Software
Qonic: accurate BIM While BIM has changed the way architects work, it hasn’t necessarily benefitted all project participants equally. The lack of trust, and the need for different types of information to be included at different phases, has brought in new inefficiencies. New start-up Qonic aims to help, writes Martyn Day
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n AEC Magazine over the last few The co-founders — Erik De Keyser, Mark direct modelling capabilities and can years, we have looked at how BIM Van Den Bergh, Tiemen Strobbe, Tjerk handle NURBS. modellers were originally devel- Gauderis and Sander Scheiris — are all This adherence to solid modelling is oped to automatically produce formerly from Bricsys (developer of not unique (Vectorworks is also powered drawings, and therefore provide produc- BricsCAD). In some ways calling Qonic a by Parasolid) but it’s exceptionally tivity savings. In isolation, in a utopia, start-up is a misnomer, as the group has important to one of the vertical niches to this has been the case so long as you don’t worked together as a team for many which Qonic wants to appeal - those edit them in a 2D drawing application years. This is a re-start-up and it has working with estimates of quantities. like AutoCAD, as changes to the model already grown to twenty people. As the majority of BIM models are will need to be manually edited again. De Keyser has a long history in AEC inaccurately modelled, taking quantities The idea of a single building model, on software. He was an architect, got into off them has always been a problem and which all companies would collaborate software development, developed would lead to more work than was origihas not come to fruition, with the stan- TriForma, which was licensed to Bentley nally intended. dard practice being multiple models cre- Systems, and when that deal soured he In a Qonic model, concrete volumes, for ated by multiple project participants for formed Bricsys to develop BricsCAD, an instance, will be accurate and details will different purposes. AutoCAD clone that eventually outgrew be modelled and intelligently applied This has led to the need for Common that constraint and became a complete throughout a model at 1:1 accuracy. Data Environments (CDEs), complex file development platform for BIM, manufac- Qonic’s role is about beefing up the bits of management and much BIM models that support duplicated effort. It also downstream processes to extends into fabrication, alleviate the pressure on where detailed 1:1 models Qonic isn’t like anything I’ve seen before. It seeks remodelling by sorting to address common problems that affect and drawings are created. the problems earlier on in All these issues comeveryone in the industry for which there are no the golden thread. bined have left many in real solutions other than remodelling, re-drawing Hybrid BIM the industry pondering what comes next. And One of the key aims that with a new generation of this industry needs to design tools, what functionality and turing and civil design in itself – all address in the next five years is how capabilities will we need? based on DWG (www.bricsys.com). Finally, design information flows from architect The flow of data from concept design to in 2018, De Keyser sold Bricsys to to fabricator. fabricated building is interrupted many Hexagon and after spending a short Currently all BIM systems have been times. Somehow, we need a system that amount of time there, he left. developed for a traditional workflow. can talk openly throughout the design Now free of BricsCAD, as well as the And while there has been considerable and construction process. constraint of developing with a DWG investment in skills and software, for envelope, the team has been able to start architects, MEP engineers and some The re-start-up anew on a fresh, contemporary BIM structural engineers, the contractual endStartup Qonic is developing what it prom- engine. De Keyser has always used solid results get squashed down to 2D drawises to be a unique take on ‘upscaling’ BIM, modelling in his applications to define ings in PDF format. while taking it to the next level of accuracy, 3D geometry – TriForma used Parasolid, As firms look to benefit from digital both in geometry and depth of data. BricsCAD used ACIS and now Qonic fabrication and off-site construction, Based in Ghent, Belgium, there are a features a top secret new lightweight Qonic looks to play a role as an intermefew familiar faces to be seen at its HQ. kernel of origins unknown, which has diary system capable of understanding
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May / June 2022
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23/05/2022 15:32
