The BIM methodology, this new way of working in carrying out building projects that is being implemented in the daily life of companies. The advantages and digitalization of the processes are taken as a good investment of one's own resources, and when used well, they generate good work productivity and therefore success in the company's competitiveness.
The BIM implementation of companies goes through a economic analysis of the cost of software licenses on computer equipment. Especially in those small companies, where they do not have large projects, or the client is not demanding with the software. This opens up many possibilities for the use of BIM tools.
Traditionally in Spain, the 2D software par excellence has been and continues to be Autocad. In line of succession and from the same company Autodesk, the BIM software that is being imposed due to its potential and resources is Autodesk Revit. In addition, a new business model of license management through rental is imposed.
Like revit, there are different softwares with a lot of importance in the BIM sector such as Archicad, Allplan or Aecosim. In addition to being BIM software, they share something with each other: Their high licensing cost that makes those small companies that we have mentioned have an important barrier in making the BIM leap.
However, the software market is very broad and there are alternatives to those programs mentioned:
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Cype architecture (Free)
In the new 2021 version of Cype and its OpenBIM workflow, Cype evolve your IFC Builder software at Cype Architecture. Based on the Sketchup way of modeling and with nuances of Revit. Allows you to easily model all the architectural elements of a building.
The methodology is the same as in all Cype OpenBIM programs. It starts with a blank canvas where levels, views, CAD templates or any guide or reference are created.
Later we have a series of construction element commands Where to classify the enclosures. If we are talking about partitions, facades, etc. Very interesting is its own command to create pools, something that many BIM programs do not easily have.
The program will generate a simple model at the height of a LOD100. The tendency is to reach a light, functional model with the classification of elements to a minimum.
However, once modeled, we have the OpenBIM integration and the Bimserver center where we will have many tools to exploit the main potential of this workflow. Calculation of installations, thermal studies, energy certifications, calculation of structures, etc. many dimensioning tools that BIM programs do not reach.
In conclusion, Cype perfectly integrates the three parts of a BIM model. Architecture, structure and facilities, on a centralized platform, with the infinite number of tools that are proposed to us at the project level, capable of manage memories, measurements and documents. Remarkable about Cype's work, since every few months they make improvements to the program.
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Blender BIM (Free)
Also recently in 2020 and in the development phase, we have the Blender free software, par excellence, highly reputed in the field of animation, now has a plugin to make it fully functional for creating BIM models. This plugin simplifies the modeling of walls, carpentry, floors, ceilings, pillars, etc.
With high programming features, but at the same time making it complex to use, it allows creating functional models adapted to IFC formats.
It is part of the IfcOpenShell project, an open source library that allows anyone to manipulate IFC files.
On the contrary, analytical models of facilities and structures do not easily allow their development in a building project.
Perhaps it is a good complement for the animation of BIM models; a more powerful development of the tool is not ruled out in the near future. But surely in a few versions, we will be able to have a very interesting program where all the tools for project development in a single lightweight software, powerful and with a remarkable forum community.
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Edificius ACCA Software (€48/month)
Edificius is a software that allows us to carry out architectural models, assembly of plans and presentations and integration of a BIM workflow.
This software, in addition to implementing architectural elements, allows you to create structures and installations, along with real-time rendering.
In addition, it is supported with different plugins or tools that allow garden design, construction control using GANTT diagram, measurements, etc..
Having all the tools complete, intuitive, and focused on implementing the information correctly, makes a software very complete and stable.
This post has been prepared by our expert teacher in Software Cype and BIM methodology at the EIP International Business School, Sebastian Fernandez Cano, Technical Director aBIMa Engineering, learn more about him on his LinkedIn profile.
