Automate clash checks

Automate clash checks

van Es architecten is a forward-thinking firm dedicated to translating client visions into tangible structures. With a focus on collaboration and leveraging cutting-edge technology, they ensure that every project reflects both functionality and aesthetics. van Es architecten recognized the importance of maintaining the integrity and quality of their building designs throughout the project lifecycle. Leveraging their innovative spirit, van Es architecten has embraced 3D modeling from the early days, utilizing ArchiCad. As a technologically advanced firm, they were proactive in seeking tools that would streamline their processes and enhance collaboration. Verifi3D emerged as the ideal solution due to its advanced features tailored to the specific needs of architectural design.

Seamless collaboration.

The building design teams leverage Verifi3D’s integration with SharePoint to establish a centralized solution for collaboration. This integration facilitates streamlined communication and sharing of building design files (.ifc) among team members, ensuring that everyone works with the latest building design data. By consolidating project information in one environment, they uphold building design consistency and data quality, mitigating the risk of discrepancies caused by disparate data sources.

Advanced rule-based engine.

The advanced rule-based engine of Verifi3D has proven indispensable for building design teams, as it automates clash checks through customizable templates, significantly reducing manual checks and building design errors. This not only enhances data quality but also contributes to sustainability efforts by optimizing resource utilization and minimizing rework.

Automation of checks.

Even though building design models are received from multiple sources with varying quality, Verifi3D supports standardizing building design data and ensures consistent data quality through automated model checking. This means teams have better control over the quality of models, further reducing mistakes and saving time and resources during checks.

Powerful visualization for enhanced data insights.

Early insights into designs and sustainability are a priority for the building designs teams and the powerful visualization offered by Verifi3D ensures designs meet the highest standards of quality and compliance throughout the design process. With easy access to Meta datasets in the Data Viewer, users can ensure data integrity and maintain version control, ultimately leading to higher-quality and compliant designs.

“Leveraging Verifi3D isn’t just about adopting new technology, it’s about embracing a mindset of continuous improvement. Through its integration into our design process, our teams can collaborate more effectively and make data-driven decisions with confidence!”

Director/Architect

Contributor

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Xinaps

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Xinaps

Leverage Your CDE With BIM Data For Everyone

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Overview

Construction and engineering projects are complex and dynamic, involving multiple workflows that must be coordinated and managed effectively. However, the vast amount of information involved in these projects, combined with the various file formats and disconnected processes, can lead to inconsistencies in the building data. This can result in significant environmental and financial issues, such as scalability, revenue loss, misaligned project prioritization, and increased carbon emissions.

The Leverage Your CDE With BIM Data For Everyone, Verifi3D Special Edition is a guide to BIM model coordination and checking for improved workflow efficiency in building design. The book aims to help building designs teams get the most out of their Common Data Environments (CDEs)/file repositories!

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Strategic implementation of BIM: Enhancing model coordination and collaboration

Strategic implementation of BIM: Enhancing model coordination and collaboration

Did you know that the success of a BIM project depends on the ‘M’ in BIM? This crucial point stands for model, modeling, and management. Building Information Modeling (BIM) projects rely heavily on the effective management of the model, which encompasses not just the software and technology but also the processes and workflows involved. Without a clear strategy and well-defined processes, BIM projects can become chaotic and ineffective.

BIM models are often created as a result of an ad hoc software implementation, but this is preceded by a controlled process. With a strategic approach, you prevent uncontrollable and untargeted data. Strategic planning as a BIM team makes the difference between failure and success.

Fortunately, there are software solutions that support your BIM strategy and enable the digital process. Using software solutions designed for BIM processes can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of BIM projects. These tools help manage the data, facilitate collaboration among team members, and ensure that the model remains consistent and accurate throughout the project lifecycle. Strategic planning and the right software tools indeed make a significant difference in the success of BIM projects.

Start with strategic planning as a team before BIM implementation

There are countless reasons to start a project with BIM. With strategic planning, you manage not only the BIM objectives but also the delivery of crucial data to digital twins and other emerging technologies that digitally transform AECO operations. To achieve these goals, including the effective Common Data Environment (CDE), collaborative BIM planning ensures clarity, transparency, and collaboration, and prevents digital waste and misunderstandings. But above all, planning increases the financial return on a project. Consistent BIM management and model checking during the design phase can quickly detect costly errors. 

