IFC: the open format that connects the BIM ecosystem
In the digital construction environment, IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) emerges as a fundamental component. It is not a specific software, but an open and standardized file format that functions as the universal language for different BIM tools to communicate. Its main purpose is to ensure that the information from a model passes from one application to another intact, allowing architects, engineers, and contractors to collaborate without technological barriers. 🌉
Structuring construction project information
The IFC standard organizes and defines how each component of a project is stored. It is not limited to saving the 3D geometry of a wall or beam, but encapsulates a wide range of smart properties and relationships. This means that an element in IFC contains data about its material, cost, fire resistance, and construction phase, transcending its mere visual form. This depth of data is the foundation that supports real collaborative work in BIM.
Key elements defined by the IFC format:- Construction objects: Defines entities such as walls, slabs, doors, and windows with their geometric and alphanumeric attributes.
- Properties and relationships: Stores information about materials, costs, performance, and how elements connect to each other.
- Project context: Includes data on organization, suppliers, planning, and project execution phases.
IFC is the indispensable bridge in workflows where multiple specialized softwares coexist.
Functioning as a bridge in multidisciplinary environments
When several teams use different programs like Revit, Archicad, or Tekla, the IFC format becomes the critical link. An architect can export their model to IFC and a structural engineer can import it into their calculation software, maintaining the elements and their main attributes. This process is vital for coordinating disciplines, detecting interferences (clashes), and preserving a single reference model, even when using heterogeneous tools. It is a pillar for meeting BIM delivery requirements.
Practical advantages of using IFC:- Guaranteed interoperability: Reduces data loss when transferring files between platforms from different manufacturers.
- Efficient coordination: Facilitates early detection of conflicts between specialties such as architecture, structure, and installations.
- Software independence: Allows participants to choose their tools without breaking the global information flow of the project.
The real challenge of interoperability
The true challenge does not lie in exporting an IFC file, but in ensuring that the receiving team can import it and find the precise information they need. Achieving a perfect and predictable exchange is, at times, the most complex goal in implementing collaborative BIM methodologies. The effectiveness of the process depends both on the correct configuration of the export and on the destination software's ability to interpret the data. 🎯