IBM® Maximo® Extensions for Building Information Models (BIM) provides support for integrating BIM data into, Maximo and for full 3D display of BIM data in context with Maximo applications and processes.

The data import and export implements a subset of the COBie standard

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cobie.php

This integration has passed COBie certification.  Import and export of 12+ COBie tables is supported.  These include: Facility, Floor, Space, Component, Zone, System, Type, Contact, Attribute, Document, Job, Spare, tools from Resource, and limited support for Assemblies.

Feature include: import, merge, update, and export of COBie data with import filtering and mapping of data to custom Maximo fields as well as merging new COBie data with existing Maximo data.

In addition, there is a set of extensions to existing Maximo applications and new product and design specification applications to support the imported data.

The 3D viewer support provides out of the box support for the Autodesk Forger Viewer, Autodesk NavisWorks® and the Autodesk “Large Model Viewer” from the view and data API. In addition, there is an open API to support integration of viewer from other vendors. These viewers are directly integrated into the Maximo UI.

Utilizing BIM models with Maximo

Building Information Models (BIM) is an industry representation of a building that is used during the design and build phases of building construction.  This data model provides the information in its attributes to describe (in detail) the infrastructure of a building.  This is becoming more frequently used by contractors and is part of the turnover of a building to the owner.  This model provided at turnover is generally referred to as the “as built” state of the building. 

Building owners who are commissioning a building into production need the information in this model to perform facilities management.  The process of loading this information into your maintenance products (like Maximo) is costly, time consuming, and may introduce errors.  The code contained in this package allows the automatic loading of the data in the BIM model into Maximo to begin the process of maintaining the building.  This state is referred to by “as maintained”.

Once the data is imported, this package provides 3D visualization of the full building model in context with the imported data.  This improves the efficiency of the maintenance work planning and execution process. Finally, the data, with any changes made during operations may be exported to update the model for a renovation project, or for use in other tools.

Supported Software

The Maximo extensions for BIM is offered as trail software. Trial software is not supported by the IBM Maximo support program; however, support is available directly from the IBM Maximo development team for as long as the software is available for download on the ISM Library.  Send all support questions and feedback to: tknowles@us.ibm.com

Maximo™:  Supported Maximo versions are 7.5.0.3 and up.

The viewer: Also known as Forge Viewer or Large Model Viewer (LMV)/View and Data API are cloud based viewers provided by Autodesk. To utilize in Maximo a subscription from Autodesk is required. The viewer requires a browser that supports WebGL.  Tested browsers include:  Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer 11, Firefox v42.0, Chrome v47.0.

NavisWorks™: Workstations utilizing the NavisWorks viewer require Autodesk NavisWorks Manager 2011, 2012, 2013,  2014, or Simulate 2014 to be installed. NavisWorks 2011 require service pack 1.  64bit operating systems require the 64bit version of NavisWorks and must us the 64bit version of Internet Explorer.  The ActiveX control for NavisWorks must be manually installed..Since NavisWorks is an ActiveX control, only Internet Explorer is supported for the viewer.  Versions 7, 8, and 9 have been tested.  NavisWorks does not support IE10 See AutoDesk support case :08305935. 

Features

COBie Import

The building model import application loads BIM model data in COBie format into Maximo locations, assets, systems, persons, company, Job Plan, Master PM, PM, new product table, and others.  The import supports:

• COBie CVS and Excel data files.  COBie tables supported are:

• Facility
• Floor
• Space
• Component
• Type
• System
• Zone
• Attribute
• Contact
• Document
• Job
• Spare
• Resource (Tools only)
• Assembly (For creation of Asset Assemblies)

The import supports merging, which allow new records to be added to previously imported COBie. On import, all import data is tested for a match against existing Maximo records and if a match is found, the record is skipped.  This is fine grained so in addition to being able to add new primary records such as locations and assets, new attributes, and attachments can be added to existing records and new contacts can be added to existing companies.  This provides for reuse of products, companies, and job plans across models.

If a component references a type that does not exist in the import data, the import attempts a name match against the product table to resolve the reference.  This is intended to support using SPie (http://www.nibs.org/?page=bsa_spie) data to build a reusable product library.

COBie Validation

The COBie validation is a two stage process.  The first stage validates the integrity of the COBie file or files independent of Maximo.  The second stage test the model against Maximo for issues such as missing measurement units, missing classifications and some field length constraints.

