ISG

buildingSMART's  Software  Implementer   Support   Group

News:

• Database containing IFC-compliant applications now online (12 Mar 2008)
  • The purpose of this database is to provide information about IFC-compliant applications. During the ISG-meeting in Prague the latest updates had been collected. This is a public beta-release of this database. Please report any issues which you may detect to the ISG-Coordinator.
  • >>>Access to the online-database
• Successful Certification Workshopand ISG-meting in Prague, on 25-27 Feb 2008
  • Following application passed the 1^st Step Certification with few conditions, which had been documented for future review:
    • Kymdata (export only)
  • Following application passed the 2^nd Step Certification with few conditions, which had been documented for future review:
    • Nemetschek-SCIA ESA-PT
  • During the ISG-meeting a lot of implementation issues had been discussed and it was decided how to solve them. The group also decided some new implementer agreements, which will be published on this website.
  • The ITM (buildingSMART's International Technical Mangement committee) installed a task-force with the goal to improve the current Certification Program and the level of quality of the IFC-interfaces. The group discussed this issue in detailed and provided valuable input.
• Successful Certification Workshop and ISG-meeting in Budapest, on 8-10 Oct 2007
  • Following application passed the 1^st Step Certification with some conditions, which had been documented for future review:
    • Kymdata (export only)
  • CBS-Pro (Robobat) presented good quality for import and they are currently working on the export.
  • Nemetschek-SCIA ESA-PT proved, that most of the issues from the Helsinki-workshop had been fixed. They are currently improving their IFC-interface in order to achieve 2^nd level certification.
  • Implementation for IFC support started at Revit-Structural and -MEP
• Successful Certification Workshop and ISG-meeting in Helsinki, on 21-22 May 2007
  • Following applications passed the 1^st Step Certification with some conditions, which had been documented for future review:
    • Nemetschek-SCIA ESA-PT
    • Nemetschek NA-VectorWorks
    • NorConsult IFC3DX: IFC import for Oracle CADView-3D
    • Vizelia Facility Management
  • The 2^nd Step Certification was passed by:
    • Progman MagiCAD (some issues left)
    • Vizelia Facility Management
  • At the same Certification Workshop also the conditions, which had been left from the last event in Boston, went through a review. The following applications proved that they got rid of most of the documented issues:
    • Archimen Active3D
    • Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture
    • Nemetschek-Allplan
    • Nemetschek-Graphisoft ArchiCAD
    • Bentley Architecture
    • DDS-CAD Building Service
    • Autodesk Revit Architecture
    • Solibri Model Checker
    • TEKLA Structures
  • A Certification Workshop can serve only for random examinations. Even more important is the preparation time before the workshop during which all available testing data has to be checked and feedback has to be provided by each participant. Therefore the effort invested into a certification rather has the character of a quality assurance over the period of the implementation than a quality control at one specific milestone. Participants expressed, that these certifications and the possibility to share experience between implementers are extremely valuable and helpful for them in order to achieve quality. It is important to understand, that with this certification the responsibility for the quality remains at each software vendor. With accepting the certification, the vendor also assures to resolve any occurring issues in the shortest possible time frame.
• Availability of IFC2x3 compliant software
  • Vendors of IFC2x3 compliant software will start shipping releases of their applications, which are supporting IFC2x3. If you need any detailled information, please get in contact directly with the vendor. Here is an overview, when these releases can be expected on the market (status of 25 April 2007):
    • IFC2x3 1st and 2nd Step Certified applications:
      • Active3D v4.0: April 2007
      • Allplan 2006.2: shipping starts in April 2007
      • ArchiCAD 11: Q2 2007
      • AutoCAD Architecture 2008: provided as an add-on, shipping date to be communicated by Autodesk
      • Bentley Arcitecture 8.9.3: 30.03.2007
      • DDS-CAD 6.4: Q2-2007
      • Revit Architecture 2008: a patch will be avilable, shipping date to be communicated by Autodesk
      • Solibri Model Checker: 30.04.2007
      • TEKLA Structures 13.0: 18.04.2007
    • IFC2x3 1st Step Certified applications:
      • MagiCAD: Q2 2007
• 24 May 2007: Helsinki (Finland), Finnish buildingSMART Seminar
  • Note: Date became re-confirmed to 24th May.
    On 31st May there will be another seminar in Helsinki, invited by the Finnish Senate Property.
  • Details available here >>>
• 21-23 May 2007: Espoo (near Helsinki, Finland), 1st and 2nd Step Certifications + ISG Meeting
  • Details available here >>>
• A pathfinder through IAI's websites
  • Some new subdomains of http://buildingsmart.com had been defined, in order to help to remember some specific sites more easily:
    • http://isg.buildingsmart.com is pointing to this site
    • http://ifc.buildingsmart.com is pointing to IAI's technical website
    • http://idm.buildingsmart.com is pointing to the development of the Information Delivery Manual
    • http://ifd.buildingsmart.com is pointing to the development of the international Dictionary
    • Maybe this concept will be adapted also by the other sites of IAI
• A new meeting point for application users and their software vendors

  • http://www.buildersnet.org is a new forum for users of IFC-compliant applications and their vendors. It was initiated and started by Bill East from the US Army Corps of Engineers, on 14th March 2007.

• New IFC2x3 1^st Step and 2^nd Step Certifications based on the Coordination View Definition
  • On March 12 and 13, a group of implementers had a very successful certification workshop in Waltham/Boston (USA).
  • The workshop for 1^st Step Certification was held on 12^th March 2007 and

·         DDS

o       DDS-CAD

·         Progman

o       MagiCAD

both are CAD-applications for building service, successfully passed. The detected issues are documented and will be retested during the next workshop.

The workshop for 2^nd Step Certification was held on 13^th March 2007 and the participating applications performed much better than anticipated. The vendors proved what the certification spec requires: they are able to implement high quality IFC-interfaces and have a process established that enables them to fix bugs in a short time frame. Therefore the following applications passed the certification under the condition, that the detected and documented issues will be resolved until the next clean-up-workshop in Helsinki, in May 2007. The IAI reserves the right to revoke the certification logo if those issues remain unresolved:

·         Archimem Group

o       Active3D

·         Autodesk

o       AutoCAD Architecture

o       Revit Architecture

·         Bentley

o       Bentley Architecture

·         DDS

o       DDS-CAD Building Service

·         Nemetschek

o       Allplan

o       Graphisoft ArchiCAD

·         TEKLA

o       Tekla Structures

·         Solibri

o       Solibri Model Checker

• 18. Apr 2007: London, buildingSMART Conference
  • Details see: http://www.buildingsmart.co.uk/
• 12.-14. Mar 2007: Waltham (Boston Area-USA), continued 1st- and starting 2nd-Step Certifications based on IFC2x3 and the "Extended Coordination View Definition"
  • Hosted by Autodesk, Inc.
  • Registration for the testing workshop on 12-13 Mar 2007 is closed, now.
  • Regstrations for the public workshop with User-Vendor-Roundtable on 14 Mar 2007 are welcome , due to limmited seats early registration is recommended. The deadline for this registration is 7 Mar 2007.
  • >>> Agenda, location, registration available here
• 9. Feb 2007: New Certification Specification released
  • New charging model
  • >>> Details available here 
• Earlier News
  • Can be found in the News Archive