OpenBIM Manufacturer Content

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OpenBIM is all about making access to data and interoperability easy and lossless. Manufacturer content, such as you can find online at sites like BIMobject, typically offer to designers as files authored in proprietary formats specifically for an intended software platform. Examples are

• RFA (Revit Family) files suitable for Autodesk Revit
• SKP files design for Trimble SketchUp
• 3DS (3D max) designed for Autodesk 3D Studio Max
• GSM files designed for Graphisoft ArchiCAD
• Drawing (DWG) files designed for Autodesk AutoCAD, but widely supported
• Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) files designed for exchange with Autodesk AutoCAD, and widely supported
• FBX files
• Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) files designed to be cross platform
• OBJ files
• STL files
• STEP files

(descriptions of these file formats should be expanded)

Each file format has different strengths and weaknesses. This articles focuses on interoperability and use of open formats.

There are several advantages in using Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) as a format for manufacturer content.

• There is some ability to store some parametric geometry
• IFC is an a widely supported open file format
• All the information contained in an IFC file is available to the owner of the file

There are also some disadvantages to using IFC

• Each geometric object can only have one material
• Parametric controls are limited