Opinion
User interface of Qonic
About 136 people watched Qonic Talks 2024, brought to us by the folks who originally brought us BricsCAD. The intent of Qonic is to create a full BIM modeler, from concept design to detail design. But, they admit, that will take time. So, Qonic is working backwards: filling in details of BIM models and viewing existing BIM designs, which are imported from IFC, Revit, and Rhino. Qonic imports classification systems from bSDD [buildingSMART Data Dictionary]; importing of properties from bSDD will be available soon. However, no IFC spaces yet.
In the model shown below, the roof shape comes from Rhino, the building interior from Revit, and the grounds from IFC. All three can be edited in Qonic. For sharing, we can send links for read-only viewing, which includes functions like limiting the elements to be displayed, such as just the structural.
Single model with elements imported from Rhino, IFC files, and Revit
Right now, walls have to be connected and corrected manually, but a future version is to automate the tasks. Also to be added: automation that adds layers or baseboards (with mitres) to all walls of a room.
Editing walls manually with push-and-pull
Qonic generates quantity take-offs based on classification codes and corresponding measure codes.
Solid Modeling & Collaboration
Qonic is a a solid modeler that combines both generic direct modeling (with push-pull) and using BIM data in the model to generate smart procedures. Example of the latter is moving a wall with all embedded objects (doors, etc), with attached walls also stretching. Includes context-based 3D object snap.
I asked which solid modeler is being used: "The modeling kernel we use internal to Qonic and can fully be extended to our needs. It’s a full blown solid modeler supporting the most complex geometry, including NURBS geometry. Due to an NDA we can’t provide more info about it." My guess? C3D.
Qonic includes Git-like multi-user collaboration:
Changes are not visible to others, until published or discarded- Can choose which version to keep
- Work off-line to make changes, and then sync later
- Merge conflicts are highlighted
Accepting (or rejecting) changes made by others
An API [application programming interface] will become available, starting with model data APIs to read and write data, like properties, materials, and so on.
Qonic runs on all platforms (laptops, tablets, phones) through a Web browser, but the desktop version is the most powerful, as it allows editing. The software is free for projects up to 50,000 sq ft. After than, pricing starts at $215/month. https://www.qonic.com/
Q&A
Pieter Pauwels: I am curious to see the API or any kind of developer functionalities that are available.
Qonic: APIs are being developed today! We are planning to start with model data API's to read and write data (properties, materials, etc.). Interested to hear which other API's would be interesting for you!
Michel Böhms: Surprised to not find "Interoperability via OPen BIM bSI standards" as foundational. Wrt [with respect to] custom properties, can I import bSDD-complient (json) dictionaries? (generated from excel-template with standard bsdd converter).
Qonic: Today you can import classification systems from bSDD. It's also possible to add custom properties, but not yet from bSDD. We are working on import of properties from bsDD, and it will be available soon.
Pieter Pauwels: It would be great to have non-buildingSMART APIs really, so we can get to that cloud-based system. It would be nice to be able to connect the viewer to databases with relevant other information, one way or another. Also programmatically changing the geometry would be a nice future feature of course.
Qonic: Not that exotic actually. The goal effectively is that you will be able to read in data from Qonic, using it for instance in an external analysis tool and then bring the result back into Qonic. We've started our API developments just recently, but surely on our roadmap..
Pieter Pauwels: I mean just simple API functionality that allows to connect to the software and 3D editing functionality programmatically. Like in any CAD modeller, basically; e.g. FreeCAD, but also Revit API. So for example to allow students to add functionality on top of this viewer - can go in all kinds of directions. It would be nice if we can change from 'some API' to a 'Qonic API' to interact with the data and software.
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Abraham Alwen: Can each layer of material in the models be quantified?
Qonic: Yes, wall layers can individually be manipulated and quantified!
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Abraham Alwen: Can I import an IFC model to continue working?
Qonic: Today we focus on the workflow to enrich/upscale an existing IFC file, so you always start from a conceptual design model, and we provide the tools to further detail is. We are also working on conceptual 'creation' tools.
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Edward Groenendaal: Can I make cost estimations?
Qonic: It's possible to generate quantity-take-offs (based on classification codes and their corresponding measure codes).
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Pieter Pauwels: There are no (ifc) spaces modeled? Did I hear that correctly? And zoning for example?
Qonic: In this model, spaces were indeed not present. We can geometrically detect the space perimeter to place the baseboards
Michel Böhms: But reading in ifc spaces, they are still there i assume? Is it then possible to create spaces automatically?
Qonic: Yes, but we don't have the tools yet to really work with spaces. This functionality will also be added in the future (for example, also adding spaces automatically).
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Michael Hasse: My top 3 wish list:
1. user-definable keystrokes
2. stretch tool (for doors/windows etc.)
3. object instantiation and arrays
What Ralph Grabowski Thinks
Flush with cash from the 2018 sale of Bricsys to Hexagon, the co-founders looked for another project, and decided on a cloud-based BIM editor. In 2021, Qonic was founded. Since that date, two events occurred.
The number of cloud-based BIM editors expanded in the market, with names like Snaptrude. Even desktop CAD software, like Graebert ARES, gained BIM editing functions. So, Qonic no longer is unique.
The other event is that the staff at Qonic decided to expand their BIM editor into a full BIM modeler, from conceptual design through to detail design. That brings it into competition with other full BIM modelers, such as from Graphisoft, Vectorworks, and Autodesk.
As Qonic is private, it need not provide us with any insight into its finances, and so we cannot know how long its runway is. Nevertheless, ceo Erik de Keyser is a determined man who has battled through tremendous programming projects before.
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