Entrant details
Role or Job Title on the Project
CTO, Chief Scientist, and Co-founder
Employer
Employer Role
Technology or Software Development Company
Are you or your employer a member of buildingSMART?
Yes - Chapter Member
Submission details
Submitting Party Company Name
BIM & Scan
Submitting Party Company Location
Dublin, Ireland
Submitting Party Role on Project
Inventor, Designer, Developer
Submitting Party Company Website
Full Project Name
BIM & Scan AutoCorr and AutoGen
Project Location (Country)
Ireland
Project Objectives
We have developed a software called AutoGen that can automatically create IFC CV 2.0 MVD files from open standard E57 point clouds, and a second cloud based software called AutoCorr that automatically checks the automatically generated IFC models.These patent pending software algorithms have many use cases. AutoGen creates LOD 200 Architectural and Structural Models to speed up the Scan-to-BIM process, While AutoCorr is a Scan-vs-BIM solution that not only check AutoGen models, but is used for manual Scan-to-BIM checking, As-Built handover BIM checking, construction monitoring, etc. AutoCorr creates automatic BCF messages of all issues found and automatic camera viewpoint too.
openBIM Achievements
Novel use of BCF. Automatic IFC coordination models from point clouds. Automatic object recognition using IFC and point clouds.
openBIM used
IFC 2x3, BCF, MVD
openBIM or open standards used other than those listed above
Software used
BIM & Scan AutoCOrr and AutoGen, Archicad, BIMcollabZoom, Revit, NAvisworks, etc.
Highlights
By using AutoGen, 1/3 of the project duration was saved, and to add more savings and value, AutoCorr was used for Automatic QA/QC. For example, poured concrete columns were automatically generated for a 6 storey building. Each column was unique. AutoCorr check all columns aromatically for accuracy, then outputted a BCF for all columns with camera views, showing each and all column were 100% correct within the user specified tolerance.
Project Website
Project Address
4E Fingal Bay Business Park, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Project Type
Commercial
Size of Project
€1.5M commercial product: BIM & Scan AutoCorr V1.4, and currently bringing to market BIM & Scan® AutoGen V1.0.
Detailed description of the project
AutoGen and AutoCorr are built on ISO 16739 data model/schema. AutoCorr consumes ISO 10303-21 IFC SPFs, while AutoGen generates them. For workflow and software vendor purposes, we chose the CV 2.0 MVD. While this MVD works well, it is envisaged we use the IFC4 DTV going forward because in both workflow cases when using AutoGen and AutoCorr, the model is meant to at some point be edited. Do to lack of workflow support by Graphisoft, Autodesk, etc we have chose to not serialise DTV MVD files at this time. When we get confirmation form vendor headquarters of full DTV support, then we shall serialise DTV MVD files or graphs, e.g. RDF, to be utilised in practice.
Having IFC as the backbone of our tools, opens many door to opportunity that would have otherwise been shut if we chose a proprietary route to development. These software have been used on many real world projects showing drastic improvements in speed, efficiency, quality, and value. The previous submitted PPT shows a few of these projects.
One very unique feature that has yet to be developed by anyone else, is our automatic BCF reports and camera views for all entity type objects for full account ability. Where as planned objects deviate from the built assets, these deviations are serialised automatically in a new patent pending semantic point cloud enriched by correspondence colour representation of the IFC type itself. This has never been done before AutoCorr was invented and this feature plus the auto BCF for dimensional compliance control, we hope are worthy of an awards submission to bSi. On top of that, we bring to the world automatic IFC models from point clouds to be used on real projects. BIM & Scan AutoCorr is an open standards based tool developed for automatic model or construction validation utilising IFC CV 2.0 SPF's, E57 formatted Point cloud data, and automatically created BCF issues for all IFC object entity types to ensure 100% objectivity and accountability. BIM & Scan AutoCorr automatically highlights any variations between the point cloud and coordination model file using a user specified tolerance. The software utilizes open standards IFC, BCF, and E57 to communicate and compare design BIMs to corresponding point clouds within a given tolerance. It automatically creates a semantic point cloud and BCF camera views with comments, which enables quick informed decisions. The AECO, can now quickly make quality assurance decisions to either modify the as-built BIM or correct the construction on site.
