Since the adoption of BIM technology, many industry professionals—including students and designers—have misunderstood the nature of BIM. They often assume BIM is just software, but in reality, BIM is a concept of engineering informatization. Currently, most engineering projects in China integrate this concept to maximize project benefits. Implementing BIM requires a series of software, with the core modeling software being the most essential. This core modeling software, commonly known in English as “BIM Authorship Software,” forms the foundation of BIM applications and is typically the first type of BIM software encountered during implementation. It is often abbreviated as “BIM modeling software.”
Bentley
Bentley offers 3D modeling design software such as Openbridge Designer and OpenRoads Designer, which serve as BIM modeling software combining structural modeling with standard component libraries. These tools seamlessly cover all phases of the infrastructure lifecycle, including design, construction, and operation management. During structural design, users can directly apply numerous international and regional industry standards or customize components to meet specific project requirements.
Bentley’s software is widely used in large, complex construction, infrastructure, and industrial projects. However, compared to the Revit series, Bentley’s interface is relatively complex, making it harder for beginners to learn. Additionally, its engineering object library is limited, which can reduce construction efficiency. In China, there is a lack of secondary development resources for Bentley software, and its high cost significantly limits its adoption.
Nemetschek
In 2007, Nemetschek acquired Graphisoft and unified Allplan, ArchiCAD, and Vectorworks under one platform. ArchiCAD, targeting the global market, is one of the earliest influential BIM core modeling software products. Over 30 years, ArchiCAD has continually improved with updates: version 4.0 introduced rendering, version 5.0 added landscape and terrain features, version 7.0 brought a drawing publisher, and version 13.0 included the web-based collaboration platform BIMServer. These enhancements focus on enabling faster and more comfortable building design.
ArchiCAD is optimized for multi-core processors and 64-bit systems, ensuring efficient handling of large models while requiring relatively modest hardware compared to other software.
ArchiCAD offers greater convenience and efficiency for modifying 3D models compared to many other BIM tools. However, in China, its adoption faces challenges due to the mismatch between ArchiCAD’s architectural focus and the multidisciplinary integrated design institute system. Additionally, its surface modeling capabilities are less intuitive than those of Revit. Unlike Revit’s parametric family system, ArchiCAD uses parametric components called objects, programmed with its proprietary GDL language. While concise, this programming approach is less accessible to most architectural designers, making Revit’s parametric modeling easier to adopt.
Vectorworks, developed by Nemetschek’s American division, includes three modules and is also used for stage design and rendering materials. It is primarily popular in the United States but rarely used elsewhere. Allplan mainly serves German-speaking markets and has limited presence in China.
Dassault
CATIA, developed by Dassault Systemes, is a 3D core modeling software widely used in aerospace, mechanical manufacturing, precision instruments, and automotive industries, holding a dominant market position. It excels in detailed modeling of complex shapes and managing complex components. Digital Project, developed by GeryTechnology professionals through secondary development of CATIA, is tailored for the construction industry but remains fundamentally CATIA—similar to how Tianzheng is based on AutoCAD.
Digital Project can manage vast engineering data and complex spatial heterogeneous component models. It also offers an API for user-developed plugins to extend functionality. However, both CATIA and Digital Project are very expensive and demand high-end hardware. They have steep learning curves, with few professionals skilled in these tools. Moreover, they are not well-suited to civil engineering and infrastructure needs, limiting their widespread adoption in these sectors.
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