IFC Viewer app or build your own web app

In the article 6 Reasons to think about BlenderBIM Add-on

I discussed the opportunity of using the IFC format and the new wave of software development in the AEC industry. With the BlenderBIM add-on, you can view and check models in the IFC format. However, sometimes we need easy and simple tools to view models, or we might want to show our models to someone who doesn’t have Blender or can’t use it. ArchiCAD users have BIMx, and Revit users have Architecture Construction Cloud (which is called early BIM360) or Autodesk viewer.

We also require tools for issue management. In this case, we have a solution: the BCF format. The BCF specification enables smart issue tracking and exchange between stakeholders. However, we will discuss this opportunity in another article.

In this article, Let’s check if we have any tools for viewing models on the web or if there is easy-to-use software available.

IFC viewers

Here are my favorite freeware IFC viewers, which I highly recommend:

1. The Open IFC Viewer. This software is my personal favorite due to its speed and support for the latest IFC versions. It offers numerous useful features, such as clash detection, selection and property inspection, and publishing to 3D PDF.
2. The BIM Vision application has the same features as previous application, including Clash Detection, STL Export, COBie export, and gITF export.
3. The BIMcollab IFC Viewer is one of the most popular viewers because it was developed by BIMcollab, the same company that developed the BCF format. This application offers main features such as model viewing, issue management, and model validation. Additionally, BIMcollab offers a paid version with added features such as data extraction and advanced clash detection.
4. The FZK Viewer is a simple viewer but not good with big models.

Of course, we can use all these tools not only for viewing models, but also for checking models and solving professional tasks. Using this software for real work is the true value. Also, don’t forget about Autodesk Navisworks or Solibri, but that’s a different story.

But what if you want to show your model to a client or person who doesn’t want to install any applications? In such situations, we often think about using a browser or some cloud services. But what if I told you that you could easily create your own web app?

IFC.js

Have you ever thought about creating your own web app? If you think it’s too difficult and requires a large team and a lot of money, you’re mistaken. I highly recommend that you watch this video. Here is information on how to create a web app with IFC.js.

IFC.js is a BIM toolkit for JavaScript. It simplifies working with IFC by allowing you to load, display, and edit IFC models directly in the browser. If you don’t have experience in programming and don’t know how to start with IFC.js, the community has developed special courses to help you get started.

Recently, a new wave of this courses have started. You can find all the information about it on https://ifcjs.io/

Honesty, it is a great opportunity to develop new skills and explore another branch of your career. Consider becoming a BIM software developer!