BIM for building product manufacturers
In short
BIM for building product manufacturers means supplying planners with BIM objects, product data and approval drawings that match the real, configured product. We help manufacturers of doors, windows, facade elements, HVAC units and lifts derive this data from their Solid Edge, SolidWorks or Inventor models by rule, for every variant.
Updated 27 Oct 2026
Architects and building services engineers plan in BIM and expect objects and data from manufacturers. Many manufacturers of doors, windows, facade elements, ventilation and air conditioning units and lifts design in Solid Edge, SolidWorks or Inventor, so the models exist, but turning them into BIM data and approval drawings for each order is still manual work.
- Typical systems
- Solid Edge, SolidWorks, Inventor, SolidWorks PDM, Autodesk Vault
- Start with
- Intro callfree, 45 minutes
What slows design down
Planners expect BIM data
Planners ask for IFC files or Revit families with defined properties for every product.
Every order is a variant
Dimensions, opening types and options change with each project.
Drawings for every approval
Architects and customers sign off order-specific drawings before production, often in several rounds.
Solutions for this industry
BIM objects from CAD
Architects and building services engineers plan with BIM objects and expect them from manufacturers. The exact models already exist in Solid Edge, SolidWorks or Inventor, but they are too detailed, reveal internal design and lack the properties planners look for.
Learn more →Approval drawings
Doors, windows, facade elements, air handling units and lifts are built to order, and before production the customer or planner signs off a drawing. Creating these drawings by hand ties up designers for every order and every revision round.
Learn more →Configurators for building products
Building products vary by width, height, opening type, material, fittings and connections. When each order is modelled by hand, lead times and errors grow with the number of orders.
Learn more →
Frequently asked questions
Why do building product manufacturers need BIM objects?
Because architects and building services engineers plan in BIM models and place manufacturer products directly in them. A product with a ready BIM object and correct properties is easier to specify, and larger projects often set BIM requirements in the employer's information requirements. Where no object is available, planners use generic placeholders, and the product may drop out of the planning.
Which file formats do planners expect from building product manufacturers?
Commonly IFC as the open format and Revit families (RFA), followed by formats for Archicad, AutoCAD and other tools. In German building services, VDI 3805 product data is also used, and ISO 16757 builds on it. Platforms such as BIMobject publish their own content guidelines for formats and properties.
Can Solid Edge or SolidWorks models be used directly as BIM objects?
Rarely as they are. Manufacturing models are too detailed, reveal internal design and lack the properties planners need. Both systems can simplify a model and export IFC: SolidWorks as IFC 2x3 or IFC 4 with classification and custom properties, Solid Edge from version 2025 with mapped properties. Inventor also exports Revit families. For product ranges, these steps are automated per variant.
How much detail should a BIM object of a building product have?
Only as much as planners need: the outer shape, clearances for operation and maintenance, connection points and the properties for selection and calculation. LOD and the level of information need in ISO 7817-1 describe these requirements per purpose. Fabrication detail makes files heavy and reveals design know-how, so it stays in the CAD model.
Talk to us about your task.
In the free 45-minute intro call we show a live demo on comparable geometry. Someone from our team replies personally within one working day.