COBie Update

Subsequent imports of COBie data can update in an intelligent fashion records originally created via an import. Or a first time update may associate COBie records with existing non-COBie Maximo data. Update may be restricted to only fields without Values set. For Maximo records that carry a change date, the update process can filter for only COBie data that is more recent that the Maximo change date or all data can be updated.

COBie Export

A facility that was originally created via a COBie import or updated to link with COBie data can be exported to COBie including any additions or changes to the imported data.

Filtering

Imports and updates may have filters applied. The filters work by pattern match against the COBie name field and are complimentary to the export filtering provided by the COBie Revit toolkit.

Attribute Maps

Imports and Export may define mappings between COBie attributes (by attribute name) and Maximo tables and fields.  On import, a mapped attribute is stored in the Maximo field defined in the mapping, and on export, any mapped Maximo field has its value exported to the named COBie attribute.  This is particularly useful for Maximo installations that have added custom fields.

OmniClass or other classification import

The OmniClass tables in .CSV format or the .xls format published on the OmniClass website:

http://www.omniclass.org/tables.asp

can be imported as Maximo classifications.  Or any user defined classification scheme that is represented in the OmniClass .xls format may be imported.

Building Commissioning

A mass status update tool that updates the status for all locations, assets, products, job plans and PMs referenced by a facility.  Its primary function is to change the status of imported data from imported or draft to active.

Maximo Extensions

There are several extensions to the core Maximo applications to support the COBie data model.  The largest of these is a new Product application that maps directly to the COBie type table. 

Others include:

• Additional fields in the Location table for space descriptions
• Addition of a ModelId field to several table to support the COBie external identifier
• Classification of systems, person and company contacts
•   An “Imported” status added to several applications

Product Application

The extensions include a new Product application to manage product descriptions.  The data model is based on the COBie Type table.  It includes:

• Classification and specifications
• A list of Job Plans appropriate to the product.  This is intended to document both manufactures’ recommended maintenance and owner developed maintenance procedures.
• Attachments
• A list of assets that are instances of the product, and a reference to product is added to asset.
• A link to the Company which manufactures the Product, and Companies now have a list of products they produce
• A parts manifests with a list of Companies that can supply the part and a link to Item Master
• A list of specifications satisfied by the Product.

Integrated 3D BIM viewer

The building model viewer provides visualization of Building Information Models (BIM) data in the context of the Maximo Assets, Locations, and work order tracking applications.  In this context it provides the following features:

• Maximo Integration

• Model file management - The viewer automatically displays the correct model file(s) for a selected Maximo location or asset.  If there are multiple models available, a list is provided and most context is maintained when switching between models
• Viewer context is synchronized to Maximo (Locations and assets)- Selecting a record in Maximo selects the corresponding item in the view and zooms and centers the view on that item.
• Maximo context is synchronized to the viewer (Locations and assets) - Selecting an item in the viewer causes the corresponding record in Maximo to become the current Maximo record
• The viewer may be used as an asset selection lookup anywhere in Maximo that an asset look-up menu appears.
• The viewer may be used to select a set of assets to add to a work order or service request
• Create work orders and service requests directly out of the viewer
• Search the facility for open work orders, preventative maintenance work and service requests, display all or a selected set of the search results as the selection set in the viewer.
• Display members of Maximo systems in the viewer - Search from systems and zones either defined for the facility, or for which the selected item is a member.  Display all members of the system as the current selection or drill down to any member of the system and select it in the viewer.
• Create and Edit Maximo systems from the viewer - The selection set in the viewer can be used to either create a new system or be added as a sub-tree to an existing system
• Sequence through a multi-item selection set changing both the model view (zoom and center), and the current Maximo record to the current item in the set.

• 3D Viewer features exposed via the viewer toolbar

• Full 3D navigation
• Basic Search
• Model Properties
• Model Tree
• Sectioning of the model
• Model walk thru
• Other standard viewer features

• NavisWorks features exposed through the viewer UI

• Full 3D navigation
• Saved views - Predefined and selectable views
• Selection sets - Allow group of items in the model to be hidden or shown
• Model properties - Display of all model properties for any item in the model
• Search - Search for a selected set of model properties
• Measurement - Linear, Angular, and area measurement of anything in the model
• Redlining - Annotate the model

In addition, the 3D model can be used in conjunction with the normal Maximo lookup mechanism to provide direct visual selection of assets from a building model.