DesignSeries00028.pngExporting IFC Projects

Command

Path

Export IFC Project

File > Export

Vectorworks project files can be exported to .ifc, .ifczip, and .ifcxml formats.

Export to IFC Versions 2x2, 2x3, or 4 is supported. The export of a project to an IFC file is based on specifying the geometry and associated data needed for the use of the exported file. This specification is called a Model View Definition (MVD), which is a subset of all the geometry and data in a building model. MVDs have been created by international, national, or local groups to standardize information exchange for various purposes, such as design coordination, collision/clash detection, structural analysis, and element quantity analysis. You can use MVDs to automate the export, or manually define a custom set of geometry and data to be exported.

You can export a wall with components as a single IFC entity (IfcWall or IfcWallStandardCase), or you can split the wall into the individual components (IfcBuildingElementPart) for estimation purposes. If any component has been modified to have a different height from the rest of the wall, the components are automatically exported as building element parts.

To export a Vectorworks file to IFC:

  1. For best results, the following are recommended before export:

  2.         In the Vectorworks Preferences, set the 3D conversion resolution to “Low,” to reduce file size.

            Set the view to Top/Plan.

            Zoom the view into a small, simple corner of the model.

  3. Select the command.

  4. The Export IFC Project dialog box opens.

  5. Specify the overall project export options, site information, and author data for each pane of the Data tab. Many of the fields are required by the IFC specification; they are automatically mapped to their IFC equivalent for inclusion in the IFC file header information.

  6. Click the Layer Mapping tab to specify which layers to export, and the Story Name to assign to them at export. If specified, this includes the site model. For a project initially set up with stories, mapping is done automatically so that the layers assigned to the building stories are automatically included in the Mapped Layers list and are mapped to an appropriately named story (Vectorworks Architect required). Mapping can also be controlled manually.

  7. Specify the associated building or site data for each of the mapped layers.

  8. Either save the export settings, or export the project.

        To save the parameter settings in the Export IFC Project dialog box, without exporting the project, click Save Settings. The parameters and options are saved, and the Export IFC dialog box closes.

        Click Export to export the project.

Indicate the file name and location in the Save As dialog box.

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IFC Format Interoperability

Assigning IFC Data to Objects

Importing IFC Files

Setting Up the Building Structure with Stories

 

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