It would work the same way it already does for mechanical datagroup instances. To have the ability to link an Access database to datagroups from other specialties. It would be helpful if you have codes for specs or BOQs, organized in a database. Or if you have information from a vendor in the form of a database and want to link it to a specific object.
| How frequently will feature be used? | A few times a week |
| How much time will you save? | Not having to do this manually. It would also open up a lot of possibilities regarding data managent |
Thank you, Pedro, for your detailed response. This helps a lot. We agree that opening up OBD to integrate external data more easily is a good idea.
We will monitor further user feedback on this idea to decide upon future implementation accordingly.
There are 3 use cases:
The first one, and it would be rather useful during design, is to be able to use pre-fabricated components, with dimensions and other information given by the suppliers. This can happen with many different things other than mechanical components. For example:
Architecture: finishing materials such as tiles. To be able to control the display (size of the tile and material for rendering).
Pipe networks: pre-cast manholes (it could be an MEP feature, but we often use cells accessed by the place user-defined tool in the architectural tab)
Structural: structural bearings like the ones used in bridge design have many different information from the suppliers, including the dimensions.
Second: having a database for material specifications, or BOQ items, and linking our datagroup catalogs to that database. This would be more the ability to link a property, common to all the datagroup items, to an identifier in the database, and then reading the spec code or the BOQ item Code.
Third: Thinking about digital twins, we should be able to get information from any database an owner may have and display it in the datagroup items' properties.
Do you think these make sense?
Hi Pedro, Thank you for this valuable idea. As we understand, you want to connect to external databases. Could you please provide us with some more information on your use cases?
I think there is a fundamental difference between the Catalog / DG for piping versus other building components like walls, floors/slabs, ...
When placing Pipes or Ducts it's only a single Catalog Item that is used for all different sizes, materials, systems, ... For walls on the other hand we create a catalog item for each type of wall (and depending on external parameters even for each thickness).
The Database approach for piping/mechanical is used to fill out a lot of values into this one catalog item. I'm not sure if the technology would allow to also change the catalog item using this functionality. Which we'd need for walls, doors, ...
On the other hand, it would be really good to streamline the workflow so that it will become the same methodology for building components as well as for MEP components.