Could SketchUp be transformed to a BIM or PEN System?

thomthom · 19 Sept 2010, 11:37

It appear to me that many are wishing they could assign properties to SU objects so they later use that for documentation. Is there really no such tool out there already?

thomthom · 19 Sept 2010, 11:39

@fionmacool said:

I checked out Hank's plugin and it seems to work very well.

What plugin was that?

tfdesign · 19 Sept 2010, 12:49

@thomthom said:

@linea said:

... but I spent all day yesterday cutting holes for windows.

I got a plugin in the workings, which enables a cut-out component to cut through two faces. That should make things easier in terms on placing objects inside "thick walls".

Thom, apart from Hank's mystery plugin, did you finish your plugin mentioned here? It sound like just what I need right now.

@Edson, have you looked at HighDesign at all? HD is parametric (or that's what they say)

Very interesting thread btw. There are too many good threads on SCF, but I'll get in trouble with the wife if I read them all!

thomthom · 19 Sept 2010, 13:08

@tfdesign said:

Thom, apart from Hank's mystery plugin, did you finish your plugin mentioned here? It sound like just what I need right now.

No - Due to critical bugs in SU's Observer APIs I have been unable to realise it. But, SU8 fixed many observer issues - so there is a possibility that the project could be resumed.

tfdesign · 19 Sept 2010, 14:22

Excellent Thom. I look forward to using it.

brewsky · 8 Jan 2011, 09:15

Anyone interested in some more BIM discussion?
Please check out my topic:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=34007

jan

d_e_x · 9 Dec 2011, 16:19

I'll take a bold step forward and suggest all the BIM gurus on this forum to try out SketchUpBIM. More information here: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=41840

My friends and I have written it over the past few months. The intention is to provide tools to create intelligent building elements (like beams, columns, slabs etc) inside SketchUp. And the goal is to keep it simple (just like SketchUp itself), while also trying to mimic the accepted process-flows in widely accepted BIM products like Revit and ArchiCAD.

check it out; i'll love to hear feedback!

fionmacool · 12 Dec 2011, 11:22

This is a really interesting topic. Here is our list relating to SU and BIM: http://www.sketchup2bim.com Please let us know if you have any suggestions for further inclusions. Thanks.

fionmacool · 12 Dec 2011, 11:22

Hi,

I would love to hear what you think about what I am doing with SketchUp for construction drawings:

Also check out my gallery: http://picasaweb.google.com/sketchupireland/ViewsionAspireArchitecturePortfolioDrawings?feat=directlink

Mike Lucey · 23 Apr 2012, 23:06

You guys might want to check out this thread,

Parametric Building Modeler Plugin

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=265&t=44766&start=0

utiler · 24 Apr 2012, 00:20

@mike lucey said:

You guys might want to check out this thread,

Parametric Building Modeler Plugin

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=265&t=44766&start=0

It is nuts, Mike!!! This is the beginning of a mega shift in software users IMO....

aarondietzen · 24 Apr 2012, 15:01

Thanks for the plug, Mike!

Swing by the link and take a look at the plugin we are developing, especially if you have any interest in BIM, using SketchUp for BIM, or the possibility of a BIM alternative (as in a BIM software that does not cost thousands of dollars a seat).

I believe that the concept of BIM is a solid one, and that the industry will have to move that direction. I believe that one of the issues and reasons that it has not taken hold is due to the limitations of the tools (i.e. software) that is currently available. I think that it is entirely possible that SketchUp can be empowered to be the perfect platform to enable BIM moving forward. We are working on making that possibility a reality!

Thanks,
Aaron

Dan Rathbun · 24 Apr 2012, 16:15

@unknownuser said:

..., or the possibility of a BIM alternative (as in a BIM software that does not cost thousands of dollars a seat).

What are your goals concerning the cost per seat ?

Will it require a SketchUp Pro edition ??

Will there be a more than one edition (ie, Novice, Pro, etc.)

Are you planning to incorporate any extensibility that would allow 3rd party extensions to your BIM system ?

brewsky · 24 Apr 2012, 19:40

Hi Aaron!

I'm also working on a BIM plugin for sketchup, check out:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=34007
I just added a tutorial to highlight it's functionality!

Development could be much more effective when all sketchup-BIM-developers are working together.

I'm interested in your answer to Dan's question, is your goal a free(open source?) tool?

If so, would you be interested in joining forces?
And if not so, maybe together we could make some "BIM-guidelines", so a wall in one plugin can be recognized as a wall in another plugin...
Maybe even share IFC-import/export...

Cheers!
Jan

aarondietzen · 24 Apr 2012, 20:42

@dan rathbun said:

What are your goals concerning the cost per seat ?

Will it require a SketchUp Pro edition ??

Will there be a more than one edition (ie, Novice, Pro, etc.)

Are you planning to incorporate any extensibility that would allow 3rd party extensions to your BIM system ?

Right now, we don;t have a set price, but we WILL have multiple levels of functionality, though, that is not set, either.
As of now, we don;t plan on making anything dependent on PRO, though I can see where having Layout would be ideal for this sort of work.
As of now, we are considering interfacing via a generic IFC format, but nothing is carved in stone.

@brewsky said:

Hi Aaron!

I'm also working on a BIM plugin for sketchup, check out:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=34007
I just added a tutorial to highlight it's functionality!

Development could be much more effective when all sketchup-BIM-developers are working together.

I'm interested in your answer to Dan's question, is your goal a free(open source?) tool?

If so, would you be interested in joining forces?
And if not so, maybe together we could make some "BIM-guidelines", so a wall in one plugin can be recognized as a wall in another plugin...
Maybe even share IFC-import/export...

Cheers!
Jan

I have seen your work in the past and I have to say it is quite impressive! As much as several of us enjoy the spirit of open source, we are being payed by a company who will want a return on investment, so it will be secured software that will be sold. As for the "BIM-guidelines", we are using the IFC standards, right now. They are not complete and, I feel, will change in the future, but it is a start, and it is already gaining acceptance and following.

Again, thank you for your input and comments, we are very excited about this product and are looking forward to as much input as we can get from the members of SketchUcation!

Thanks,
Aaron