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Developed IFC, Revit to OBJ, and RCS Conversion Solutions
Client Name
HELIX RE, Inc.
HELIX RE, a forward-thinking company born out of Google X, is setting new standards in architecture and construction through digital twinning. By creating hyper-accurate digital representations of physical buildings, HELIX RE is not just reshaping the way we think about architecture but also transforming the way buildings are designed, constructed, and maintained. With groundbreaking technology, they provide digital twins that offer unparalleled accuracy, speed, and cost efficiency empowering architects, engineers, and contractors to work smarter and faster.
HELIX RE’s ambitious project includes converting complex file types and ensuring seamless interoperability across various formats. Key deliverables include:
- IFC to OBJ Conversion with Metadata: Efficiently converting IFC files to OBJ format, preserving important model data and properties.
- Revit to OBJ Conversion with Metadata: Streamlining the process of converting Revit models to OBJ format, including all relevant metadata.
- Helix Revit Addin Creator: Building a custom tool for Revit to optimize workflows and enhance model interaction.
- RCS Converter: Converting point cloud data into Autodesk’s RCS (Reality Capture Scan) format for improved processing.
HELIX RE faced several challenges in optimizing the storage, querying, and utilization of building model data:
- Efficient Data Storage: Extracting model data from IFC and Revit files (both tessellation data and metadata) into two custom files for improved database storage and faster querying.
- Revit Model Creation: Converting raw entity data into a full Revit model, as the input data alone could not create a complete model.
- Point Cloud Conversion: Extracting and converting point cloud data (including points, color, intensity, and normals) into RCS format to facilitate easy integration into Autodesk Recap.
To overcome these challenges, HELIX RE implemented cutting-edge solutions that ensured high efficiency, fast processing, and flawless interoperability:
IFC and Revit to OBJ & JSON Serialization:
- The team used a 3rd party SDK to serialize tessellation data into OBJ format while capturing the metadata and properties in a custom JSON format.
- The Teigha BIM SDK was employed to export the tessellation data as OBJ files and the metadata in a structured, easy-to-use JSON format. Additionally, view data was exported in PDF and SVG formats, enhancing usability and versatility.
Automated Revit Model Creation:
- Using APS Design Automation for Revit API, the team successfully deserialized structured data from entity information, generating individual Revit entities to build the complete model. This automated process reduced manual effort and increased the overall speed of model creation.
Point Cloud Conversion to RCS:
- Autodesk Recap SDK was used to collect LAS, LAZ, or EPT point cloud data and convert it into the RCS format. This process ensured that the point cloud data was accurately represented, capturing points, color, intensity, and normals ideal for further manipulation and analysis in Autodesk’s Reality Capture tools.
- Enhanced Data Accuracy: The use of advanced digital twinning technology ensures precise, real-time digital representations of physical buildings, improving the accuracy of architectural and construction models.
- Faster Querying and Storage: By converting and structuring model data into OBJ and JSON formats, HELIX RE enables faster database queries, reducing the time needed to access and analyze building information.
- Increased Efficiency in Model Creation: Automated processes, such as the use of APS Design Automation for Revit API, allow for faster generation of complete Revit models from raw data, reducing manual effort and enhancing workflow efficiency.
- Seamless Interoperability: The ability to convert various file formats (e.g., IFC, Revit) into OBJ and RCS formats ensures smooth interoperability between different software tools, improving cross-platform collaboration.