BIM beats the clock in Nijmegen

With the increasing demand from the construction world to work with BIM (Building Information Model), the window-frame industry is diligently looking for opportunities to link up. Matrix Software from Nijmegen is a specialist in the field of building automation and facilitates links to BIM. Hans Storms, branch manager window frame industry at Matrix Software, has the floor.

"BIM is here to stay and offers plenty of opportunities in the construction industry. There is a desire from window frame manufacturers to optimize design, work preparation and production processes. Creating own designs based on BIM models that are available, within the current production software and making these modified models suitable for feeding back into the BIM model, was already possible by linking MatrixKozijn with a Revit BIM application from FabWindow. We can now add DeltaPi to that," Storms opens the conversation.

Working with IFC models
"The coupling of our software with the DeltaPi project manager offers the possibility to open IFC models. From here, data can be exported to MatrixKozijn, such as frame dimensions, exterior dimensions, frame positions, frame brands with corresponding numbers et cetera. These data can be enriched in MatrixKozijn with your own product-specific data. These can then be communicated to the customer. The final design can then be put back into the BIM model," Storms explains. "With this we add another solution that contributes to process optimization. It eliminates the risk of error that occurs with manual input."

We can talk about a powerful further development, due to the fact that DeltaPi does this from an IFC model and everything can also be put back into the BIM model via DeltaPi. Storms: "The collaboration was already there of course, but it has now become even more intensive. Of course, the customer needs to have both our software and DeltaPi for this. We are now in the final stage of development and expect everything to be available in the second quarter of this year."

Powerful BIM collaboration
Matrix Software has strategically chosen to work closely with parties that carry leading design solutions for architects and construction companies. For several years, there has been a BIM interface between MatrixKozijn and FABwindow from Itannex. Soon, a BIM interface with Deltapi will be added.

This allows frames to be converted from the structural model to a production model for the frame manufacturer with only a few operations.  Storms outlines, "The Matrix software has XML links that allow data to be read in directly and maximize the benefits of BIM. The fact that we have now added the link to BIM is a logical step for us and a welcome addition for our customers. Matrix Software is keen to contribute to customer process optimization and for this reason continues to operate on the front line to ensure that the manufacturer of window frames can keep up with the latest developments without worry."    

Text: Jan Mol   |  Image: Matrix Software/Shutterstock
Featured image: BIM is here to stay and offers plenty of opportunities in the construction industry.