An IFC export is only as good as its settings. Map your categories to the right IFC classes, put properties where others expect them, and test the file before you send it.
When you export IFC, you hand your model to people who don't have your software: the coordinator, the fire engineer, the estimator, a checker that runs every week. They see only what the export put in the file. Two models that look identical on your screen can produce very different IFC files.
IFC is the open, vendor-neutral format for BIM data. Each element belongs to a class (IfcWall, IfcDoor, IfcBeam) and carries property sets: named groups of properties. buildingSMART defines common sets for each class, such as Pset_DoorCommon with FireRating, IsExternal and more. Projects can add their own named sets.
Read the full lesson on BIMpedia →