BlenderBIM: visualise layered walls from IfcMaterialLayerSets?

[theoryshaw]

Would be awesome to hardcode a Sverchok script like this to create multi-layer walls from walls that have IfcMaterialLayerSets?
Background discussion here.

[Moult]

Absolutely correct - there needs to be support for visualising material layers. There are a variety of approaches to be considered, each with pros and cons, including:

1. Sverchok, as you've shown
2. Geometry nodes, coming soon
3. bgl decoration
4. Material shaders
5. Actual geometry generation (e.g. the IfcConvert method)

[aothms]

Actual geometry generation (e.g. the IfcConvert method)

Note that this is not exclusive to IfcConvert. (ifcopenshell.geom.settings(APPLY_LAYERSETS=True))

To do this robustly for curved walls, maybe inside IfcOpenShell will work best?

[theoryshaw]

@Moult , @aothms
Now that this has percolated a little, what approach do you guys think would be best here?
I'm thinking of putting together another Bountysource campaign for this functionality as well.
If so, it would be nice to outline a roadmap of suggested best approach--something to point to, that better defines the task and makes it more tangle.
Perhaps start another issue tracker?

[theoryshaw]

Undoubtedly this 'layered' approach will be applied to slabs, as well.

[Moult]

@theoryshaw sorry recently I've been a little distracted in the sequencing and costing domain due to an application within the company I work for.

I think @aothms 's suggestion should just work. Perhaps wait a bit until I get back to regular authoring + drawings and I'll try out the suggestion and see what that gets us.

[Moult]

@aothms I tried apply layersets with this file: https://github.com/ENAC-CNPA/BIMxBEM/blob/master/IfcTestFiles/2Storey_2x3_A22.ifc but did not see any difference. What am I missing?

[theoryshaw]

With the current paradigm of encoding the overall floor/wall's thickness into a blender solidifier modifier, in the future roadmap, how do you see codifying and visualizing multiple IfcMaterialLayerSets layers in Blender?

[Moult]

The floor is stored in a solidify modifier, but a wall is not. This is on purpose to allow for mitred joints.

I have no idea how to do it yet :) One option I want to explore is the apply layersets but I haven't gotten the "hello world" working yet. But that's OK, I'm sure over time a solution will present itself, if not to me, to someone else hacking on the code!

Layer sets can get quite complex I believe including priorities, but perhaps for 99% of the time we can get away with a simpler heuristic, maybe drawn via a shader, something via bgl, or generated case by case if you're focusing on a junction.

[theoryshaw]

Hi @aothms, what's your thoughts here? Would love to see layered walls/floors/roofs, etc... would be a big step for BlenderBIM, i think.