IFC Support

VisualARQ includes a built-in IFC import and export plug-in, which makes it possible to exchange IFC 2×3 and IFC 4 files between Rhino and other AEC software packages.

What is IFC?

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file format is a standard way of exchanging objects in the building industry to reduce the loss of information when transmitting files between different applications.

For more information see: www.buildingsmart.org

What kind of information does VisualARQ export/import through IFC?

Smart and associative architectural objects

Objects & Parametric information

VisualARQ objects (walls, doors, beams, slabs, etc…) are exported and imported keeping their parametric properties and built-in information. This interoperability varies on the object type and capabilities of each piece of software in reading and exporting IFC files.

Site-Buildings-Levels

The information about the site, buildings, levels, spaces, and location of objects is stored in IFC files, and recognized by VisualARQ, which will recreate them in the Level Manager.

Add Custom data to geometry

Custom data

The custom information added to geometry with the custom parameters feature is stored in IFC files. This feature allows users to include information such as material properties, cost per unit, and other custom metric information directly associated with any object in the model.

IFC types

VisualARQ objects are exported and imported as the object type they are, but other objects can get any IFC type with the IFC Tag feature. These types can be assigned by layer from the IFC Export Options dialog.

Video.

Geometry

Geometry is always stored in IFC files. VisualARQ offers an option to export and import large IFC files very quickly when users are just interested in visualizing the geometry without any data or parametric properties on it.

Where is IFC supported?

IFC is supported in most of the structural MEP and architectural software packages, and in many of the applications involved in building information modeling (BIM): Solibri Model Viewer, Revit, AutoCAD® Architecture, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Tekla BIMsight, Navisworks….

The following software applications have been used to test the generated IFC files:

We have tested the interoperability of VisualARQ with the following software through IFC:

Revit

The following video shows how to export an architectural model from Revit to Rhino and from Rhino to Revit through IFC file format

See this full guide to learn how to exchange models between Rhino and Revit through IFC.

ArchiCAD

The following video shows how to export an architectural model (the Ville Savoye) created with Rhino and VisualARQ to IFC format for ArchiCAD.

Solibri

The following video shows how to export an architectural model (the Ville Savoye) created with Rhino and VisualARQ to IFC format for Solibri.

Here you can find a list of software products supporting IFC: https://www.ifcwiki.org/index.php/Commercial_Software

Is VisualARQ certified by buildingSmart?

VisualARQ IFC 2×3 and IFC 4 import and export features fulfill the requirements to be certified software by buildingSmart. However, we at the VisualARQ team prefer to invest in development to provide a successful IFC import and export functionality rather than paying a fee to appear in that list.