The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) classifies BIM and related software into eight distinct categories:
Category 1: Conceptual Design and Feasibility Tools
Category 2: BIM Core Modeling Software (BIM Authoring Tools)
Category 3: BIM Analysis Tools
Category 4: Shop Drawing and Prefabrication Tools
Category 5: Construction Management Tools
Category 6: Quantity Takeoff and Estimating Software
Category 7: Scheduling Tools
Category 8: File Sharing and Collaboration Tools
Each category includes several to over a dozen software programs, amounting to more than one hundred software applications in total.
Bentley Systems falls under the core BIM modeling software category. However, Bentley does not refer to a single software, but rather a suite of software products. Bentley’s offerings include multiple specialized modules for areas such as municipal roads and bridges, steel structures, and buildings. Among these, MicroStation and AECOsim Building Designer are the most widely used BIM tools.
Bentley software is predominantly applied in infrastructure sectors like roads and bridges, subways, tunnels, and hydropower stations, catering to a specialized group of industry engineers. Its high cost also makes it less accessible for many private companies in China.
Compared to Autodesk Revit, Bentley’s main advantage lies in the fact that most of its software suite is developed on the MicroStation platform. This ensures seamless interoperability and smooth data transfer across the Bentley series applications, a critical factor for effective BIM implementation. This level of integration is a significant strength that software like Revit has yet to achieve.
In summary, both Bentley’s AECOsim Building Designer and Autodesk Revit provide robust BIM modeling capabilities. The key difference is that Revit consolidates all professional tools within a single platform, while AECOsim Building Designer offers specialized tools tailored specifically for different professional engineers, providing deeper access to discipline-specific commands.
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