The IFC Engine is a STEP Toolbox with ability to generate 3D geometry for all popular versions of the IFC schema. The component is able to load, edit and create Step Physical Files (as well as the XML notation) and their schema’s via its own object database. This includes all currently available IFC versions. For IFC 2×3 TC1 files (earlier versions like IFC 20LF and IFC 2×2) and also for IFC 4 ADD2 TC1, IFC4x1 and IFC4x2 the geometry is generated.

The development started in 2001 and was commercialized in 2006. With over 85 software companies using it today in more than 110 different software solutions and 250 updates per year over the last 5 years it is a reliable and widely used product.

Why IFC Engine?

Speed & Scalability

Multiplatform

The embedded Geomery Kernel

Reliability and Support

Price and availability of Source Code

Download example application with the example source code and try the product yourself.

2. IFC Viewer

The most flexible IFC viewer existing!

Overview

This IFC viewer is free to use and redistribute both commercially and non-commercially. The IFC viewer is available in 32 and 64 bit and works on Windows 2000, XP, 7 and 8. It is build around the IFC Engine DLL and all source code is available. If needed also the complete source code of the IFC Engine DLL is available, this requires a company wide license.

In case you change/update the source code and want to redistribute the changed viewer including the IFC Engine DLL please contact RDF Ltd. for possibilities and requirements. Using and redistributing this changed/updated versions within your own company is allowed.

Alternatives

The standard viewer downloaded is a 32/64 bit C++ implementation based on DirectX 9 and Unicode support. When you download the source code you find also the source code of alternative solutions, available at this moment:

·32/64 bit Windows C++ version based on DirectX 9 and Unicode

·32/64 bit Windows C++ version based on DirectX 9 and 8 bit character set

·32 bit Windows C# version based on DirectX 9 and 8 bit character set

We are busy building the following solutions:

·32/64 bit Linux C++ version based on OpenGL and 8 bit character set

·32/64 bit MAC OSX C++ version based on OpenGL and 8 bit character set

IFC Engine DLL

All examples are build around the IFC Engine DLL (under Linux and OSX it is compiled as a library). The IFC Engine DLL itself is a commercial product from RDF Ltd. Both these examples and the IFC Engine DLL are not open source projects, however all source code is available (in the context of the DLL a companywide license is required). The source code for the examples is free to reuse, also in software not using the IFC Engine DLL itself.

More info can be found on IFC Engine

3. IFC Editor

Example tool in C++ and C# how to access any instance or entity in an IFC file and its schema.

Overview

The IFC Editor is developed in C++ and C# on top of the IFC Engine library. It allows the user to access any entity and attribute in the loaded schema. Also it allows the user to access any instance in the loaded IFC file walking through the direct and inverse relationships. As it comes with source code in both C++ and C# for 32 bit as well as for 64 bit it allows developers to understand and/or copy-paste any relevant part of the source code to improve any third party application. The left pane visualizes the loaded schema, while the right pane visualizes the loaded IFC file. Any instance available in the loaded IFC file as well as any attribute for each individual instance can be retrieved, everything works via the standard API callas as available in the IFC Engine library.

The right pane allows users via the right mouse button to export geometrical representations of each individual instance, not the IFC Engine is able to export geometrical representations of much more entities as just instances inheriting from IFCOBJECT or boundary representations, any geometrical related instance has geometrical output. The generated geometrical output can be loaded in the example applications 3DEditor and RDF Viewer as can be found in the example package. All tools come with source code and are developed to help implementors understand the use and behavior of the IFC Engine.

The tool might also be of interest for technical end-users of IFC files, This tool is free to use for any commercial or non-commercial purpose in the state it is given. Software developers that allow adjust or use part of this solution pay only for the use of the underlying IFC Engine. Pricing named is for redistribution of the underlying IFC Engine library for commercial purposes.

4. IFC WebGL

Conversion from any IFC file towards JSON with optionally JavaScript integrated to work stand-alone in any HTML Browsers, incl. MacOS, iOS, Windows, Linux and Android support.

Overview

You can convert BIM files towards 3D HTML content. The HTML content works on:

·Windows Machines with any modern browser supporting HTML5 / WebGL

·Linux Machines with any modern browser supporting HTML5 / WebGL

·Mac’s with macOS or OS-X

·Any modern Apple device running iOS (including iPhones and iPads)

·Any modern smartphone / tablet running Android

·Any modern smartphone / tablet running Windows Mobile 8 or 10

The following file formats can be converted:

·IFC 2×3 TC1 and IFC 2×3 Final

·IFC 4, IFC 4 ADD1 and IFC 4 ADD2

·Older IFC formats including IFC 20 LF, IFC 2x and IFC 2×2

·Collada without textures as .dae files

·Collada with textures embedded in a .zip file

The conversion has to be applied on a 64 bit Windows machine.

Process

·Download the application and unzip it anywhere on your 64 bit Windows machine

·Run RDFWebFactory.exe

Select your file to convert

Select the target directory where to build up the HTML content

·After running the result is locally shown on your PC

·Move the complete directory within created web-2022-12-12-12-00-00 to your HTML server and link [SERVER + PATH]/webgl/index.html or just [SERVER + PATH]/webgl

Restrictions

·The solution as a package is allowed to be used and distributed unlimitedly commercially and non-commercially

·You are allowed to change the solution for use within your company, i.e. different HTML pages (header / footer), images, etc. In this case the solution is to be used within your company and for your company models only

·It is a result from the EU project Proficient, therefore it did not reach the highest readiness level yet. Any feedback on issues you might find is very welcome. Issues will be fixed when this can be done in reasonable time and effort

Source Code

·The source code from the converter is available on request for free

·The source code from the DLL’s used is available via a company-wide license of the different products used

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