Bl
Bl
Bl
Bl
Bl
You are here:   Home »  Products »  PolyTrans|CAD+DCC  
Bl

Home > Supported File Formats > IFC to Unreal Engine


How to convert IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) to Unreal Engine?


PolyTrans|CAD+DCC performs mathematically precise CAD, DCC/Animation, GIS and BIM 3D file conversions into all key downstream 3D packages and file formats. Okino software is used and trusted throughout the world by many tens of thousands of 3D professionals in mission & production critical environments, backed by respectable personal support directly from our core development team.

     

IFC

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is a CAD data exchange object-based file format with a data model developed by buildingSMART to facilitate interoperability in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, and is a commonly used collaboration format in Building information modeling (BIM) based projects.

IFC files can be written out by such industry standard programs as: ArchiCAD, Allplan, Autodesk's AutoCAD and Revit, Microstation, Tekla Structures, SmartPlant3D and Vectorworks.

Please note: you would always want to use the DWF-3D file format and the Okino DWF-3D file importer to import 3D model data from Autodesk's AutoCAD, Navisworks and Revit, as well as AVEVA's PDMS software.

It is may be safe to say that few 3D graphics users properly understand IFC or why/how it should be used, when it should be used or how it is to be used. In simplistic terms, IFC is NOT a universal data interchange file format like COLLADA, FBX, 3ds, OBJ, DXF, DWG, etc. Rather, IFC is more of an "abstraction" for an architectural model so that BIM companies can exchange IFC files for design iterations without any loss in overall geometric quality. Hence, the basis of IFC is to make an abstract building with stories, floors, doors, columns, windows, etc. From these hang "abstractions" such as 2D plan views and 3D renderable geometric data.

While IFC can be considered a standardized file format by BuildingSmart, not all 3D programs or 3D viewers will "interpret" an IFC file in the same manner due to the abstract nature of the file format and also by the generally loose manner in which a model can be defined and with different contexts and representations.

     

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine (UE) is a popular 3D computer graphics game engine developed by Epic Games. It is available as open source and is free to use until a title earns a specific dollar value in revenue.

Okino has long supported Unreal Engine as the first and main 3D conversion program to do so. In the simplest terms possible, conversion from Okino software to Unreal Engine is done via the FBX file format.

For those who may be unaware of Okino software, for over 30+ years we have been the pioneer 3D conversion company that wrote the rule book on how DCC, animation and MCAD data is to be cross-converted between all major 3D programs and file formats. Key uses of our software for Unreal users has been for the conversion of all major MCAD data formats into a highly optimized and efficient form for realtime usage within the Unreal Engine. We also invented the processes for animation + skinning/bones cross conversion so that is well supported for Unreal Engine. As a minor point of interest, Okino was also the very first implementor of the FBX file format as of 2002, long before Autodesk bought the bankruptcy assets of Alias Research and provided free access to the FBX SDK; hence, we provide highly reliable and robust FBX v5/v6/v7 support.