Finally, a well-thought-out BIM plan can significantly enhance project outcomes and pave the way for broader adoption and long-term benefits.

Model coordination

Model coordination is the heart of a successful BIM process. Various disciplines federate their models into a consistent and complete information model. It helps the team identify and resolve constructability issues or conflicts between various disciplines digitally before construction activities begin, preventing schedule and budget problems. Model coordination also improves collaboration and communication among project stakeholders, leading to continuous learning, more efficient project delivery and higher-quality outcomes.

Resolving coordination issues digitally before on-site activities is the most affordable, least disruptive, and most secure way to prevent issues. Model coordination ensures good field coordination, reliable cost analysis, accurate planning, improved communication, quality and compliance with safety standards.

Seamless collaboration of models and issue reporting

Close collaboration between different disciplines is essential for smooth collaboration of models. Various software tools can be used for this, such as planning tools, BIM authoring tools for model creation, CDEs for data storage and information exchange, model checkers and issue trackers. 

Integration is key to ensuring that issue trackers remain effective within the BIM environment. Issue tracking often poses a significant challenge due to the complex and interconnected nature of various project components. Traditional methods of issue identification and resolution often fall short of addressing the intricacies inherent in design workflows. Tracking issues across different versions while maintaining data integrity requires meticulous oversight and coordination. This is where Verifi3D emerges as an authority in model checking, offering more than just model coordination and clash checking unlike legacy tools and standalone issue trackers. With its powerful integration capabilities, Verifi3D provides a central hub to manage and report issues effectively. This integration is crucial for ensuring that issue trackers remain impactful within the BIM environment. Verifi3D empowers teams to make informed decisions, minimize risks and deliver successful outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.

Collaborative workflows in BIM

Automated clash detection can help prevent design errors, ad-hoc scope changes, and construction delays, while digitalized workflow integration can streamline the entire process. The templates and clear checklists for model checking are very useful for ensuring that all necessary information requirements documented in a BIM Execution Plan (BEP) are met. Verifi3D offers automated clash detection, which immediately identifies potential conflicts between different model parts, and workflow integration, which minimizes manual work. However, the tool also has templates for model checking and clear checklists with information requirements. Furthermore, Verifi3D improves communication between team members by generating clear reports on identified clashes and coordination issues. This ultimately significantly improves overall collaboration and model coordination.

Best practices for model coordination

How do you arrive at a good process for model coordination? There are many best practices, depending on the project workflow and business characteristics. Hence, project teams are encouraged to establish agreements and together define clear guidelines for best modeling practices, naming conventions, file organization, and model quality requirements. This ensures that each model is created and checked consistently and people who manage their scope of work can rely on their project partners for reliable and clean data.

Problems with information exchange and software version-specific compatibility issues can be prevented by using open data standards that support interoperability. While open standards like IFC can introduce inefficiencies, they are crucial for interoperability between different software and disciplines. Use them wisely, focusing on key data exchanges and avoiding excessive detail in the early stages. Ensuring that the data created during design and digital construction phases can be inherited into building management operations, BIM models are recommended to be compliant with COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange). COBie requirements support the organized transfer of asset information to facility management systems. This streamlines the handover process and improves the overall efficiency of the project.

Using automated clash detection tools to identify and resolve conflicts between different building elements early in the design process helps avoid unbudgeted rework and ensures frictionless coordination. Real-time reporting tools help monitor the progress of model coordination activities and track issues as they are identified and resolved. Transparency helps the team keep the project on schedule and supports timely decision-making. Reducing manual model checks prevents potential human error and increases the accuracy and efficiency of model coordination activities.

Successful companies with a strategic BIM strategy ensure automated clash detection, streamlined COBie support, real-time reporting and minimization of manual checks. This approach ensures efficient model coordination and collaboration within the BIM framework.

A look at the future

BIM usage on projects is growing rapidly. Emerging technologies like machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud-based collaboration are shaping the future of the AECO industry. Technology makes global real-time data exchange possible. Regional, national, international, and global regulations and standards are continuously being developed by industry experts to ensure uniformity in digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation of the growing digital construction industry. 

