BIM Dataflows – Automated BIM Data Processing – Introduction
Dataflows are everywhere. They are an already proven method in the data industry to clean up, restructure, enrich, and validate data automatically. They are at the heart of every modern, automated data pipeline. Simplebim brings this power to BIM, tailored for complex model data that generic tools can’t handle.
The goal is very simple: transform raw data into useful information. Automatically. In a scalable way.
Dataflows are easy
Dataflows process data automatically. Most of the time, the processing can be very simple, yet powerful. That said, the dataflows are very flexible; they scale very well from simple things to meet even very complex needs.
For example, a simple and powerful dataflow could be to exclude all the unnecessary object from the model. Maybe you are a structural engineer and you don’t need all the furniture from the architectural model. You only need walls and slabs. Make a dataflow that finds walls and slabs and exports a new model to IFC. Including only the walls and slabs. This already makes using the data much more feasible and efficient.
Dataflows are make out of actions
An action is simply a specific way of processing data. It can exclude objects and properties from the model. It can calculate specific quantities, like area or volume, for objects. It can calculate new measures with formulas. It can colorize objects. Or it can, for example, find objects based on their proximity and enrich the objects based on that. And many more things.
Actions are the steps of the dataflow. In the dataflow, you put actions in a sequence. You can combine them anyway you like. The possibilities are endless.
In Simplebim the actions are created from different tools. There are 100+ ways to process data in Simplebim.
Dataflow has three parts
Every dataflow has three parts: target, processing logic, and results.
Target
The target defines what objects you want to process. The target can be all the objects in the model. Or all the walls in the model. Or it can be a very specific set of objects selected from the model.
In Simplebim you define the target with groups. Learn more about them from a dedicated article.
Processing logic – the steps
The processing logic is a sequence of steps, which are created with the help of tools. Each tool has its own configuration, which you can use to process your data exactly as you want. The whole point is to make data processing easy. This is NOT coding. The dataflow configuration is done with a no-code user interface. With the intuitive user interface, dataflows are easy to create, test, and apply.
For example, your first action could be to find all the external walls in the model. The second action would colorize these walls based on, for example, their type. The third action would then export the walls into their own model, ready to be used in the downstream application.
It doesn’t end there. You can even use other dataflows as steps in another dataflow.
Result
Every dataflow processes data in some way. The result can be modified properties, added properties, colorized objects, transformed objects, calculated quantities, simplified geometry, connections between objects, or even group of derived objects and much more. It all depends what your data needs are.
Readymade dataflows
You can create dataflows from scratch. However, an easy way to get started is to use one of the growing number of ready-made dataflows. There are ready-made dataflows for calculating basic quantities for the objects, adding elevation information, combining property values, excluding duplicates, generating objects for formwork or space surfaces, merging and managing building storeys, splitting the models and organizing the models into locations and more… There’s more to come. Stay tuned and updated.
Reusing and sharing dataflows
The more use dataflows, the more value they produce. If you design and create them right, they can be reused, not just for updated models, but even in different projects and for models from all the different design disciples.
Dataflows are all about automation. They are meant to be reused and shared across the organization or even beyond.
In Simplebim you share the dataflows by saving them into a special xml-files and then importing them back to Simplebim with just few clicks.
Dataflows are defined and run in the Dataflow palette
Dataflows are defined, tested and applied in the Dataflow palette. Learn more about the Dataflow Palette from here.