Trimble Business Center

Working with IFC Data

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 About this tutorial

About this tutorial

You can import into your TBC project an IFC model in the form of a 3D mesh surface that
represents a physical architectural component and is defined in an Industry Foundation
Class (IFC) file created in a Building Information Management (BIM) system.
After import, you can use the Properties pane to view and edit various visual display
properties for each or all of the entities that make up the 3D model, and you can
reference the model to survey control points contained in your project so that the
model is correctly positioned in the "real world".
The following example shows an IFC model, which is made up of hundreds of
component-level entities.

This example shows a single entity selected within the IFC model.

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 Step 1. Open the project

In this tutorial, you will import an IFC file into a project that includes a specified
coordinate system and surveyed control points at the location where the IFC model
should be positioned. You will then reference the IFC model to one of the control points
to move it to the correct position. You will then export the newly reference IFC model so
that it can be imported into other applications with accurate positioning information.

Note: If you need additional help at any time you are using the software, press F1 to
display the online help.

Step 1. Open the project

For this tutorial, you will use the project file Working with IFC Data.vce. The project
includes surveyed points for a Trimble office campus.

Note: The downloaded WorkingwithIFCData folder contains this PDF file, a Data folder,
and the Working with IFC Data.vce project file. You will import the IFC model from the
Data folder later in this tutorial.

1. In TBC, select File > Open.

2. In the Open File dialog, browse to ..\WorkingwithIFCData\Working with IFC Data.vce
and click Open.
The project opens in the Trimble Business Center window.

Before you import the IFC model into the project, you will "clean up" the Plan View
to remove unnecessary visual clutter.

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 Step 2. Import the IFC model

3. In the Trimble Business Center ribbon, select Home > View > View Filter Manager.
4. In the View Filter Manager pane, uncheck RTK Vector and Total Station in the Raw
Data List.

Next, you will verify the coordinate system being used in the project.
5. In the Quick Access toolbar located at the top of the TBC window, select Project
Settings.
6. In the Project Settings dialog, select Coordinate System in the left navigation pane.

This is the correct coordinate system for the project.

7. Click Cancel to close the Project Settings dialog.
You are now ready to import the IFC model into the project.

Step 2. Import the IFC model

1. Using your Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder ..\WorkingwithIFCData\Data
and drag-and-drop the file TRMB Bldg Colored.ifc onto the Plan View.

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 Step 2. Import the IFC model

As an alternative, you could use the Import command to import the IFC file. But
since there are no import settings associated with IFC files, drag-and-drop works
fine.
Because the imported IFC model does not include position information, it is
automatically imported at the origin coordinate 0,0 in the Plan View. The Plan View
automatically zooms out ("zoom extents") to show the coordinate 0,0 in the lower
left corner of the Plan View. However, the view is too zoomed out to see the
imported model. To make it easy to view just the IFC model, you will temporarily
hide the survey data in the graphic views.

2. In the View Filter Manager, uncheck the check boxes for all Layers except IFC -
Import.

3. Select Home > View > Zoom Extents.

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 Step 2. Import the IFC model

The IFC model now fills the Plan View.

The model represents one of the office buildings located on the Trimble office
campus in Westminster, Colorado, USA.
4. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > View > 3D View.

5. Using your mouse and mouse wheel (or ribbon command equivalents in Home >
View), explore the model from different perspectives and zoom levels.

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 Step 2. Import the IFC model

6. In the Project Explorer, expand the BIM Data node and sub-nodes to display a Bim
entity node as shown here.

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 Step 2. Import the IFC model

Each of the entities contained in the IFC model is represented by a Bim entity node.

Note: Different entity names (that is, the number part of the name) may display in
your Project Explorer than is shown in these screen examples. This is due to the fact
that the entities do not include names in the imported IFC file and were, therefore,
auto-named on import. The auto-naming feature produces different entity names
each time you import the IFC file.

7. Right-click any Bim entity node and select Properties to display its properties in the
Properties pane.

Using the Properties pane, you can enter or change the BIM entity's name and the
layer on which it displays. You can also change properties pertaining to the display
of the entity in the graphic views. Do not make any changes at this time.

Note: The Name field is empty because the imported IFC file does not include entity
names. If you enter a name, it replaces the auto-generate ifc entity - xxxx name
displayed in the Project Explorer.

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 Step 3. Explore the IFC model

Any Properties changes you make are saved with the IFC model and will be included
when you export the model as explained later in the tutorial.
Next, you'll take a closer look at the IFC model in the 3D View.

Step 3. Explore the IFC model

In this step, you will explore a few viewing options for the imported IFC model. You will
also make a measurement on the model.
1. In the 3D View, draw a selection box around the entire IFC model to select all of its
entities.

2. In the Properties pane, select Yes in the Shown in 3D View > Wireframe drop-down
list.

3. In the 3D View, click off the model to deselect its members.

4. The surface of the model no longer displays, exposing all of the linework within the
model.

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 Step 3. Explore the IFC model

5. Zoom in as necessary to view the elements in the interior of the building.

In the following example, an entity has been selected within the building.

