now and the only way of improving it is to use it.
/Mats

ok great, yes AC14 will help it grow.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:35:36 GMT

We are.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:27:48 GMT

I'm guessing this is not just for affirmative replies - so I will say No, we are not using IFC.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:40:18 GMT

s2art wrote:
I'm guessing this is not just for affirmative replies - so I will say No, we are not using IFC.

no all good feedback!

Re: IFC who's using it?

owen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:48:35 GMT

Using it ...

but only because there is no real alternative for exchange of intelligent data with other BIM applications like Revit. Unfortunately IFC is really held back by its implementation in various platforms, e.g ArchiCAD is meant to be the most advanced but I have found export / import processes on large projects to be excruciatingly slow (i would say unworkable if there were any alternative)

cheers,

owen

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:54:51 GMT

yes it's hardly perfect, but there isn't really much option...
great feedback though, i'll pass it on. As everybody seems to be thinking about it a lot more now.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Nando Mogollon — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 04:00:17 GMT

I used it in the company I used to work for in Southafrica. That's a yes.
Here in Canada, still waiting to see it hapening. Maybe yes, since it is Revit territory.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 05:33:34 GMT

NandoMogollon wrote:
I used it in the company I used to work for in Southafrica. That's a yes.
Here in Canada, still waiting to see it hapening. Maybe yes, since it is Revit territory.

Hi Nando, that's interesting to hear, i thought Canada might have been a head of South Africa - great to hear they are supporting it.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Mats_Knutsson — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:14:35 GMT

owen wrote:
Using it ...

export / import processes on large projects to be excruciatingly slow (i would say unworkable if there were any alternative)

cheers,

owen

It's slow but it has become better. However you don't push the button very often. It's only when you actually want to communicate a revised version to/from your partners in crime. But opening a fully modelled IFC-file from MagiCAD is a nice time to have a cup of coffee and chat with your friends.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Chadwick — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:25:47 GMT

We tried to use IFCs on a project where we were teamed up with another firm that uses ArchiCAD. It did not work out. Its nice to know that IFCs are progressing but its not a realistic option at this point. Too much information is lost or doesn't come through as 'smart'. We are definitely keeping an eye on it though...

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:50:04 GMT

Chadwick wrote:
We tried to use IFCs on a project where we were teamed up with another firm that uses ArchiCAD. It did not work out. Its nice to know that IFCs are progressing but its not a realistic option at this point. Too much information is lost or doesn't come through as 'smart'. We are definitely keeping an eye on it though...

Ok so which software were you using, revit, bentley?

Re: IFC who's using it?

Chadwick — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:37:12 GMT

Revit Architecture 2010. We'd have windows that would appear solid, doors in different places. Plain old geometry wasn't showing up correctly much less the information in the different components/families.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:43:11 GMT

Chadwick wrote:
Revit Architecture 2010. We'd have windows that would appear solid, doors in different places. Plain old geometry wasn't showing up correctly much less the information in the different components/families.

thanks, yes that seems to be a common problem. eg it takes your model & essentially simplifies it (eg lose data). which in a lot of cases is still fine. I guess the different softwares also have different import/export engines to...

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 16:42:30 GMT

owen wrote:
I have found export / import processes on large projects to be excruciatingly slow

Which version of ArchiCAD are you using? (Your sig line says 10+.) The IFC translation has gotten a lot faster, especially in 14.

Re: IFC who's using it?

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 17:00:26 GMT

Chadwick wrote:
Revit Architecture 2010. We'd have windows that would appear solid, doors in different places. Plain old geometry wasn't showing up correctly much less the information in the different components/families.

Some of what you describes sounds like it could be fixed with a little prep of the templates/file settings.

I have gotten fully detailed and accurate exchange of walls, door and windows by setting up the process carefully. There are still problems with the way Revit builds the families from the imported doors which I have only been able to fix (so far) by switching them to my own native families after the fact. This only matters if the Revit model is for further editing. As a reference for structure or MEP coordination the imported model works just fine.

Ceilings have always been a problem. Export has improved from AC14. Revit still doesn't recognize the imported elements as ceilings, but it won't even recognize the ceilings in it's own IFC export so this is more of a Revit problem. At least they are still editable elements.

I have seen a number of troubling errors in structural model translations. These may be fixed now with the latest release of AC14 but I haven't had time to check lately.

There will always be difficulties with IFC exchange if only because the requirements are so complex (and complicated) and the working methods and standards are so different from one program to the next. The good news is that IFC has finally become usable and practical for a lot of purposes and this will only improve with time.

Oh, and yes, I do use IFC occasionally.