To import IFC files you have got directly for quantity takeoff, you can use this function.

1. Import. Select the IFC file you want to import.

The supported IFC formats include IFC 2*2 and IFC 2*3.

Both TIO  edition and PRO edition support importing IFC files. The difference lies in that TIO supports importing multiple IFC files consecutively. That is to say, if a project is consisting of multiple IFC files, TIO supports importing them all to form a complete project. PRO does not support that.

If a project is consisting of three independent files: Project1.ifc, Project2.ifc and Project3.ifc. With TIO, you can import Project1.ifc first; after that, continue to click Import IFC File, and then select Project2.ifc to import.

If the elevation structure of Project1.ifc is completely the same as that of Project2.ifc, after importing Project2.ifc, it will be combined with the imported Project1.ifc automatically to form a complete TAS project file.

If the elevation structure of Project1.ifc is not completely the same as that of Project2.ifc, you need to click Reversely Create Zone   to form a complete TAS project file.

This is one of the primary differences between TIO and PRO in terms of import IFC.

2. Floor Settings. Generally, select the ground floor as the reference floor.
   

In Advanced Settings, you can set the floor names and heights of the imported IFC project.

By default, the floor names and heights of the original IFC project are taken as the values for Floor and Height. To switch to floor names and heights of TAS C, select Name in TAS and Height in TAS. This operation is not recommended.

By default, Match the lowest floor in IFC file to the foundation floor in TAS file is selected. If clear the selection, one more foundation floor will be added to the structural foundation of the original IFC project imported.

3. Elements Settings. Select which floors to import, modify element types to match, match materials and set finishes.
   

• Select floors to import. In the list of Floors to Import , select which floors to import.
• Modify element types. Generally, after importing IFC elements, there will be a default element type matching with them. For example, if the value for Element Type in IFC is beam, the default element type in TAS C/TIO will be Beam.

If you want to modify the default element type, under Import as > Type in TIO, select and modify the corresponding element type.

If you want to batch modify one element type, after modifying one cell, move the pointer to the lower right corner of the cell, and then when the pointer becomes to a cross sign (+) , drag and drop to modify the cells in batches.

• Modify element material. Because the element materials in IFC do not match with that in TAS C/TIO one by one, a default material is always given to match them.

If you want to modify the default material match, under Import as > Material in TIO, select and modify the corresponding material. The method is the same as that in 2) above.

• In Advanced Settings, there are settings on importing finishes. If a layer thickness of multi-layer wall or slab is less than the set value, after importing the layer of wall or slab, the wall/slab layer will become wall finish, or floor/ceiling finish.
  

Whether a specific layer of the multilayer wall is imported as wall is determined by the comparison result between the layer thickness and the set value. The default set value is 100mm; if the thickness of wall layer is greater than this set value, it will be imported as wall, otherwise, it will be imported as wall finish.

Case 1: The wall in IFC has multiple layers; the thickness of some layers are greater than the set value, and some are less than that.

For example, a wall in IFC has 5 layers. Since the thickness of Structure [1] is greater than the default set value (100), Structure [1] is imported as a wall, 260mm (120+240) thick. The thickness of the rest 3 layers are less than the set value, so they will be imported as 3 wall finish elements: Finish 1, 52mm thick; Thermal/Air Layer, 50mm thick; Finish 2, 12 mm thick.

Case 2: The wall in IFC has multiple layers; the thickness of some layers are greater than the set value, and some are less than that. If the layer thickness less than the set value and it exists between the layers greater than the set value in thickness, all layers will be combined together and imported as one wall element.

As shown below:

The thickness of Structure [1] is greater than the set value; the Thermal/Air Layer [3] is laid out between two Structure [1]s, and its thickness is less than the set value. According to the above-mentioned principle, the layers with greater thickness, as well as the thinner layer between them, will be combined together and imported as one wall; the rest layers with the thickness less than the set value will be imported as wall finishes.

Case 3: The wall in IFC has multiple layers; if the thickness of all layers are less than the set value, they will be combined together and imported as one wall.

Please note that the advanced settings here is only effective for TIO, not TAS C. This is one of the primary differences between TAS C and TIO in terms of importing IFC.

4. Model Preview. Browse the whole model, and then determine to import the model wholly or partially. By default, Import Allis selected. To import models partially, click Import Selection, and then select the portion you want to import. To specify the insertion point to import the model to TASC, click Set Insertion Point.