Verifi3D prepares you for this future. Verifi3D is the connecting factor between BIM tools, promotes collaboration and enables global data exchange directly. Another advantage: with the tool you are always assured that you comply with ever-changing regulations and standards.

Putting more focus on a good BIM strategy, model coordination, and collaborative workflows helps people understand how a BIM contributes to maximizing the outcomes of future projects. Verifi3D facilitates this and ensures a controlled BIM process with valuable data, and ultimately seamless collaboration of people and models.

Contributor

Vice President of Innovation
OAC Services, Inc.

Vice President of Innovation
OAC Services, Inc.

Decoding COBie: Understanding its true purpose in AEC

Decoding COBie: Understanding its true purpose in AEC

COBie is the opportunity for the supply-side of designers and constructors to deliver to the owner/operator the information needed to operate and maintain their facility from day 1. It can be thought of as a simple suitcase with the foam inserts with a place for everything needed with no wasted space or danger of the contents rattling around. It isn’t a 40ft shipping container you can fit (almost) anything into. But it is always an “information exchange” – a transaction that delivers information. Unfortunately, people have often projected all sorts of other expectations onto COBie, making success harder. 

Let’s look at some things that COBie is NOT, and why…

1. COBie is NOT a portfolio, asset or facility management application. COBie stands for “from Construction into Operations of Buildings – information exchange”. As an experience-hardened colleague once explained it can equally stand for “Can’t Operate a Building in Excel”. The point of a structured information exchange is to let suppliers collect the information without worrying about the owner/operators applications – which may be unknown or change.

2. COBie is NOT a digital twin. It is a snapshot taken at handover of the information held by the Constructor. Any additional drops prior to that are waypoints towards that handover. The only reason for preparing a COBie delivery package is if it is going to be loaded into an owner/operators application(s). 

3. COBie is NOT a Building Information Model. It only represents equipment, such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing and transport devices, and, on the structure and fabric side, only doors and windows, along with the context to find and identify them.

4. COBie does NOT need any specification of the equipment to be included. NBIMS v3 p215 gives a sufficient list of exclusions – in ISO19650 terms, NBIMS v3 standard IS the Exchange Information Requirement. COBie does NOT need to have the required attributes (properties) specified. Again, NBIMS v3 is sufficient. For example, only things that have a classification and a unique name are even candidates to be included. COBie does NOT need to be specified for relationships. Yet again, NBIMS v3 is sufficient, as it defines the cross relationships needed. Any piece of equipment must be related to a product Type and a Space . The Space must relate to a Floor. The product Type must be related to its Jobs and Spares.  

5. COBie does NOT need to have the required attributes (properties) specified. Again, NBIMS v3 is sufficient. For example, only things that have a classification and a unique name are even candidates to be included. 

6. COBie does NOT need to be specified for relationships. Yet again, NBIMS v3 is sufficient, as it defines the cross relationships needed. Any piece of equipment must be related to a product Type and a Space (or location) . The Space must relate to a Floor (or region). The product Type must be related to its Jobs and Spares.  

7. COBie does NOT have to be a spreadsheet. OK, it usually it is, as this is the most obvious way of making it checkable on the supply side and readable on the receiving side. An alternative is the subset of IFC defined in NBIMS v3.

8. COBie does NOT need to use Excel. It uses any spreadsheet software that supports using the open XLSX format which is a compressed XML. XLS is not COBie.

9. COBie does NOT necessarily come from BIM. Much of COBie should be in BIM by the end of the design stages but some of it just can’t be. The gathering of Contacts, Documents, and Jobs, Spares and Resources may have to be managed separately. Luckily, there are tools to merge spreadsheets.

10. COBie is NOT an isolated deliverable. It must include the schedule of associated documents , such as general arrangement drawings associated to Floors and Spaces or product data associated to Types.

11. COBie design sheets can NOT be exported from BIM, until you have added classification to Facility, Spaces and Types.

12. COBie does NOT have to contain US Omniclass. In the UK Uniclass is part of the UK Government Information Mandate and the UK National Annexes to the ISO19650 standards. There aren’t many other classifications systems that cover both Spatial and Physical objects.

To sum up, its vital to develop a repeatable process for creating COBie. That process must accurately filter your information, check for omissions and then lay it out exactly as required. COBie can be easy and it makes for a better handover!

