When opening an IFC SPF file and creating a new project, the system performs syntactic and semantic analysis of the file data for compliance with the SPF format and the underlying IFC information schema. Verification allows to guarantee the consistency, integrity and interpretability of your project data necessary for the subsequent proceeding of the system and third-party IFC-compliant applications.

Verification is carried out in full accordance with the STEP (ISO 10303) standards, on which IFC (ISO 16739) is based, and enables you to identify possible syntactic and semantic violations in the original IFC SPF data. In particular, verification includes checks against the conformity of simple and object data types, the presence of set values of mandatory attributes, the permittance of collection multiplicity intervals, the uniqueness of set elements, and the validity of local, unique, and global semantic rules defined by the information schema. In case of found errors, the system generates a report on detected violations.

Upon successful opening of the file and creation of the project, the user can obtain overall information about the loaded project data (types and number of IFC objects).

The graphical user interface of the system allows you to view and, if necessary, set or change the main objects of project data (structural elements, plans, works, calendars, resources, expenses, constraints, classifiers, etc.). For such purposes, there are tabular hierarchical forms with customizable columns, as well as windows for viewing and editing the attributes of individual objects. Additional properties of objects can be defined and set directly by the user.

For convenience and clarity, the system implements a wide range of visual tools, such as 3D scene browsers, Gantt charts, earned value plots, resource utilization charts, related documents viewports, which, when used in a complex and coordinated way, provide a complete and comprehensive representation of the 7D project model.

The system enables you to add 3D models of buildings, structural elements, equipment, materials to the current project data. Adding is implemented by importing 3D models in GLTF, FBX, OBJ, COLLADA, CityGML file formats, followed by spatial positioning of imported models and their binding to the project structure (construction site, building, floor). Imported elements can be further classified according to the underlying IFC schema types.

For the elements of the thus assembled project scene, measurements of lengths, distances, areas and volumes can be carried out, and the project scene itself can be marked up and annotated using the most successful viewports.

3D scene browsers support common navigation operations, and also allow spatial localization of the structural elements selected in the project structure tree. A special interactive view mode allows you to operate on very large scenes without any perceptible slowdown in navigation operations. The conservative mode is intended for accurate display of structural elements, which is necessary for the spatial positioning of the elements, analysis of their relative position and measurements. For the selected structural elements, the values of their properties can be viewed, modified or set. The latter are displayed in the provided object attribute panel.

7D Modeler is a functionally advanced project management system that provides a wide range of tools for creating project plans, setting constraints, calculating schedules, updating project information, managing resources and costs, monitoring project progress and forecasting. Project plans are directly formed by the user in the system or generated according to the structure of the building object and its 3D model. If necessary, preliminary prepared project plans can be imported to the system from third-party applications in MS Project XML, Oracle Primavera XML formats.

A project plan in the system is formed as a multi-level composition of composite tasks (work breakdown structures), simple tasks and milestones, between which precedence relations (links) can be established and for which super-set of explicit time constraints with priorities and alignments can be defined. The ability to set restrictions and links directly on work breakdown structures allows you to significantly simplify the presentation of the project plan and its analysis when comparing planned and actual project progress indicators.

The system implements a generalized calendar model that can be used to set a wide range of regular and exceptional rules when organizing works and attracting resources. For novice users, calendars with fixed half-hour work intervals are also provided.

Project scheduling is carried out using the methods of critical path (CPM) and critical activities (CAM). The found critical paths and tasks are displayed on the Gantt chart, and the calculated free and total floats are outputted in the corresponding columns of the task table. If the conditions of the scheduling problem are set incorrectly (for example, if there are precedence cycles between tasks and/or overdefined constraints), the system generates an error report.

The system helps to analyze the quality of the project schedules by calculating the standard DCMA-14 metrics (lack of logic, the presence of negative and positive delays, the correctness of the types of precedence relations, the presence of hard restrictions, high values of time reserves, negative reserves, high values of work durations, correct dates, resource load, delayed jobs, critical path integrity, critical path length index, target plan execution index). If the accepted threshold values are exceeded, the corresponding indicators are displayed in red. If necessary, the indicators are saved as a part of the project design data.

The system provides tools for defining pools of resources (personnel, equipment, materials, workspaces), as well as their grouping and assignment to project tasks. The resource utilization diagram displays the respective time intervals for the use of individual and group resources, marking areas where the available levels are exceeded. To compute project schedules consistent with both time and resource constraints, the system implements resource scheduling methods (RCPSP - Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem), sometimes called Resource Leveling methods.

Spatio-temporal modeling of projects is one of the key functions of the system. The 4D model of the project is formed as a result of the consolidation of both geometric models of a building and schedules for its construction. To reproduce dynamic processes at the construction site the visual patterns of work execution (installation, movement, dismantling, etc.) are defined and then assigned to project tasks together with the structural elements subject to these processes.

For moving elements, it is possible to set trajectories or paths along with the translational and rotational parameters. Paths allow you to simulate various kinds of logistics and technological operations associated with the delivery of structural elements, their installation or removement. In particular, they simplify the dimensional analysis.

The 4D model formed in the way described above is visualized and animated in the corresponding windows for viewing 3D scenes as a result of moving the time reference on the Gantt chart or starting the animation mode, which reconstructs the progress of project works on the construction site. Special animation modes allow you to identify and visualize tasks performed ahead of or behind the project schedule.

The system allows you to detect spatial and spatio-temporal conflicts for the structural elements of the project model. Spatial conflicts are associated with the intersection (collisions) or penetration (interferences) of elements, the position of which is fixed and does not change over modeling time. Spatio-temporal conflicts are caused by dynamic elements, the position of which in the project scene is determined by the assigned behavior patterns, including possible movement paths. When running the conflict detection procedure, the user can specify the context, such as the types of structural elements for which pairs should be analyzed, and also construction sites, buildings and floors, to which the conflict analysis should be limited.

In addition to intersections and penetrations, the system allows you to identify many other non-trivial conflicts due to the lack of supporting or adjacent structural elements, overlapping workspaces and violation of delivery routes. The results obtained can be saved as part of the project model data and reused for further analysis.

All project data formed or generated in the system as a single 7D model can be saved in the open IFC SPF format for sharing between users and sharing with other applications. There are also saving facilities in IFC JSON and IFC XML formats, which simplify the analysis and processing of design data using alternative software technology stacks.

Project data presented in object tables (structural elements, activities, resources, costs, constraints, classifiers, etc.) can be printed as PDF documents. The Customize Table View dialog is used to define the composition and order of the object attributes to be printed.

Project data can be converted and saved in Excel, SQL or powerBI files for more advanced documentation using special tools and applications. Snapshots of project scenes can be saved as JPEG or PNG files, and prepared construction process animations can be saved as WebM videos.