IfcDistributionPort

Natural language names
deAnschluss / Port
enDistribution Port
frPort de distribution
Change log
ItemSPFXMLChangeDescription
IFC2x3 to IFC4
    IfcDistributionPort
      OwnerHistoryMODIFIEDInstantiation changed to OPTIONAL.
      PredefinedTypeADDED
      SystemTypeADDED
Semantic definitions at the entity
Entity definition

A distribution port is an inlet or outlet of a product through which a particular substance may flow.

Distribution ports are used for passage of solid, liquid, or gas substances, as well as electricity for power or communications. Flow segments (pipes, ducts, cables) may be used to connect ports across products. Distribution ports are defined by system type and flow direction such that for two ports to be connected, they must share the same system type and have opposite flow directions (one side being a SOURCE and the other being a SINK). Ports are similar to openings in that they do not have any visible geometry; such geometry is captured at the shape representation of the enclosing element or element type. Ports may have placement that indicates the position and orientation of the connection.

HISTORY  New entity in IFC2x2
IFC4 CHANGE  Ports are now related to products and product types using the IfcRelNests relationship; use of IfcRelConnectsPortToElement is now reserved for dynamically attached ports (such as drilling a hole in a tank).
Attribute definitions
#AttributeTypeCardinalityDescription B
8FlowDirectionIfcFlowDirectionEnum[0:1] Enumeration that identifies if this port is a Sink (inlet), a Source (outlet) or both a SinkAndSource. X
9PredefinedTypeIfcDistributionPortTypeEnum[0:1] X
10SystemTypeIfcDistributionSystemEnum[0:1] Enumeration that identifies the system type. If a system type is defined, the port may only be connected to other ports having the same system type.X
Inherited definitions from supertypes
Entity inheritance IfcPort IfcProduct IfcObject IfcObjectDefinition IfcRoot
Attribute inheritance
#AttributeTypeCardinalityDescriptionB
IfcRoot
1GlobalIdIfcGloballyUniqueId[1:1] Assignment of a globally unique identifier within the entire software world. X
2OwnerHistoryIfcOwnerHistory[0:1] Assignment of the information about the current ownership of that object, including owning actor, application, local identification and information captured about the recent changes of the object,
NOTE  only the last modification in stored - either as addition, deletion or modification.
X
3NameIfcLabel[0:1] Optional name for use by the participating software systems or users. For some subtypes of IfcRoot the insertion of the Name attribute may be required. This would be enforced by a where rule. X
4DescriptionIfcText[0:1] Optional description, provided for exchanging informative comments.X
IfcObjectDefinition
HasAssignmentsIfcRelAssigns
@RelatedObjects		S[0:?]Reference to the relationship objects, that assign (by an association relationship) other subtypes of IfcObject to this object instance. Examples are the association to products, processes, controls, resources or groups.X
NestsIfcRelNests
@RelatedObjects		S[0:1]References to the decomposition relationship being a nesting. It determines that this object definition is a part within an ordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object occurrence or type can only be part of a single decomposition (to allow hierarchical strutures only).
IsNestedByIfcRelNests
@RelatingObject		S[0:?]References to the decomposition relationship being a nesting. It determines that this object definition is the whole within an ordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object or object type can be nested by several other objects (occurrences or types). X
HasContextIfcRelDeclares
@RelatedDefinitions		S[0:1]References to the context providing context information such as project unit or representation context. It should only be asserted for the uppermost non-spatial object.
IsDecomposedByIfcRelAggregates
@RelatingObject		S[0:?]References to the decomposition relationship being an aggregation. It determines that this object definition is whole within an unordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object definitions can be aggregated by several other objects (occurrences or parts). X
DecomposesIfcRelAggregates
@RelatedObjects		S[0:1]References to the decomposition relationship being an aggregation. It determines that this object definition is a part within an unordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object definitions can only be part of a single decomposition (to allow hierarchical strutures only). X
HasAssociationsIfcRelAssociates
@RelatedObjects		S[0:?]Reference to the relationship objects, that associates external references or other resource definitions to the object.. Examples are the association to library, documentation or classification.X
IfcObject
5ObjectType- This attribute is out of scope for this model view definition and shall not be set.
IsTypedByIfcRelDefinesByType
@RelatedObjects		S[0:1]Set of relationships to the object type that provides the type definitions for this object occurrence. The then associated IfcTypeObject, or its subtypes, contains the specific information (or type, or style), that is common to all instances of IfcObject, or its subtypes, referring to the same type. X
IsDefinedByIfcRelDefinesByProperties
@RelatedObjects		S[0:?]Set of relationships to property set definitions attached to this object. Those statically or dynamically defined properties contain alphanumeric information content that further defines the object. X
IfcProduct
6ObjectPlacementIfcObjectPlacement[0:1] Placement of the product in space, the placement can either be absolute (relative to the world coordinate system), relative (relative to the object placement of another product), or constraint (e.g. relative to grid axes). It is determined by the various subtypes of IfcObjectPlacement, which includes the axis placement information to determine the transformation for the object coordinate system.X
7RepresentationIfcProductRepresentation[0:1] Reference to the representations of the product, being either a representation (IfcProductRepresentation) or as a special case a shape representations (IfcProductDefinitionShape). The product definition shape provides for multiple geometric representations of the shape property of the object within the same object coordinate system, defined by the object placement.X
ReferencedByIfcRelAssignsToProduct
@RelatingProduct		S[0:?]Reference to the IfcRelAssignsToProduct relationship, by which other products, processes, controls, resources or actors (as subtypes of IfcObjectDefinition) can be related to this product.X
IfcPort
ConnectedFromIfcRelConnectsPorts
@RelatedPort		S[0:1]Reference to a port that is connected by the objectified relationship.X
ConnectedToIfcRelConnectsPorts
@RelatingPort		S[0:1]Reference to the port connection relationship. The relationship then refers to the other port to which this port is connected.X
IfcDistributionPort
8FlowDirectionIfcFlowDirectionEnum[0:1] Enumeration that identifies if this port is a Sink (inlet), a Source (outlet) or both a SinkAndSource. X
9PredefinedTypeIfcDistributionPortTypeEnum[0:1] X
10SystemTypeIfcDistributionSystemEnum[0:1] Enumeration that identifies the system type. If a system type is defined, the port may only be connected to other ports having the same system type.X
Definitions applying to Bridge View

