Do You Want to Convert CAD files to BIM Files?

It is often asked by building manufacturers that, if they can simply convert their CAD files to BIM

Files? The answer to this would be a complete “No!”. CAD files are totally different from BIM files. While CAD has been in the industry for more than 3 decades, BIM is a result of the 2008 EU recession which forced building manufacturers to come up with a tool that is simply better than the previous tools they were using.

BIM stands for “Building Information System”, a tool that brings  Architects, Engineers, and Contractors all to the same place for designing and drawing a building project, anyone can access the design and database while altering the designs at the same time. This also allows the team to analyze and visualize the designs long before they are put to work.

CAD and BIM might look alike to a few, with regards to their functionalities, but let me remind you if you are planning for a CAD to BIM conversion. It might be just a bad idea. To understand this, let us first understand these tools one by one:

CAD or Computer-Aided Design is mainly helpful to design mechanical and electrical assemblies, helping industries like industrial manufacturing, civil engineering, and even plant design. 

Design engineers use CAD files for projects which has multiple parts in an assembly and are needed to fit precisely after manufacturing.

BIM or Building Information System is exclusively used for the design and construction of commercial buildings like airports, office towers, or schools. To put it in a simple way, it can be said that BIM provides a digital representation of a real facility, not only walls, roofs, and windows but functioning electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems.

BIM introduces a process that enables architects, engineers, and contractors to design and build a commercial building with much ease.

While BIM software tools like “Revit” resemble CAD tools like “Solidworks” and they graphically and geometrically represent the dimensions and details of a product, but the way a building is designed and constructed is totally different than how a product is designed and manufactured.

In BIM, we create systems that can be tested and analyzed using the virtual model. It's this difference that places unique requirements, not only on how the BIM files are created but also how they behave when they are inserted into a virtual building model. CAD files don't have this information within them, so if you would want to convert a CAD to BIM data won't just be there.

Whether you manufacture industrial products or build, it's essential that you deliver your product information with quality and in a format that meets the needs of your clients.

Polosoft Technologies provides BIM services as well as CAD services, for any assistance with any project don’t hesitate to reach out to us.