How do I add additional information to an IFC Export?

Tekla Structures
Not version-specific
Tekla Structures
IFC
export
Property Set Definition
Environment
Not environment-specific

Question

How do I add additional information to an IFC Export?

Answer

Not all information associated with model objects is included in an IFC export by default. You can control what information is included in the export using IFC Property Sets. The following example shows how to create a property set that includes, part number, assembly number, phase and lot, so that these properties will be attached to the objects that are exported to IFC.

Example of creating a Property Set Definition

This example model is divided into two phases, four lots and is numbered. We will show how the phase, lot, part and assembly numbers of the parts can be included in the IFC export.

 
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Select File > Export > IFC.. to open the Export to IFC dialog box.

 
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Click the Edit button to open the Property Set Definitions dialog box.

 
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Enter a name for the configuration file in the Name box.

Enter a name for the Property Set next to the New button and click New.

 
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Tick ifcBeam, ifcColumn and ifcElementAssembly to include these element types in the configuration.

 
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Expand the Part selection tree and put a tick next to PART_POS. This will add the PART_POS attribute to the list of selected properties on the right hand side.

 
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Now expand the Assembly selection tree and tick the following attributes:

ASSEMBLY_POS

LOT_NAME

LOT_NUMBER

PHASE

These properties will be added to the right hand side as you select them.

 
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Now click Save and close.

In the Parameters tab change Export to All objects.

In the Advanced tab ensure that Assemblies is ticked.

Click Export

 
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Viewing the Properties in BIMsight

Open the model in another application to check the attributes have been included.

Now the phases can be identified and parts coloured by phase:

 
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Assembly and part number of selected element is shown.

 
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Parts can be grouped by other properties such as Lot Name.

 
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Using these properties in other models

When you create and save a new property set configuration it is saved as an xml file in a subdirectory of the model folder called AdditionalPSets.

You can make this property set configuration available in new models by copying the file to one of the following folders:

XS_SYSTEM

XS_PROJECT

XS_FIRM

If you use the above mentioned folders, please save the files in a folder called \AdditionalPSets under the system, project or firm folder.



See "Property set configuration files used in IFC export" for more information about using Property set configuration files.
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