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Recommended workflow for co-ordination with structural engineer's IFC model


Christiaan

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We're finally working with a structural engineer that produces IFC models. We're not following a formalised BIM process but we're using their model to co-ordinate with ours.

 

What are the recommended workflows? I've imported the IFC model into a separate VW file and then referenced it in our model *. We could import directly into our model but that would bring with it all their Classes and Resources.

 

Should I use their model directly in ours to represent the structure? Or should we stick to modelling our own structure and just co-ordinate it with theirs?

 

I'd like to use their model directly but I've noticed, for instance, that we can't can't simply override the the Fill or Textures of IFC entities. We'd have to edit each IFC Entity and change the various 3D symbols, extrudes and generic solids that make up the IFC entities, all of which are all set to None and non-Classed FIll/Pen attributes.

 

* As an aside, it would make sense if VW could reference IFC directly, rather than having to import them into a VW file first. Maybe I should make a wish for this.

Edited by Christiaan
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We are have to do a formalized BIM process now, where every engineer is producing IFC models.

 

Importing the IFC model into a separate VW document and referencing it to the model seems like the best way, I've found it easiest to create a separate layer for the DLVP and switch the layers in it on and off as needed. Since the engineers are constantly producing new models, it's easier to update one reference rather than one for each story.

 

If you need to produce valid IFC models, then architects and engineers should make their own objects and just keep them in sync. Every object in the ifc model has to have it's own unique GUID, hence copying objects from one file to another does not work well with this. We are using Solibri Model Checker to run a conflict check and see where the object are not aligning and should be corrected.

 

Of course if you don't have to produce a IFC model yourself, you don't have to worry about the GUIDs and could theoretically import the engineers model into yours.

 

It's also worth noting, in our case engineers only model the load-bearing structures while architects model everything.

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6 minutes ago, taavilooke said:

If you need to produce valid IFC models, then architects and engineers should make their own objects and just keep them in sync.

 

Bingo, of course! Thank you.

 

7 minutes ago, taavilooke said:

Of course if you don't have to produce a IFC model yourself, you don't have to worry about the GUIDs and could theoretically import the engineers model into yours.

 

We don't need to produce our own, but I think we're better off creating the workflows we'll need to use at some point. 

 

Thanks for your input. Perfect.

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