6. In the 3D View, again draw a selection box around the entire IFC model. Then, in the
Properties pane, select No in the Show in 3D View > Wireframe drop-down list.
Click off of the model to de-select its members and display the model's surface.
Next, you will make a measurement on an entity in the IFC model.
7. Zoom in on the single door located on east side of the building.

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 Step 3. Explore the IFC model

8. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Data > Measure to display the Measure Distance
command pane.
This command is also accessible In the Quick Access toolbar located at the top of
the TBC window.
9. Use the command to measure the height and width of the door. (There is no need
to save your measurements.)
Although no snap indicator displays when your cursor gets near the targeted vertex
(as occurs in the Plan View), when you click close to the vertex your selection will
move precisely to it.

10. After you are finished measuring the door, close the Measure Distance command.

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 Step 4. Move the IFC model to its real-world position

Step 4. Move the IFC model to its real-world position

In this step, you will use the Move Objects command to map a point in the IFC model to
a surveyed control point and, using this pairing, move the model to its correct position
in the real world.

Note: Although you can also use the Rotate Objects command to rotate the IFC model,
there is no need to do so for this tutorial.

1. In the TBC ribbon, select CAD > Edit > Move Objects.

2. With the Objects to move field highlighted, use your mouse to draw a box around
the entire IFC model in the 3D View to select it.

3. If it is not already checked, check the 3D move check box located in the Settings
group in the lower portion of the pane.
This allows the move to include an elevation change. (The IFC model was imported
with no specified elevation.)

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 Step 4. Move the IFC model to its real-world position

4. Zoom in on the northeast corner of the model as shown here.

5. Click in the From field and then click on the vertex shown here.
As mentioned earlier, no snap indicator displays when your cursor approaches the
targeted vertex; however, when you click close to the vertex your selection will
move precisely to it.

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 Step 4. Move the IFC model to its real-world position

Since you know the survey point to which you want to move the selected IFC model
vertex, you will simply enter its ID in the To field. (You could drag the cursor to the
target point, but this can be awkward when moving a large 3D model great
distances, as in this case.)
6. In the To field, enter the point ID 3022 and press the Tab key.
This is the survey point whose coordinate will be the target used to move the IFC
model. The ID is replaced by the point's coordinate when you press the Tab key
The computed elevation that automatically displays in the Delta elevation field is
based on the elevation of the selected To point.

Note: If you are moving multiple IFC models using the Move Objects command, be
aware that the elevation displayed in the Delta elevation field based on the first
move will persist—even if you make changes in the other Move Objects fields—
until you delete or change it. This allows you to easily apply the same elevation to
multiple IFC models you are moving. However, by deleting the displayed elevation,
you can force the Delta elevation field to update with a new elevation (if applicable)
based on changes in the other fields.

7. Click the Apply button.

The model, because it has moved, no longer displays in the 3D View.
8. Select Home > View > Zoom Extents to recenter the model.
9. In the View Filter Manager, check the Layers > Points check box to display the
survey points.
10. Click off the IFC model to deselect it.

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 Step 5. Export and verify the referenced IFC model

11. Zoom in on the northeast corner of the building, as shown here.

You can see that the corner of the model aligns precisely with point 3022 in 3D
space. The newly defined position for the IFC model in the project's coordinate
system is saved as an attribute of the IFC model.

Step 5. Export and verify the referenced IFC model

You will now export the correctly positioned (referenced) IFC model and import it into a
new project to verify its position.
1. In the TBC ribbon, select Home > Export to display the Export command pane.
2. Select the CAD tab and select IFC exporter.

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 Step 5. Export and verify the referenced IFC model

Since there is only one IFC model in the project, it's source file is selected by default
in the IFC data drop-down list. Also, by default, the exported IFC file will be named
the same as the project file.
3. Ensure nothing is selected in the Selected objects (optional) field (Selected: 0).
If something is selected, click in the field and then click on empty space in the 3D
View to deselect it.
4. Click the Export button.
5. Using your Windows Explorer, browse to ..\WorkingwithIFCData\Working with IFC
Data.
You can see that the new IFC file has been created in the project folder.

Do not close the Explorer window.

Next, you will verify that the exported IFC model will import into a project in the
correct position. For this tutorial, you will simply import the new IFC file into the
same project.

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 Step 5. Export and verify the referenced IFC model

6. In the TBC ribbon, select File > Recent and select Working with IFC Data.vce in the
Recent Projects list.
7. In the Save Changes message dialog, click No.
The project reopens as it did the first time, with no imported IFC data.
8. Drag-and-drop the Working with IFC Data.ifc file into the project.
As you can see, the model is imported to the correct position.

Optionally, if you have a Trimble Connect account, you can click the Toggle
Background Map icon in the TBC Status bar to display a background map in the Plan
View that provides additional context for the IFC model. See the online Help for
instructions.
Trimble Map View:

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 Step 5. Export and verify the referenced IFC model

DigitalGlobe Imagery:

This completes the tutorial.

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