Frequently Asked Questions

We use the industry-standard IfcOpenShell library. It is a super stable, well-tested, and open-source SDK for working with IFC data.

By leveraging IfcOpenShell, we ensure that your BIM analysis is built on a robust foundation trusted by developers and engineers worldwide.

Our secure execution environment comes pre-installed with a robust set of data science and geometry libraries, including:

• numpy
• scipy
• pandas
• ifcopenshell
• ifcpatch
• ifc5d
• shapely
• igraph
• trimesh
• rdflib
• scikit-learn
• scikit-spatial

If you have requests for additional modules or specific versions, please get in touch.

We are actively considering making advanced IfcOpenShell modules, such as geometry-based clash detection, available in our environment.

We invite interested users to join our beta testing program for these features. Please contact us if you'd like to be among the first to test these capabilities.

We exclusively support IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) as our BIM format. We support all official versions of the standard:

• IFC 2x3
• IFC 4
• IFC 4.3

Contact us if you require non-official IFC versions for your API. We accept both .ifc and .ifcxml file formats, although we highly recommend using the standard SPF .ifc format for better performance, reliability and smaller file sizes (to reduce processing time and costs).

Yes, our API interface is built on the OpenAPI standard (formerly Swagger). This ensures broad compatibility with existing tools and makes integration straightforward.

We provide comprehensive Swagger documentation that you can use to test endpoints directly.

We provide built-in test and debug functions directly in the browser to help you validate your Python scripts against your IFC models.

While these tools are currently available to get you started, we are actively working on improving and expanding the testing environment to provide an even better developer experience in the future.

We love AI, and we use it extensively to develop this website, write unit tests, and optimize our workflow.

However, the inner workings of MyBimApi do not rely on AI. When it comes to running a query or script on your engineering data, you need 100% reliable results, every single time.

MyBimApi does not rely on AI for estimating results. Instead, we rely on good old-fashioned code to calculate the actual result. No hallucinations, just 100% reliable outcomes. Every time.

Yes, we offer a wide range of example Python scripts to help you get started quickly. When you create a new function and open the editor, you'll find a 'Samples' dropdown menu.

You can choose from multiple examples to hit the ground running. You are completely free to use these examples as a base to fine-tune and tweak them for your specific project needs.

Currently, we exclusively use GitHub accounts for secure authentication. This leverages the existing security of your GitHub account.

We are considering adding other authentication options in the future to provide more flexibility.

We have a default upload limit of 1GB for sending IFC data to your API endpoint. This limit applies to the total size of data sent in a single request, whether it's one large file or multiple combined files.

If your project requires processing larger datasets (above 1GB), please contact us. We can raise these limits upon request to accommodate your needs.

No, there are no strict limits on the size of the Python script you can upload. However, please be aware that longer and more complex scripts will inherently take more time to execute.

Since our pricing model is based on processing time (credits per minute), larger scripts may result in higher costs per run. We recommend optimizing your scripts for efficiency where possible.

No, there is no limit to the size of the returning payload (the result in JSON). You are free to structure your output to include as much data as your analysis generates.

Our secure processing servers are physically located in US East (Ohio). This is our default region.

We understand that data residency is critical for many projects. If you require processing in a different region (e.g., Europe or Asia), other regions are available on request. Please contact support to arrange this.

We strictly adhere to a policy of minimal data retention. We do not store your IFC files or analysis results longer than is absolutely needed for the processing of the script.

Once your API call is successfully completed and the response is sent back to you, the data is securely cleared from our processing environment.

Absolutely not. We are an infrastructure provider, not a data aggregator. We are not harvesting any data from your scripts or your IFC models.

Your intellectual property (your scripts) and your project data (IFC files) remain entirely yours.

One credit covers the processing of 100MB of IFC data for 1 minute. The cost scales with both factors:

• 100MB for 2 minutes = 2 credits
• 200MB for 1 minute = 2 credits
• 300MB for 3 minutes = 6 credits

The minimum cost per API call is 1 credit. This covers the base infrastructure required to spin up your secure, isolated environment, regardless of how small the file is.

Yes, we offer bulk discounts for high-volume usage. If you anticipate processing large volumes of IFC data, please contact us with your requirements, and we can discuss a custom pricing plan tailored to your needs.

Your API calls will be paused once your balance reaches zero. To ensure uninterrupted service, we are working on an email based warning system to notify you when your balance is running low. Let us know if you are interested in this feature and want to test it.

You can manage your API credentials directly from your Dashboard. Simply navigate to the 'API Keys' section in the sidebar to view, copy, or regenerate your secure access keys.

Currently, accounts are designed for individual developers. However, for our Enterprise clients, we offer organization-level accounts. Please contact sales if you require team collaboration.

Your Dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of your activity. You can track total requests and credits consumed.

Yes! We understand that not everyone is a Python/IFC expert. We can get you in touch with some of our trusted 3rd party professionals to help you write, optimize, or migrate your specific BIM analysis scripts. Contact us with your requirements.