Simply over a decade in the past, undertaking customers who have been working with BIM –knowledge and fashions have been burdened with many handbook processes. One of many largest ache factors occurred when professionals in contrast totally different variations of the BIM mannequin to determine the sort of adjustments required throughout the design course of. This required BIM customers to take care of giant knowledge units as your entire mannequin needed to be exchanged as a bulk of knowledge. The method was handbook, unclear, and required important time and effort.  

However in 2014, buildingSMART helped drive a extra collaborative means of working with wealthy BIM mannequin knowledge. The group developed an open customary to allow straightforward and quick data trade between totally different software program options, like the Business Basis Courses (IFCs) mannequin sharing customary, however for issues.  

Now, image this: you’re engaged on an vital worldwide undertaking, and also you wish to analyze points raised to know what adjustments should be made to the BIM mannequin and so do different architects and design groups engaged on the identical mannequin and undertaking. 

You might be working with varied design groups working in totally different software program purposes. It is advisable export subject data together with feedback, picture attachments, and extra BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) customary fields, in addition to share it with different architects. If they’re working in a distinct design software program resolution, the collaboration course of turns into advanced as every staff wants to research these adjustments in options that don’t communicate the identical language. This ends in a protracted and non-collaborative workflow and the shortcoming to successfully talk required adjustments. 

Aside from that, there are particular international locations the place BCF is required on many of the tasks for collaborative design and operation data trade, similar to Norway. For international locations like Denmark and Sweden, BCF is the specified format for exchanging coordination points knowledge.  

Introducing BCF Export for Autodesk Building Cloud 

With BCF export launch in Autodesk Building Cloud and BIM 360, customers can now export points to BCF file from the mannequin viewer, get the file emailed again to them, and proceed their workflow by importing the file into different BCF suitable software program. Alongside the method, Autodesk Building Cloud or BIM 360 act as the primary hub on your undertaking points, and for all undertaking points as soon as we launch BCF import capabilities. 

“Our predominant purpose with aligning to BCF customary for sharing points is permitting cross-ecosystem workflows,” says Oren Aghion, Senior Product Supervisor, Autodesk Building Cloud. “This could assist scale back the time and price round unplanned roadblocks and make building tasks extra environment friendly.”

BCF Export helps the next: 

• Feedback, picture attachments, chosen mannequin components, digital camera view, and subject thumbnail  
• Exports from inside a single subject or bulk export utilizing the problems aspect panel in a mannequin viewer, and get it emailed to person 
• RVT and IFC information 

When to Use BCF Export 

BCF format permits your groups to speak the details about the objects in your mannequin and improves IFC-based processes. It helps your groups determine and trade model-based data via subject exports between BIM software program instruments, streamlining workflows and minimizing the variety of steps that should be taken all through the design course of.  

As soon as points are exported, they might be pushed into one other BIM software program utilized by undertaking stakeholders. As soon as all of the adjustments are made to the mannequin, the mannequin may be uploaded again to Autodesk Building Cloud or BIM 360 for all members of the undertaking to proceed working in a single widespread knowledge atmosphere supported by in depth undertaking and account stage analytics and insights to assist undertaking groups additional mitigate and forestall dangers. 

“We wish to take away the boundaries between design stakeholders and contain extra of us within the workflow. The purpose is to scale back dangers and price by fixing points extra effectively. BCF integration empowers the platform to dig its tentacles into different software program options, thus selling a optimistic consequence with decreased effort.”

– Abbas Malik, Digital Lead at Skanska Sweden

BCF export in Autodesk Building Cloud advantages your groups because it: 

• Promotes a extra collaborative atmosphere throughout the design course of  
• Permits groups to export and analyze wealthy mannequin knowledge 
• Helps extra environment friendly and exact coordination and subject administration workflows 
• Helps to satisfy worldwide trade necessities and permits corporations to broaden their undertaking footprint in different international locations  
• Helps open requirements the place we nonetheless allow you to select the place to carry your personal knowledge, even if you’re working with non-Autodesk merchandise 

The Way forward for Collaboration with Mannequin Information is Shiny

With a purpose to help efforts targeted on enabling collaborative atmosphere for undertaking groups, Autodesk has turn into a strategic member of the buildingSMART Worldwide Affiliation. buildingSMART has adopted the Open BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) as a buildingSMART customary again in 2014 and continues exploring the trade to help the continual growth of processes and workflows.  

So, what’s subsequent?  

We acknowledge the significance of enabling your undertaking and design groups to have all of the capabilities supporting collaborative mannequin data trade, which is why our R&D staff continues to develop additional capabilities, the BCF import being certainly one of them. Keep tuned and subscribe to our weblog to study upcoming releases! 

Study extra about all July releases throughout Autodesk Building Cloud unified platform right here.