As for AutoGen, it creates IFC coordination models directly from the point cloud, formatted using ISO 10303 Part 21, i.e. STEP Physical File Format (SPFF). More specifically, it creates IFC2X3TC1 Coordination Model View Definition (MVD) files using the IFC Schema Version 2X3TC1 and the Coordination View 2.0 MVD (CV 2.0 MVD). However, the AutoGen is not limited to IFC model creation in SPFF, nor this particular schema and MVD versions. For example, IFC4 (e.g. IFC4.3 RC1, etc.), IFC5 (e.g. IFC5.0.1 or IFC5.1.0, etc.), and future ISO 16739 data models and schema versions are optional to IFC2X3TC1,
AutoGen covers the case where the MVD concept may be eliminated or replaced with alternative sub-set schema definitions and alternative exchange mechanisms because the algorithm is not bound by the MVD concept. Any format can be used as long as it conforms to the ISO 16739 IFC data model standard specification as per stated in the standard itself. Some examples are ISO 10303 Parts 26 and 28, and outside of the ISO 10303 STEP family formats such as ifcXML, ifcJSON, Turtle, RDF and ifcOWL. Said alternative IFC formats are inclusive of web based exchange of IFC model data warranting AutoGen to be not limited to file based exchanges on personal computers, of which at this moment in time, due to vendor adoption of said standards, ISO 10303 Part 21 is the predominant format chosen for the exchange of IFC data. AutoGen is not limited to the IFC2X3 CV 2.0 MVD, it is utilized at this time due to wide support of the IFC2X3 schema. In fact, AutoGen can read and write using any IFC Schema, e.g. the creation of an IFC4 Design Transfer View MVD model, which is envisaged to be the next most supported MVD by vendors for the editing of parametric models in IFC format and is suited most for the next version of AutoGen.
Detailed description of openBIM on the project
AutoGen and AutoCorr are built on ISO 16739 data model/schema. AutoCorr consumes ISO 10303-21 IFC SPFs, while AutoGen generates them. For workflow and software vendor purposes, we chose the CV 2.0 MVD. While this MVD works well, it is envisaged we use the IFC4 DTV going forward because in both workflow cases when using AutoGen and AutoCorr, the model is meant to at some point be edited. Do to lack of workflow support by Graphisoft, Autodesk, etc we have chose to not serialise DTV MVD files at this time. When we get confirmation form vendor headquarters of full DTV support, then we shall serialise DTV MVD files or graphs, e.g. RDF, to be utilised in practice.
Having IFC as the backbone of our tools, opens many door to opportunity that would have otherwise been shut if we chose a proprietary route to development. These software have been used on many real world projects showing drastic improvements in speed, efficiency, quality, and value. The previous submitted PPT shows a few of these projects.
One very unique feature that has yet to be developed by anyone else, is our automatic BCF reports and camera views for all entity type objects for full account ability. Where as planned objects deviate from the built assets, these deviations are serialised automatically in a new patent pending semantic point cloud enriched by correspondence colour representation of the IFC type itself. This has never been done before AutoCorr was invented and this feature plus the auto BCF for dimensional compliance control, we hope are worthy of an awards submission to bSi. On top of that, we bring to the world automatic IFC models from point clouds to be used on real projects.
Benefits from using openBIM
Building our tools on IFC allows many things. Firstly, when using our solutions, you do not need to buy some new design app or viewer, you simply use the one you already have and use to do your daily job! Secondly, without the afforded BCF for messages like in AutoCorr, humans could not actually solve the scale of the problem by manually creating issues for all objects. One semiconductor and airport facility projects in particular, there are simply too many objects and assets on the sites for humans to investigate all issues. openBIM now enables such solutions where prior, folks frankly pretended to be solve issues. On another note, AutoGen automatically create IFC coordination models and folks can now immediately use the results as bases of design, e.g. during retrofit, or simply planning. Then these models can be amended in the native tool if needed because they are automatically linked to the design app API via the IFC data model. Very elegant workflow when used correctly.
"We were able to innovate using openBIM."
Indeed! :) Thank you openBIM...
"We were able to identify where we need openBIM to develop further."
Indeed. We are using the CV 2.0 MVD for now, and looking forwad to the day the IFC4 DTV MVD is being used in this new novel way.
BIM Uses were defined on the project
I agree to be contacted about the project BIM uses outside of this awards program.
Stakeholders
BIM & Scan, Dublin, Ireland,
https://bimandscan.com, Software Development, shawn.okeeffe@bimandscan.com
