# IfcOpenShell and FreeCAD to work with BRep solids


With [Thomas Krijnen](http://twitter.com/#!/aothms), the guy behind
[IfcOpenShell](http://ifcopenshell.org/), we've been playing with
importing BRep files, the native OpenCasCade geometry format, from
IfcOpenShell to FreeCAD. This gives truly spectacular results, FreeCAD
being able to import a whole IFC file as Part solids, thus skipping the
whole Mesh-to-Solid operation.

![](../../images/2012/freecad-ifc-shapes.jpg)

This is of course just a very early step in making the imported IFC
files into something usable "architecture-wise", but it is an
important one. Part shapes are the true main building block in all
FreeCAD, and being able to import data in its native format is of a
considerable importance to maintain a good data integrity. I also think
it is a significant step in the OCC-based ecosystem...