R5 - Data Interchange

Chapter 3 of the BIM Handbook introduces two main building product data models that support the exchange of object model exchanges between industries – Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and CIMsteel Integration Standard Version 2 (CIS/2). Both data models use the EXPRESS data modeling language geometries and other properties used for building design and production. The article notes that there are still compatibility issues with implementing interoperability amongst all programs. Evidently, though, significant improvement has been made so that IFC is widely supported by all BIM design tools. It is interesting to read that commonly used formats, such as DWF and PDF have the potential to become more enhanced and capable for the efforts of this field to incorporate more interlinking between industries. The two articles discussed below further explicate the implications of interoperability and its role in BIM design.

This article acknowledges that the use of BIM in building design and engineering is increasingly becoming more commonly used in the workplace and that productivity techniques in this field must revolve around the use of BIM and support BIM design and construction to advance this field. The benefits of using a BIM-based process in the workplace are discussed and the article elaborates on such ideas as the maintenance of advanced technical capabilities and enhanced collaboration/communication between interdisciplinary design teams. As discussed in the BIM Handbook, this article also describes quite explicitly how the interoperability between design and analysis software and BIM software is implemented. A graphic is provided which links the different programs using arrows to show how one model from a program can be imported and/or exported to other software. The article focuses on structural analysis and design software, such as Autodesk programs, and Bentley Structural Analysis programs, such as RAM Structural System. I took particular interest in reading this article, as it relates to my work for senior design and using RAM Structural System and Revit. This discussion is vital to advancing the success of interoperability between programs, as users are interested in learning more about how to exchange data between different software. The article concludes by referencing some limitations that exist currently and those that are predicted for future efforts to generate interoperable software exchange program models, and notes how though interoperability and the use of BIM are taking place simultaneously, though, interoperability may be slowing down the development of BIM in the workplace.

This article notes how the development of interoperability is being led strongly by customer demand. It acknowledges the needs of users to exchange object and data models between different design and analysis software programs. Graphics are provided which demonstrate how the progress of interoperability in the workplace is “an evolving [and] collaborative process.” The article details the exchange of data between various programs, including Revit. It demonstrates how data is imported to Revit, the types of formatting and files permitted in Revit, and some of the menu options to actually implement this. As discussed in this article and also mentioned in the BIM Handbook, one major disadvantage of implementing the use of IFC is that file sizes will be incredibly large and working with them might cause more frustration for users. In general, though, many benefits, such as the data exchange of 3D objects between supported programs, are also noted and promoted. The article also touches on the benefits of interoperability on energy and sustainability efforts; it notes the exchange of data between energy analysis programs. This is a good addition to the second article, which mainly focuses on structural applications in interoperability.