Open BIM Lightning is a free application designed to carry out the 3D layout of the elements of a lightning safety installation to protect against the risks caused by lightning. The program calculates, verifies and describes the safety installation including all the elements it consists of: ESE type lightning rod (early streamer emission lightning conductor), boxes with their respective grounding connections, connections with metal elements on façades and with receiver sets (antennas), grounding conductors, etc.
Open BIM Lightning is integrated into the Open BIM workflow via the BIMserver.center platform.
Open BIM Lightning is a general use application that allows the design and calculation of lightning protection installations in any type of building, complying with the requirements set by the user.
The software is designed to carry out the realistic design of the lightning protection installation in a 3D environment.
It allows users to design the installation on 2D templates from the BIM model or from DXF-DWG and DWF templates or images (.jpeg, .jpg, .bmp, .wmf) that the user includes in the program.
To start working with the program the user must connect the job they are starting to a BIM model on the BIMserver.center platform or create a new BIM project.
If users connect to an existing BIM model that includes the building geometry (generated by CAD/BIM programs such as IFC Builder, Allplan, ArchiCad or Revit), Open BIM Revit will import that geometry.
More information on this work methodology (import, export and synchronisation) can be found in the "Integration into the Open BIM workflow" section on this page.
The main function of the application is to determine the zones protected by early streamer admission lightning conductors in order to check that the structure is within this zone. To obtain this, the value of the distance "D" from the crow's foot of the lightning rod to the imaginary sphere is indicated in the "General parameters" window of the project.
Open BIM Lightning includes an assistant to determine the "D" value based on the level of protection required by the installation, which should have been established in a previous study.
The application allows users to define and position the different equipment that constitutes the lightning protection installation:
In addition to the checks specific to each lightning rod model, Open BIM Lightning allows users to configure the general checks of the lightning protection installation:
The program calculates the zones protected by the early streamer admission lightning conductors based on the data defined in the "General parameters", along with the properties and location of the lightning rods.
At each reference height the application draws the protection radius and checks that the building boundaries are located within the limits. Additionally, the total protection zone is displayed in the 3D view of the BIM model.
Through alerts, the program warns about regulations that have not been met or incorrectly developed installations to help with the correct configuration.
Once the calculation has been performed, Open BIM Lightning automatically generates the relevant documents and plans to justify the lightning protection installation.
Open BIM Lightning automatically generates a report which includes the justification of the protection installation, as well as the types and features of the early streamer admission lightning conductors used in the installation.
This document can be printed directly from the program or exported to various formats (TXT, HTML, RTF, DOCX, PDF).
Open BIM Lightning creates detailed floor plans of the lightning protection installation. The program provides a tool to configure the elements that will appear in each plan (DXF/DWG templates, protection radius, etc).
As well as being able to directly print the plans, the program allows them to be exported to various formats (DWG, DXF, PDF, XPS).
Through the BIMserver.center web platform direct communication is established between all participants and applications that form part of a project integrated into the Open BIM workflow. This integration is carried out through the exchange of IFC information files with a previously defined BIM model:
More information about the Open BIM workflow proposed by CYPE can be found at the Open BIM Technology in CYPE programs page.
Open BIM Lightning is a free use program for which no license is required to carry out the previously mentioned calculations, and is available for download on the BIMserver.center platform.