IFC to 3DTiles conversion has evolved to this extent with GISBox

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As the next generation of spatial information is used in smart cities, digital twins, infrastructure management, etc., the fusion of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) is now an inevitable trend. However, the barrier of interoperability between systems and formats stands between developers and users.

That’s where GISBox comes in. As a new generation 3D spatial data integration platform, it has the industry’s leading IFC to 3DTiles conversion function, and dramatically accelerates data integration and utilization in the fields of architecture, civil engineering, urban planning, and metaverse.

1 | From IFC to 3DTiles: Technology that fills the last step in “BIM x GIS fusion”
IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) is an international standard format for BIM that holds geometric information and attribute data (materials, construction history, management numbers, etc.) of architectural structures. On the other hand, 3DTiles is a lightweight format optimized for real-time display that is used in GIS platforms such as Cesium.

There are structural differences between these two, and the following issues frequently occurred in the conventional conversion process:

✅ Missing metadata: BIM attributes such as materials and specifications are lost during conversion

✅ Performance limitations: If IFC is directly loaded into GIS, the display is heavy and it is not suitable for city-level scenes

✅ Compatibility issues: Problems such as display failure and hierarchy collapse due to differences in IFC versions

GISBox tackles these problems head-on, achieving the industry’s first high-precision conversion + attribute preservation + lightweighting at the same time.

2 | No-code & visualization, a conversion experience that is friendly to non-engineers

Conventional conversion tools require specialized knowledge (GLTF, B3DM, etc.), so the reality was that only a limited number of engineers could use them. GISBox provides a UI/UX that anyone can use, such as:

🖱️ Import IFC files by dragging and dropping

👀 Preview LOD settings, materials, and hierarchy display in real time

🚀 One-click OGC-compliant 3DTiles data output (compatible with Cesium, SuperMap, Mapbox)

🔧 API that can be linked with Python and JavaScript is also provided, allowing developers to automate processing

3 | Supports a wide range of use cases, from architecture to urban scale
GISBox’s IFC to 3DTiles conversion is being used in a wide range of fields, from visualization of individual buildings to urban scale:

🏙️ Smart building management
Integrate IoT sensor information into BIM models to visualize building interior condition monitoring and maintenance forecasts.

🌇 Urban planning simulation
Convert hundreds of IFC building models into 3DTiles at once and use them for evaluations such as visibility analysis and sunshine analysis.

🛤️ Inspection and maintenance of infrastructure facilities

Convert civil engineering structures such as bridges and tunnels into 3DTiles while retaining their construction history. A digital foundation for maintenance.

🕹️ Metaverse construction

By outputting models in lightweight 3DTiles format, they can be quickly deployed in virtual exhibition spaces and virtual factories.

4｜GISBox as a common language for spatial information

GISBox’s conversion engine is not just a technical tool.

It is a bridge between the different cultures of BIM and GIS,

and a common language for digital space that connects design, construction, and management.

In Japan’s accelerating smart city concept, architectural digital transformation, and urban disaster prevention and mitigation measures,

GISBox is expected to be the key to realizing the “democratization of spatial data.”

GISBox Official Teams: https://teams.live.com/l/invite/FEAr12sInvEVy4hFQE
Official Teams Group: https://teams.live.com/l/invite/FBAFp0pbqhqlpe1BQI

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