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Export BIM format outputs

Export your DigiPara Liftdesigner project as an IFC, RFA, or LDBIM file, so you can hand off a BIM-ready elevator model to Revit or another BIM-capable application.

Written by Sabine Bunese

Prerequisites

  • A project with the Level of Development (LOD) sheet template for your target LOD already loaded — the BIM export reflects whichever LOD view frame is currently active.

  • Project BIM Settings configured for this project via the Project BIM Settings button in the BIM Exports ribbon group.

  • If your target application requires specific BIM properties (LOI — Level of Information): use IFC 4.0 or later, or the LDBIM format. The legacy IFC 2x3 format does not carry BIM properties and is no longer being improved.

  • For LDBIM export, the DigiPara LDBIM Import for Revit plugin should be installed.

Steps

  1. Select a view frame to export.
    Within Liftdesigner Sheet tab, choose Load Sheet and select the template sheet LDBIM-LOD-Sheet.lds. This sheet has 7 view frames with different LODs. Choose one to export.
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  2. Open the Export ribbon tab, then look at the BIM Exports group.
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  3. Click the button for the format you need:
    - IFC — for a quick, viewer-checkable look at your BIM model, or where a client specifically asks for IFC.
    - RFA — exports the elevator as a single Revit family file.
    - LDBIM — the recommended format for delivering to Revit. It bundles proper transfer of BIM properties (LOI), turns each component into its own Revit family, and creates shaft wall openings via a bundled "MetricShaftHole.rfa" family — imported into Revit through the DigiPara LDBIM Import for Revit plugin delivered with Liftdesigner.
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  4. Fill in the export dialog and click Export.
    - IFC: choose the IFC Version (IFC 4.0 or 4.3 — not the legacy IFC 2x3), optionally check Compress to ifczip, optionally expand Model Location in Building, then set the export filename via Browse.
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    - RFA and LDBIM: choose the Target Revit Version, optionally expand Model Location in Building, then set the export filename via Browse. Both dialogs have the same layout.
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  5. Click Export to finish.

Result

The file is saved at the location you chose. For an IFC file, you can open it in a free IFC viewer to verify the model before sending it on. For an RFA or LDBIM file, hand it to whoever imports it into Revit.

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