IFC, RVT and NWD to GLB — convert models to glTF for web, mobile and AR

Convert IFC to GLB (binary glTF) for 3D viewers, AR/VR, and web embedding. Geometry only — materials and per-element grouping are not carried over.

Besides IFC, this tool takes Revit (.rvt) and Navisworks (.nwd) files, with no Revit or Navisworks licence. Drop one in and it is converted to IFC first, then the tool runs on that IFC; your original file is not changed.

Convert an IFC model to GLB — binary glTF — in the browser. Upload the IFC, run the export, download a single self-contained .glb that opens in web viewers, on phones, in AR apps, in Blender, and in game engines. No plugin, no desktop converter, no account needed to try it.

glTF is the closest thing 3D has to a universal delivery format: it's an open Khronos standard, every browser can render it, iOS and Android preview it natively, and GLB packs the whole model into one file with nothing to lose in transit. That makes it the right answer to the most common request in the industry — "can you send me something I can actually open?" — from a client, a planning officer, or a site manager with a phone and no BIM software.

When to reach for it: When you need to share a 3D model with someone who doesn't have BIM software, or embed it on a website or AR/VR app.

What you get: A GLB file (binary glTF) that opens in any 3D viewer, web browser, or AR app.

Example: Share a 3D model with a client who doesn't have BIM software.

What GLB carries, and what it doesn't

The export is geometry. Element bodies are tessellated into triangle meshes and written as glTF, which is what makes the file open everywhere — but it also means the IFC's data model does not survive the trip. Materials and per-element grouping are not carried over, and neither are property sets, GlobalIds, the spatial hierarchy, or anything else a BIM tool would read.

That's the correct trade for viewing and showing, and the wrong one for handing over data. If the recipient needs to click an element and see its properties, send them a view-only share link instead — Share IFC File gives them the real model in a browser viewer with the data intact, and no download at all. If they need the data in a spreadsheet, Extract IFC Data is the tool.

Where a GLB actually goes

A web page — GLB drops into model-viewer, three.js or any glTF-capable embed, so a project site can carry the real model instead of a screenshot.
A phone or tablet — both major mobile platforms preview glTF/GLB natively, which is the shortest path from "here's the model" to someone actually looking at it on site.
AR and VR — glTF is the standard interchange format for AR frameworks and headsets.
Blender, Unity, Unreal and other 3D tools — all import GLB directly, so a model can go from IFC to a visualisation or real-time scene without a paid converter in the middle.

Trim the model before you export it

GLB size follows triangle count, so the fastest way to a lighter file is to send less geometry. Reduce IFC File Size strips the geometry a viewer never shows; Strip IFC Materials removes material definitions that GLB wouldn't carry anyway; Delete IFC Elements drops classes the recipient doesn't need — annotation, grids, spaces — and Split IFC Model can send one storey instead of the whole tower. Chain them as a saved pipeline (clean → export) and the whole sequence re-runs on each revision.

Using it on Revit and Navisworks files

When you open a .rvt or a .nwd file here, BIMCamel converts it to IFC on the server and brings you back to this tool with the converted model loaded. Element ids, levels and properties come across under their Revit and Navisworks names, so pick properties as they appear in your model. Your .rvt or .nwd itself is never edited: a tool that changes the model gives you an IFC back.

Revit files can be up to 25 MB without an account, 100 MB with a free one and 200 MB on a paid plan. Navisworks files can be up to 25 MB without an account, 100 MB with a free one and 200 MB on a paid plan, and they open in the browser viewer at the same sizes. Revit projects saved in Revit 2021 to 2027 are supported.

How to convert IFC to GLB online

Upload your model (IFC, RVT or NWD)
Click Run to convert
Download the glTF/GLB file

Under the hood

BIMCamel parses IFC files in the browser using the open-source web-ifc engine and renders models with @thatopen/components + three.js. Heavy operations (clean / optimise / validate / convert) run on disposable server-side workers using the same web-ifc stack plus our own .NET pipeline; results stream back to your browser as soon as they're ready. Uploads sit on our servers only as long as your tier's retention window allows and are never used to train AI.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert an IFC file to GLB or glTF?

Upload the IFC on this page and run the export. You get a single binary .glb file, which is the packed form of glTF — one file, nothing external to keep track of. It's free, runs in the browser, and needs no plugin or account.

Are materials and colours preserved?

No. The export carries geometry as triangle meshes; materials and per-element grouping are not carried over. If you need the model's appearance and data intact, share a view-only link with Share IFC File instead of exporting.

Can I open a GLB on a phone?

Yes — both major mobile platforms preview glTF/GLB natively, and every modern browser can render it. That's usually the point: it's the format someone with no BIM software can actually open.

Why is my export empty?

Because the model has no body geometry to tessellate — annotation-only, grid-only and 2D-only IFCs produce nothing. The run says so explicitly rather than handing you an empty file with a green tick. Open the model in the IFC viewer first to confirm it has geometry.

How do I make the GLB smaller?

Send less geometry. Run Reduce IFC File Size first, and consider dropping classes the recipient doesn't need (annotation, grids, spaces) with Delete IFC Elements, or exporting one storey at a time with Split IFC Model. File size tracks triangle count closely.

Which IFC versions are supported?

IFC2x3 and IFC4 — the two schema versions exported by essentially every AEC authoring application. IFC4x3, the infrastructure schema, works too: it opens in the viewer, and validation, health reports, property-set editing and georeferencing all run on it. Tools that need geometry processing, such as clash detection and 3D export, aren't verified on IFC4x3 yet.

What's the maximum IFC file size?

Up to 25 MB as a guest, 100 MB with a free account, 500 MB on Pro, and 1 GB on Team. The caps are on upload size only — every tool itself is available on every tier.

What happens to my file after processing?

Your file is uploaded over HTTPS and processed on our servers. Guest uploads are stream-only — the working files are deleted as soon as your download finishes. Free accounts keep results for 7 days; Pro and Team keep saved models until you delete them. Files are never shared with third parties or used to train AI.

Is IFC to GLB free?

Yes. IFC to GLB is free to use — guests get 3 runs a day with 25 MB uploads, and a free account raises that to 10 runs a day with 100 MB uploads. No trial clock, no watermarks.

Can I use a Revit or Navisworks file with IFC, RVT, NWD to GLB?

Yes. Open a .rvt or .nwd file and it is converted to IFC first; the tool then runs on that IFC and your original file is not changed.