Missed our webinar, “How to enhance your COBie design worksheet?” ft. Nicholas Nisbet and Ward Turkyeh?!

Sign up today for your exclusive session and acquire technical knowledge about COBie implementation!

Contributor

Owner at AEC3 and
Vice Chair at BuildingSMART UKI

Owner at AEC3 and
Vice Chair at BuildingSMART UKI

F1 applied to Design + Construction

F1 applied to Design + Construction

There is nothing quite like the moment of elation when you have become a champion. It is a brief moment of perfection that is the culmination of smart work, determination, deliberate practice and flawless execution. When you talk to champions, they all talk about the little things they focus on the attention to the details. Those details often deal with time; hours, minutes, seconds, hundredths or even thousands of a second can be the difference between a championship and second place.

Anyone who follows Formula 1 knows the phenomenon: everything revolves around seconds or less. During qualifying, a fraction of a second is crucial: it makes the difference between pole position and 6th or 7th place. But during the race, this difference can be as much as two laps. Why this difference?!

There are several reasons for this. Consider strategic choices made by teams around fuel and tyres, position on the grid and the driving style of the driver. In short, qualifying is all about maximum speed for a short period of time, while the race itself is a long and complex battle, where numerous factors influence drivers’ performance. Every second determines not only the difference in qualifying, but the entire course of the race.

Parallel to Design + Construction

In F1 each team designs their car to meet specifications and criteria laid down by the FIA and in Architecture the designers design a structure to meet the specifications of the client and the Authorities having jurisdiction over the location where it is going to be built.

Each F1 team must then construct the design which is often 16,000 pieces in a set duration to meet the racing season and in Architecture the contractor must contract and build the structure, which can be millions of pieces, in a set duration to meet the contract requirements.
F1 is the mixture of design, engineering, human physical performance, data science, heuristics, teamwork, money, and guts. Design + Construction is the mixture of design, engineering, human physical performance, data science, heuristics, teamwork, money, and guts.
In Design + Construction, very few have ever done the math that 8 hours = 28,800 seconds and that a $ 21,000,000 month in Work In Place equates to $1,000,000 per day divided by 28,800 seconds = $ 34.72, but there are a few who are striving for that championship who done the calculations.

In F1 superior design reduces defects that slow the assembly of the car through lost time of rework or slow the car during a race because it does not perform optimally. A superior design also breeds confidence in the humans who work with the car or drive the car enabling them to push the outside of what is possible reducing the time that outside influences such as weather or car crashes could affect them.

In Design + Construction, there are exponentially more pieces to assemble under time constraints affected by the weather and issues beyond our control, and yet we do not always see the similarities or take advantage of the tools and concepts used in F1.

Designed in quality and digitization can make seemingly insignificant differences at the beginning of a project and can have huge consequences for the end result. Fragmented information, disconnected processes, and different file formats of BIM models affect the quality of construction data. These factors, in turn, can lead to inaccurate decision-making, delays, and expensive remedial work and can even make the difference between profit or loss in a construction project.

To avoid these problems, it is crucial to pay attention to details from the start of a construction project, just like during qualifying races in Formula 1. An efficient process, seamless collaboration and identifying errors in the design process can spot potential problems before they grow into major issues.

Make a difference with model control

Committing to model checking is the first step for this. At Xinaps, we strongly believe that good model checking at the beginning of a project gives huge benefits at the end. Model checking tools optimize the design process and ensure accurate and reliable models. A good model checking tool can mean the difference between a successful project and significant losses.

So pay attention to the smallest details from the start. Just as this helps drivers maintain their lead, a good model control tool like Verifi3D can ensure successful project completion right from the design process. So, ready to take your construction project to pole position?!

Join Chris Heger and Ward Turkyeh in our upcoming webinar, “BIM model checking – From pit stop to project site” on the 14th of March 2024.

Sign up today and stay ahead in the construction race!

