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BIM files — Revit, Navisworks, IFC, and similar 3D models — contain the richest information about a building's design. CUBE's BIM viewer brings these models into your browser with navigation, element selection, measurement tools, clash detection, and Issue tracking, eliminating the need for desktop software for most coordination tasks.

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Building Information Modeling has fundamentally changed how construction projects are designed and coordinated. Instead of separate 2D drawings for each discipline, teams work with federated 3D models that contain geometry, metadata, and relationships. Architects work in Revit, structural engineers in Tekla or Revit Structure, MEP consultants in their own authoring tools, and all of these models get combined for coordination.

Traditionally, reviewing BIM models required desktop software — Revit for native files, Navisworks for coordination, or specialty viewers for IFC. Not everyone on the project team has these tools installed or knows how to use them. CUBE's BIM viewer changes that equation. Upload a Revit file, Navisworks file, or IFC model, and anyone on the team can open it in the browser to navigate, inspect elements, measure, and raise Issues.

Opening and navigating BIM models

BIM files live in Folders alongside other project documents. Click to open a Revit (RVT), Navisworks (NWD/NWC), or IFC file from the Spaces or Files module, and CUBE processes and loads the model in the 3D viewer.

• Navigation works like most 3D viewers: orbit by dragging, pan by right-dragging or middle-mouse-dragging, and zoom with the scroll wheel or trackpad pinch. The viewer defaults to a perspective view showing the full model. For better depth perception in large buildings, use the section box tool to clip away portions of the model and focus on specific areas — particularly useful when reviewing interior spaces or specific floors.
• The element tree (or model tree) shows the hierarchical structure of the model — disciplines, categories, families, and individual elements. Click any element in the tree to isolate and highlight it in the 3D view. This is essential when you need to find a specific piece of equipment or verify which system a pipe belongs to.

Element selection and properties

One of BIM's core strengths is that every element carries metadata.

• In CUBE's viewer, click any element — a wall, column, duct, pipe, door — and the properties panel displays all its attributes: type, material, dimensions, system assignment, and custom parameters.
• This metadata is particularly valuable during coordination. When reviewing an MEP model and you see a duct that seems oversized, select it to check the airflow parameters and verify whether it matches the design intent. When a contractor asks about wall types in a specific area, select the wall to see its assembly and fire rating without digging through specification documents.
• The selection tree provides another way to navigate complex models. Rather than clicking visually, drill down through the hierarchy — find the Mechanical category, then Air Terminals, then the specific diffuser family you're looking for. This is faster than orbiting around trying to click small elements in a dense model.

Measuring in 3D space

Measurement in BIM models works directly on the 3D geometry with intelligent snapping to element edges, corners, and centers. Unlike PDF measurements that require calibration, BIM models contain real-world coordinates, so measurements are accurate by default.

• Point-to-point measurement is the most common — click two points to get the distance. The tool snaps to geometry as you move your cursor, making it easy to measure clearances between ducts and structure, verify room dimensions, or check equipment placement.
• Area measurement works on surfaces — click to define a perimeter on a floor or wall and CUBE calculates the area. This is useful for quick area takeoffs or verifying surface finishes.
• Vertical measurements are particularly important in construction. Measuring floor-to-floor heights, duct clearances above ceilings, or structural depth is straightforward in the 3D view. The measurement tool respects the model's Z-axis, so vertical and diagonal measurements are as accurate as horizontal ones.

Clash detection and model coordination

One of BIM's most powerful applications is clash detection — identifying where elements from different disciplines physically overlap. In federated models (where architectural, structural, and MEP models are combined), clashes reveal coordination issues before construction starts.

• CUBE's clash detection runs automatically or on demand, comparing geometry across disciplines. When clashes are found, they appear in the clash report with a severity level, involved elements, and a 3D view showing the conflict. Click any clash to navigate directly to its location in the model.