Type / occurrence / performance history

This slide presents the concept of a single type having many occurrences. Each occurrence can have many performance history entities associated with it, allowing data that is specific to a certain phase of the lifecycle to be captured and maintained throughout the life of the dataset.

Duct example

These concepts will be exemplified using a duct segment connecting to a tee and distributing air out through two connecting duct segments as shown.

Property set attachments

This slide identifies the specific IFC entities that are involved in the type/occurrence/performance history entities related to a single duct segment. It also shows how these are related.

Connectivity

This slide identifies all the type and occurrence entities that are involved in the duct and fitting example, as well as how the property sets defining type are related. This slide also introduces how a port is involved in the connectivity of these entities.

Connectivity example

If we look specifically at the point in the example where the duct segment connects to the inlet of the tee fitting, there is a port on the duct and a port on the tee which is used to logically relate together so that a connection is inferred. This connection may be physically realized with a specific fitting that is used to physically connect the duct segment and the tee fitting, such as a flange or coupling.

It is important to note that the notion of a port is different from that of a connector.

Flow connection type example

This slide indicates how fluid flow properties and connection-specific information may be accounted for where connections occur.