Contributor

CEO
Xinaps

CEO
Xinaps

Optimize BIM process

Optimize BIM process

OAC Services Inc., a leading construction management and consulting firm, has been at the forefront of delivering innovative and high-quality projects. With a commitment to excellence, OAC Services sought to enhance its building design processes by integrating data-driven solutions and stressed the importance of checking designs against building codes and standards. With a growing portfolio of complex projects, the firm recognized the importance of adopting a tool that could address the need for efficient clash detection, rigorous code compliance checks and a streamlined collaboration process among project stakeholders. To achieve these goals, OAC implemented Verifi3D as part of their technology and data-driven design strategy.

Enhanced collaboration.

OAC Services knew that collaboration among different stakeholders involved in a project was essential for maintaining compliance and meeting industry standards. Leveraging Verifi3D’s seamless integration with leading CDEs such as Autodesk BIM 360 ensured that everyone involved in the project had access to the most up-to-date and validated information. Thus, enhancing overall project coordination and real-time collaboration.

Advanced rule-based checks.

With its cloud structure and advanced rule-based engine, teams were able to automate and recreate standards into rule-based checks. This facilitated teams to adhere with COBie and the National BIM Standard-United States™ (NBIMS-US™), ensuring compliance and providing a layer of assurance, mitigating the risk of regulatory issues and costly revisions.

Streamlining COBie support with automation.

Creating COBie sheets can be overwhelming due to the volume of data in models. Verifi3D simplifies the process with its advanced Data Viewer in viewing the COBie parameters and attributes that are used in the COBie worksheet, ensuring accuracy and consistency. This results in significantly improved quality of building design data, eliminating manual errors and inconsistencies.

Real-time reporting.

The real-time reporting capabilities empowered teams to generate on-the-fly reports on the building design models, allowing the project teams to address, report and track issues promptly and maintain project timelines. By addressing potential issues early in the design phase, the teams were better equipped to adapt to changes and challenges in the dynamic construction landscape.

“Verifi3D not only enhances our current processes but also positions us at the forefront of innovation in construction management. The implementation into our building design process exemplifies the transformative power of data-driven decisions. Verifi3D is not just a tool, it’s a strategic advantage for OAC Services and a game-changer in the construction tech landscape!”

Vice President of Innovation

“Verifi3D not only enhances our current processes but also positions us at the forefront of innovation in construction management. The implementation into our building design process exemplifies the transformative power of data-driven decisions. Verifi3D is not just a tool, it's a strategic advantage for OAC Services and a game-changer in the construction tech landscape!”

Contributor

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Xinaps

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Xinaps

What if your BIM process could be more efficient and less error-prone?

What if your BIM process could be more efficient and less error-prone?

If your company utilizes BIM for construction projects, you understand the critical importance of streamlined workflows in facilitating effective coordination among designers, engineers, and contractors. Efficient workflows are the foundation for minimizing errors and challenges during both the design and construction phases, leading to superior end results. While manual workflows involve sequential steps performed manually, automated workflows leverage tools and software to enhance efficiency, reducing the margin for error.

"This is how we do it."

Are your current BIM workflows truly optimized? Even if everything is running smoothly, there’s always room for improvement. Many companies hesitate to adapt their workflows due to the comfort of familiarity, and the prospect of transitioning to new tools can be met with suspicion. However, making the switch to a new BIM validation tool, such as Verifi3D, can bring about numerous benefits without causing significant disruptions to existing processes.

Verifi3D facilitates a seamless transition within your current workflow, integrating effortlessly with your existing tools and providing support to simplify the model-checking process. Here are five operationally compelling reasons why switching to a new BIM validation tool is unequivocally worthwhile:

  1. Standardization: Achieve streamlined verification processes through predefined templates and rules and ensure consistent and high-quality models. Verifi3D offers geolocation- and discipline-specific templates, automating model checking without a drastic disruption of your workflow. This results in enhanced consistency, precision, and a unified approach across teams, also internationally.
  2. Real-time Issue Resolution: Identify and resolve problems in real-time and foster improved communication that leads to faster issue resolution. Verifi3D facilitates real-time collaboration, allowing immediate solutions management, reporting, and assignment of issues. This accelerates the feedback and feedforward loops, reducing remedial work in the final build process and delivering a superior product.
  3. Automation of Control Processes: Automate clash checking to detect and resolve conflicts early in the design phase, saving significant extra costs. Verifi3D provides clash detection algorithms and variable checks, enhancing troubleshooting before the construction phase and improving overall model quality.
  4. Flexibility and Scalability: Integrate seamlessly with your existing Common Data Environments (CDEs) and issue trackers, ensuring flexibility and scalability. Verifi3D adapts to your current environment, promoting cross-party collaboration and efficient issue management.
  5. Working with Standards: Implement and enforce standardized controls, such as Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie), Information Delivery Specifications (IdS), national standards, or custom sets, directly into your workflow. Verifi3D supports adherence to prescribed standards, reducing human errors early on and providing a common basis for project controls.