 Instance diagram

Concept usage

Product Local Placement

The Product Local Placement concept applies to this entity.

The placement of a port indicates the position and orientation of how it may connect to a compatible port on another product. The placement shall be relative to the nesting IfcDistributionElement, IfcDistributionElementType, or enclosing IfcDistributionPort.

The Location is the midpoint of the physical connection, unless otherwise indicated by cardinal point on a material profile.

The Axis points in the direction of the physical connection away from the product if FlowDirection equals SOURCE (or SOURCEANDSINK or NOTDEFINED), or points opposite direction (to the product) if the FlowDirection equals SINK.

NOTE  The rationale for positioning the Axis in the direction of flow is to allow for the same geometry to be used, such as for connectors with polarized cross-section.

The RefDirection points in the direction of the local X axis of the material profile, where the local Y axis points up if looking towards the Axis where the local X axis points right.

Upon connecting elements through ports with rigid connections, each object shall be aligned such that the effective Location, Axis, and RefDirection of each port is aligned to be equal (with exception for circular profiles where the RefDirection need not be equal).



Port Connectivity

The Port Connectivity concept applies to this entity.

IfcDistributionPort may be connected to other objects as follows using the indicated relationship:

  • IfcDistributionPort (IfcRelConnectsPorts) : Indicates a connection to another port having the same type and opposite flow direction. For port connections between elements, the RelatingPort is set to a port having FlowDirection=SOURCE and the RelatedPort is set to a port having FlowDirection=SINK. For aggregation scenarios, ports on a device may be mapped to aggregated devices within, in which case ports on the outer device indicate a single FlowDirection but have an additional connection internally to a port on an aggregated inner device. Refer to IfcUnitaryEquipment for an example.
  • IfcDistributionElement (IfcRelConnectsPortToElement): For dynamic ports, indicates the containing element.

Figure 201 illustrates distribution port connectivity.

Connection Use Definition

Figure 201 — Distribution port connectivity



Concept inheritance

#ConceptModel View
IfcRoot
Software IdentityBridge View
User IdentityBridge View
Object OwnershipBridge View
IfcObject
Property Sets for ObjectsBridge View
IfcDistributionPort
Product Local PlacementBridge View
Port ConnectivityBridge View
Formal representations
XSD Specification
 <xs:element name="IfcDistributionPort" type="ifc:IfcDistributionPort" substitutionGroup="ifc:IfcPort" nillable="true"/>
 <xs:complexType name="IfcDistributionPort">
  <xs:complexContent>
   <xs:extension base="ifc:IfcPort">
    <xs:attribute name="FlowDirection" type="ifc:IfcFlowDirectionEnum" use="optional"/>
    <xs:attribute name="PredefinedType" type="ifc:IfcDistributionPortTypeEnum" use="optional"/>
    <xs:attribute name="SystemType" type="ifc:IfcDistributionSystemEnum" use="optional"/>
   </xs:extension>
  </xs:complexContent>
 </xs:complexType>
EXPRESS Specification
ENTITY IfcDistributionPort
 SUBTYPE OF (IfcPort);
  FlowDirection : OPTIONAL IfcFlowDirectionEnum;
  PredefinedType : OPTIONAL IfcDistributionPortTypeEnum;
  SystemType : OPTIONAL IfcDistributionSystemEnum;
END_ENTITY;

Link to EXPRESS-G diagram EXPRESS-G diagram

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