An IFC file is a model file created in the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) format, an open file format used by Building Information Modeling (BIM) programs. It contains a building or facility model, including spatial elements, materials, and shapes.
The IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) data format is a standard used by the building and construction industry for storing and exchanging information about construction projects. The IFC format includes information about the geometry, materials, schedules, and quantities of building elements and the spatial relationships between them.
An IFC schema is a set of rules that define what can be contained in an IFC file and the relationships between data elements. The schema is written in XML and is used to ensure that IFC files are consistently organized and can be read by software applications that support the IFC standard. The latest version of the IFC framework is IFC4, released in 2018. The IFC architecture facilitates interoperability and collaboration among different stakeholders in construction projects.
Many proprietary software applications can open IFC files, such as Autodesk Revit, Bentley Microstation, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Dassault Solidworks, Trimble Sketchup, Tekla, etc., but if you don't want to install these paid software on your local machine, you can use the Two online services: BimAnt IFC Viewer and NSDT 3DConvert , both can open your IFC files for free for preview.
1、BimAnt IFC Viewer
BimAnt IFC Viewer is a free online viewing tool for IFC models. Click the file icon in the upper left corner and select your local IFC file to view your IFC model file directly in the browser, and it supports cutting and viewing.
2、NSDT 3DConvert
NSDT 3DConvert is a professional online preview and format conversion service for 3D models. It supports online opening of 3D model files in 19 formats such as IFC, STEP, BREP, STL, PLY, FBX, OBJ, and GLTF for preview.
In addition to supporting online opening of 3D files in various formats such as IFC, NSDT 3DConvert also supports converting files in the above 19 formats to 8 target formats such as STL, PLY, GLB, OBJ, DAE, etc., without installing any software locally.
Original link: How to open IFC files online—BimAnt