Modeling Techniques for ICF Blocks

[Anonymous]

I have been approached by an ICF (insulated concrete form) manufacture who wants to create available tools for modeling their product in Archicad. Although library parts of individual components would be useful at certain levels this does not seem like a good overall solution. Profile walls seem like a likely component, but ideally there would be a means to assure compliance with the modularity of the system - I am not sure if a simple snap grid is adequate. I just wanted to ask the group if anyone has any good ideas with regards to what would be the best set of tools that an ICF manufacture could provide end users. Are there any examples already available that have worked well? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Ralph Wessel]

Mike wrote:
I just wanted to ask the group if anyone has any good ideas with regards to what would be the best set of tools that an ICF manufacture could provide end users.

A combination of API and GDL would work well - GDL for the raw objects and API to assist with assembly and ensure the modularity etc is preserved.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your advice Ralph. An API sounds like a large investment for a company, but my knowledge in this area is very limited. Do you know of anyone who would be interested in building an API for a for an ICF company? I would like to get some idea of costs that I can pass on. Thanks,

[Ralph Wessel]

Mike wrote:
Do you know of anyone who would be interested in building an API for a for an ICF company? I would like to get some idea of costs that I can pass on. Thanks,

That's the kind of development we do - a large proportion of our work is customised for specific solutions. It isn't necessarily expensive either, but we should build up a basic brief before trying to make any cost estimates.

[Steve Jepson]

Mike wrote:
... Although library parts of individual components would be useful at certain levels this does not seem like a good overall solution.

Individual parts is what would be most useful to me so that schedules can be made. I would like to make my own shop drawings for the IFC system that would include the Giraffe bracing as well.
When you finish the ICF parts, be sure to contract Giraffe and see if you can make some bracing and scaffolding parts for them too.
http://www.giraffebracing.com/

Revit ICF parts.
http://www.quadlock.com/technical_library/BIM_Building_Information_Modeling_ICF.php