Make the switch effortlessly with Verifi3D!

Transitioning to this powerful software does not have to be complicated; it is about enhancing your work with a tool that simplifies and improves your processes. Xinaps, the developer of Verifi3D, is ready to support your journey without the need for a complete system overhaul. You can maintain your existing standards while benefiting from enhanced efficiency and quality. Additionally, as a cloud-based solution, Verifi3D ensures easy implementation and integration with your current systems and workflows.

Transitioning from manual workflows to automated tools is a strategic move towards error reduction and heightened efficiency. So, why wait? Step into the future of BIM model checking with Verifi3D—an innovative solution that not only understands your processes but propels you forward.

Contributor

Vice President of Innovation
OAC Services, Inc.

Vice President of Innovation
OAC Services, Inc.

Verifi3D: Model checking & validation

Verifi3D: Model checking & validation

With the recent redevelopment of its core display engine, broader support for CDE integrations and expanded functionality, Verifi3D offers easy-to-use model checking, validation and visualisation, writes Martyn Day.

With projects growing increasingly complex, the chances of conflicts in BIM data rise. Mature BIM tools have developed substantially over decades and are complex to learn, so individual skills can vary wildly within any company. And while most firms do have quality standards in place, checking output is typically done manually and good model checking processes are rare. Against a backdrop of constantly shifting industry standards, it’s no wonder that BIM workflows and deliverables are plagued with issues of data inconsistency.

With the industry now working towards the goal of more widespread use of digital twins, it’s never been more important that source BIM data is as error-free as possible, from a project’s initial design data to its as-built information.

Conventional tools for model checking and verification fall short of what many practitioners need today. They frequently run into problems when dealing with large datasets and diverse file formats. They require a high level of user knowledge, resulting in low productivity and error-prone outcomes. Such tools, like Navisworks, are typically standalone desktop applications, which simply aren’t designed for collaboration.

Verifi3D is a modern, cloud-based SaaS offering designed to help users overcome these issues. Developed by Xinaps, a company based in the Netherlands, it’s a rulesbased checking web solution, which supports the main design file formats (IFC, Revit and so on) and which integrates with the most popular common data environments (CDEs). These include Autodesk BIM 360, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore, Trimble Connect, Dropbox, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Aconex.

Since the last time that AEC Magazine looked at Verifi3D, the software architecture has undergone significant reworking. This was carried out in order to improve the system’s speed when it comes to loading, displaying and interacting with large models. New features have also been included, including big-ticket items such as clash detection.

What’s new in Verifi3D?

These new features are apparent right from the moment of log-in. Verifi3D now supports Microsoft single sign-on (as opposed to relying on Autodesk or Verifi3D credentials). Supporting Microsoft OpenID saves a lot of time that might otherwise be spent on IT security management – good news for IT admins.

The user home screen has also been tidied up, essentially guiding you through your workflow. Under the Organise menu, users access their projects, and connect to their CDE, where project files are imported. From there, the next stage is Classify, which provides the 3D viewer for graphical information and non-graphical BIM data and enables users to define elements based on their properties.

Once results come back from the Classify stage, the Validate stage carries out rule checks. There are four main checks: clash check, property check, free space check and (new for this release) duplicate check.

Report is the final stage of the process. When a clash or other issue is found, it is added to a report and gets synchronised with a supported issues tracker. Currently these are Newforma Konekt (formerly BIM Track), Autodesk BIM 360 Issues or BIMcollab.

Everything starts in the project tab. Various access rights can be allocated to project team members from Admin. Projects may be imported from the many CDEs supported or loaded from local file sources. Model Sets, meanwhile, can be built up from numerous sources, creating a federated model.

Verifi3D does not alter original files in any way. When models come in with different coordinate systems — a common issue when mixing IFC and Revit (.rvt) files — elements can be relocated.

