Can IfcOpenShell / the BlenderBIM Add-on join OpenCAx?

[Moult]

Hey everyone! And, ping @brlcad since I'm not quite sure who to ping!

My name is Dion and I'm one of the guys hacking on IfcOpenShell (with the creator @aothms) and the BlenderBIM Add-on. IfcOpenShell is an OpenBIM library that provides IFC schema support to programs like Blender and FreeCAD. I helped implement some OpenBIM features on FreeCAD and hacked on their draft / BIM / IFC tools working with devs like @yorikvanhavre .

OpenBIM is basically CAD + extra metadata (that complies with an open data spec) that defines relationships in the built environment (like whether walls are joined, have fire ratings, or whether furniture is in a room and how much it costs). IfcOpenShell also contains extra utilities useful for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, including conversion of BIM for structural analysis, CAD drawing generation, BIM model comparison, clash / collision detection, model coordination interfaces, object scheduling, facility management data extraction, etc. There is also an add-on to Blender, which provides all these functions via the Blender UI, so that very much like FreeCAD, architects and engineers can use it to design, construct, and manage the built environment. This kinda turns Blender into a CAD tool.

The IfcOpenShell project is based on OpenCascade and is about 10 years old. The BlenderBIM Add-on and related utilities is only about a year old.

Some useful links:

https://github.com/IfcOpenShell/IfcOpenShell http://ifcopenshell.org/ https://blenderbim.org/ https://community.osarch.org/discussion/301/gsoc-and-ifcopenshell-blenderbim-add-on-utilities

We were interested in applying to GSoC, and thought since we're basically CAD with extra steps, it'd be cool to say hello and maybe, uh, join you guys? :)

I also helped start https://osarch.org/ which is trying to support for FOSS in the built environment. It's now a healthy growing community so I thought I'd mention it but it isn't a code project but maybe it is useful to mention anyway :)

Let me know what you guys reckon and happy to elaborate on the projects!

[yorikvanhavre]

Would be great to have both projects on board!!

[Moult]

Thanks @yorikvanhavre !

Bump - is there a process involved? I saw the other repo... How do I ping the other project members?

[t-paul]

I guess it's mostly just open discussion, not so much a defined process. From my view pretty much every open source project that is CAD related and matches the core requirements for GSoC would be welcome.

While the rules for next year changed a bit, I think the main requirement stays the same: Open Source License / Established Project / >= 2 available Mentors. So IfcOpenShell qualifies easily as far as I can tell.

I don't see much info about BlenderBIM development, from the name it might also fit under the Blender Foundation umbrella (assuming they support that) but if it makes more sense together with IfcOpenShell that's reasonable too.

[Moult]

@t-paul awesome! The BlenderBIM Add-on is a thin layer around many utilities that are part of IfcOpenShell, and since core Blender focuses on CG, not CAD, I think it belongs more with IfcOpenShell.

Should I make a PR to update the Github IO website? Is the process that bugreports get added to the other repo that are GSoC ideas?

[t-paul]

Yes, that's how it's supposed to be. But lets hear a final go from @brlcad if the BRL-CAD project plans to apply as umbrella organisation again. From earlier mails this seems likely, but I think it makes sense to get a go signal before putting in the work of preparing the project idea documentation.

[brlcad]

Hi @Moult and thanks for reaching out. As @t-paul mentioned, it's more of a dialog than it is a process. We have work required to formalize our umbrella interactions. When I started the "OpenCAx" community umbrella a few years ago, the intention was to get open source CAx-related projects to collaborate, interact, and share more. Similar to STEPcode, I think IfcOpenShell and OpenBIM are perfect examples of projects compatible.

[brlcad]

As for GSoC, that was also summarized nicely. I do intend to submit for 2021 as an umbrella again, so we can talk through those details for IfcOpenShell and/or OpenBIM. The biggest concern is making sure new projects are eased into things, have appropriate number of mentors, have properly equitably scoped project ideas, and are established. I've been trying for a couple years now to actually submit our umbrella as "OpenCAx" instead of via BRL-CAD, but that all depends on getting the organization's paperwork (bylaws, accounts, rules, 501(c)(3) filing) and website in order in time, and I've not done well to prioritize it. So it may go forward as BRL-CAD or OpenCAx, but it's procedurally the same for umbrella projects.

To discuss, please submit a request to join our mailing list that's used for announcements and discussion: https://groups.google.com/g/gsocax

If you're available on chat somewhere, we can talk through more details like how many mentors you have, how the summit and stipends are handled (which probably won't matter much this year seeing it's going to be virtual again), how GSoC works, etc. I'm on most chat systems as 'brlcad' (e.g., https://brlcad.zulipchat.com or freenode IRC or Element/Matrix, etc).

To get started, you'll want to check out the existing docs we have just to help familiarize yourself. I suggest starting with https://brlcad.org/wiki/Google_Summer_of_Code, the checklist resources set up by each project, and start thinking about project ideas. Not a strict requirement, but it's my annual desire/goal/hope for our communities to prioritize student projects that benefit multiple CAx codes (i.e., emphasis on reusability and modularity).

[Moult]

@brlcad cheers - I'm lurking on the #brlcad IRC channel, so feel free to catch me there. I tried the google groups but I get a content unavailable message.

To clarify, "OpenBIM" is not a project. There is only one project: "IfcOpenShell", of which the BlenderBIM Add-on is a component of it. All changes made to IfcOpenShell will benefit both users who use it indirectly through Blender as well as users who use it through FreeCAD (it powers FreeCAD's OpenBIM capabilities). Many components of IfcOpenShell are also reused in FreeCAD, so there is quite a bit of codesharing happening which is great! I actually started coding for FreeCAD before I switched to developing a Blender-based UI, so under the hood many utilities are increasingly being shared.

We are starting to think of project ideas! :) This is exciting!

[Moult]

Bump :) Because applications start soon, just wondering if it would be good if we could have a quick chat? I'm "Moult" on the brlcad IRC chatroom.