• IFC

Introduction to IFC

What is IFC?

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data model is a neutral and open specification that is not controlled by a singular vendor or group of vendors. It is an object oriented file format with a data model developed by the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) to facilitate interoperability in the building industry, and is a commonly used format for Building Information Modeling (BIM). The IFC model specification is open and available. Because of its focus on ease of interoperability between software platforms the Danish government has made the use of IFC format(s) compulsory for publicly aided building projects.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_Foundation_Classes

The IFC file is a text file providing 3D info, properties, relations, stories and all the project information.

Advantages of Using IFC

Companies that have products supporting the IFC protocol enable you to rethink the way you solve common business problems. Benefits of using the IFC protocol can include:

• access object data for improved design and coordination in ArchiCAD – getting a building service engineer’s HVAC ductwork or water piping layout as 3D objects

• export your design for analysis by another specialist– such as a thermal analysis enabling better understanding of your building performance, or advanced visualization, analysis of the logic of the design etc.

• export a model for costing, estimation bidding or procurement – the integrated nature of the IFC information makes your database more valuable because your information is easy to access and analyze by such packages as costing applications.

IFC versions starting from 2x are compatible with the higher versions, like 2x2, 2x3.

2x3 is a part of ArchiCAD11, which received IFC certification in 2007.

How to Download and Install IFC

It is usually unnecessary to download the IFC Add-On manually, because after installing ArchiCAD from a CD or from a Hotfix, IFC will be installed automatically. However, the a newer IFC Add-On version may become available from the Graphisoft website between 2 hotfixes or the release of a new ArchiCAD version.

If needed, IFC can be downloaded from the official Graphisoft website:

http://www.graphisoft.com/support/ifc/ http://www.graphisoft.com/support/ifc/downloads/

Installing IFC Add-On manually will save a .zip file to your computer. Unzip it, then run the .exe file to update the IFC version in your ArchiCAD folder.

Note: if you have several ArchiCADs installed, you can browse for the one you wish to update

Where to Find the IFC Reference Guide

On the IPC Downloads page http://www.graphisoft.com/support/ifc/downloads/, an IFC Reference Guide is available in pdf format. (This .pdf was written in 2005 and covers IFC 2x2; an updated document is currently under preparation.)

This pdf is also available in C:\Program Files\Graphisoft\ArchiCAD 11\Documentation after installing IFC from the web. (The pdf is loaded in this folder only if you download IFC manually, but not if it is automatically installed together with ArchiCAD.)

Frequently Asked Questions About IFC

How Can I Avoid IFC Tree Synchronization?

Is there anyway to "shut off" the IFC Tree Synchronization? It happens quite often and is really starting to slow down our work. Is this coming from every construction element in the project or only from objects/blocks? Are there any settings by which we can reduce the number of times or the frequency it happens?

Answer:

If you don’t want to add or keep IFC properties, then you can remove all IFC data from the model by following these steps:

1. Disable the IFC add-ons in the Add-On Manager (Options > Add-On Manager)

2. Open the model

3. Uncheck the “Keep Data” flag during the open process.

4. Save the model.

Later, you can enable the IFC add-ons again if needed, but the synchronization will be avoided if you don’t call any IFC command.

How did my PLN file get to be so large?

A user has a teamwork file that has grown in size from 60MB to 175MB in compressed size. Why has it grown so large?

Answer:

It was a known bug in IFC add-on, that it increased the PLN size extremely. You can drop the IFC data from the PLN file by following these steps:

1. Disable the IFC add-ons using the Add-On Manager (Options > Add-On Manager).

2. Load the Plan file

3. Uncheck the Keep Data box in the Missing Add-Ons Dialog Box

4. Save the Plan file.

After saving the plan file, you can enable the IFC add-ons again in the Add-on Manager if you want to use IFC for export and import.

CategoryInputOutput, FileExtensions