Once that’s done, models are saved in the Verifi3D engine and optimised for cloud streaming by the Verifi3D service for display in a browser. This service effortlessly eats up multi-gigabyte models because the new proprietary model engine works mainly server-side — or in other words, in the cloud. (That’s a big change from the previous approach, in which Verifi3D relied on the Unity engine and thus on the CPUs and GPUs of the local desktop.)

One of the main enhanced features for Verifi3D is its clash detection capability

Right-clicking on any element brings up the properties section, enabling users to access all parameters within a BIM model. As Xinaps CEO Frank Schuyer claims, “We are the only developer that can merge Revit and IFC files into one federated model without losing any specific information. If you export from native Revit to IFC, you always lose specific information. We use the Forge engine (APS) for the conversion of Revit files to IFC.”

Filtering a model is based on propertybased search. Here, it’s easy to create groups of elements that can be coloured and saved for retrieval later on — for instance, all the fire doors in a federated project.

Filtered group searches don’t have to be specific to a particular Verifi3D session. They can be shared, eliminating duplicated effort. Verifi3D comes with some predefined filters, so users don’t have to create them from scratch. There is also an expanded Smart Filter function. It’s quick to find elements of a model that are under-defined so that they can get classified — such as missing category and property data, for example.

Verifi3D: Model checking & validation - COBiE

Verifi3D can be used to create COBie sheets. The developers are also looking to create further out-of-the-box COBie capabilities

Beyond the graphical elements of Verifi3D, this release offers powerful new Data View property tools for creating model filter sets. A new table view of elements can be edited to display userdefined table views of the elements in a federated model, based on categories that can be sorted, grouped and coloured to quickly achieve the desired filtered view or for isolation for export. This is useful for creating quantity take-offs, for example, and also ideal for creating COBie sheets. The Verifi3D team is working on expanding this capability to create further out-of-the-box COBie and IDS capabilities.

Verifi3D is fast becoming the Swiss Army knife for BIM data and its goal of replacing Navisworks, Solibri and some CDEs is starting to look pretty attainable

Martyn Day

One of the main enhanced features for Verifi3D is its clash detection capability. This can perform clash detections between one or more building objects within a BIM model, helping to identify potential issues early in the design process.

Clashes can be seen in 3D and 2D. They can be hard clashes, or ones based on defined tolerances. Verifi3D also offers a flexible reporting function, which collates results from all verification tests run and the resulting reports can be exported in various formats for easy sharing and collaboration.

Verifi3D is probably the easiest to use application for designing validation checks for models, in order to quickly identify inefficiencies, discrepancies and duplications. These checks can be individual or based on a collection of rules, such as object attributes, classifications, families and parameters. Guidelines and rule sets are crafted in XML format and can be either exported from or imported into Verifi3D for sharing and reuse. Everybody can use the same rules and can be used on Revit and IFC at the same time.

One important point to note is that Verifi3D doesn’t offer built-in issue tracking. According to Schuyer, issue tracking is something that most CDE offerings already provide. In other words, it’s a commodity feature – so Verifi3D is happy to integrate with those CDEs that already offer it, enabling customers to make their own choice.

Conclusion

As a cloud application, it’s not always obvious when Verifi3D has undergone major work. By its nature, it’s constantly under development. But this time around, there have been some big architectural changes in order to overcome previous performance limitations. At the same time, the team has gone even deeper into functionality, providing more advanced ways to filter, validate and generate reports.

In this latest release, it’s clear there has been a lot of work done on the non-visual side of filtering and generating data views from federated models. This opens up new possibilities for Verifi3D in quantity takeoff, reporting and more flexible COBie delivery. Verifi3D is fast becoming the Swiss army knife for BIM data and its goal of replacing Navisworks, Solibri and some CDEs is starting to look pretty attainable. To find out more, there is a 14-day free trial.

Contributor

Director, Editor and Journalist
AEC Magazine

Note: Original article can be accessed here: https://aecmag.com/software/verifi3d-model-checking-validation/

Verifi3D: Leading the way in model checking

Verifi3D: Leading the way in model checking

Good quality data plays an imperative key role in a world where construction projects are becoming increasingly complex, and in which digital technology is being embedded to create a more resilient future. The number of tools that help create, manage, and consume your data is also increasing. Model checking is the key component, and Xinaps is the expert in this process. Xinaps’ flagship solution thrives in digital environments, and Verifi3D revolutionizes how big data is managed with new standards, building codes, and evolving design processes.

Companies that embrace Building Information Modeling (BIM) often invest heavily in Common Data Environments (CDEs), a central repository where all project information is collected, managed, and shared. Building design data is complex and the value of the CDE depends on the quality of the data. In an industry where data is often siloed and fragmented, the use of manual model checking processes results in data inconsistency.

Data quality is the key

The success of construction projects depends on the accuracy and reliability of data. Data is refined into information that is shared across the project team and applied as knowledge to best practice. If data in the CDE does not meet the requisite quality standards, the consequences can cause significant delays and financial losses: inconsistent data can lead to expensive remediations, budget burning delays, and inaccurate decision-making.

The European approach to BIM standardization emphasizes the importance of automated data validation and acknowledges model checking as a critical factor for achieving, for example, environmental sustainability goals. Decision makers, whether individuals or teams, make strategic decisions based on a range of key performance indicators and factors, such as budget, schedule, human and materials resources, and usable information. People need technological support to make objective, well-thought-out decisions. This is where Verifi3D becomes a core tool.

The promise of BIM control

Model checking tools increase the value of data hosted in the CDEs. Model checkers run well defined rule engines to thoroughly check what is in the BIM model and what is hosted in supportive project documents. They provide detailed reports and summaries that ensure the project complies with applicable standards, codes, and regulations.

Legacy model checking tools struggle with different data formats. They often offer limited functionalities and require deep end-user expertise. Lack of knowledge might make design process validation difficult, and checking errors can lead to rework and delays. Additionally, legacy tools often run as desktop applications, which limits real-time collaboration and mobility in hybrid work. The limited integration options with other systems pose an additional budget challenge.

Errors and risks in the construction process are becoming more difficult to prevent and resolve with legacy tools that require manual input and output. The labor heavy processes lead to stretched project lead times and additional costs, as people are manually identifying and correcting building design errors. Moreover, manual validation work hinders smooth cooperation between different stakeholders in construction projects because people are spending time on non-value-adding work.

Transitioning to the future with Verifi3D

Xinaps takes construction project data control to the next level with Verifi3D. Verifi3D is showcasing unmatched power in model checking and the end-user experience. The platform improves collaboration between different stakeholders and introduces the most effective approach to BIM data validation. Verifi3D is a cloud-based solution that supports multiple file formats and provides seamless integration with leading CDEs. Verifi3D becomes a user-friendly single source of truth for the entire project team. Anyone involved in the building design process can get started quickly as the solution is accessible and does not require extensive training. Verifi3D is extremely fast at loading design models and has a powerful viewer with a handy filter function and an advanced rule-based search engine. Verifi3D makes it easy to detect model clashes and optimize the project workflow.

In an industry where speed, efficiency and collaboration are essential, Verifi3D stands at the forefront of digital transformation with inclusive collaboration. It is time to welcome next-gen tools and embrace Verifi3D as the new platform for model checking. Let us take the step to the future of construction projects together, empowered with Verifi3D. So, why wait?

Contributor

Vice President of Innovation
OAC Services, Inc.

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Verifi3D by Xinaps

Vice President of Innovation
OAC Services, Inc.

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Verifi3D by Xinaps

How to connect Verifi3D with Google Drive?

How to connect Verifi3D with Google Drive?

1. Navigate to the login and sign up page

2. Sign up for a new account or log in to Verifi3D with your Verifi3D credentials

3. To see the Projects overview page, click on the “Go To Projects” button

4. Click on the button “Add Project From” and from the dropdown select “Google Drive”

5. You will need to authenticate yourself with your Google Drive credentials

6. Once authenticated, your Google Drive projects will automatically appear in the Verifi3D environment

7. You can find the content of your Google Drive in Models > Model Browser.

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Contact us today to receive a proposal and take advantage of our Verifi3D and Google Drive integration!

Contact us today to receive a proposal and take advantage of our Verifi3D and Google Drive integration!

Contributor

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Xinaps

Milu Sini Lal

Marketing Executive
Xinaps