How to link an IFC in place in Revit

 Linking an IFC in place in Revit can be difficult because there is no option to link it with shared coordinates. Even if the model was exported from a Revit file with the proper shared coordinates, this won't be translated into the IFC file. In this post, I will explain how I do it.

 

Preparation and initial checks

If a consultant sends you an IFC link you can ask them to include gridlines. In addition, if their authoring software doesn't work with coordinates as Revit does, they can put the origin of their file matching a grid intersection. This will allow easier placement of the file if the following methods don't work.

When I receive an IFC model I always check if the coordinates match with my model. To do this I combine an IFC file of my project with the consultant's model in a program such as Solibri or Navisworks. If the two models match in the same position, follow the next steps to align the models in Revit. On the other hand, if the models don't match and the consultant's IFC doesn't have gridlines, you will need to ask them to either reposition their model or to include gridlines.

 

Converting the IFC into Revit

To convert an IFC into Revit format there are two options:

1. Open the IFC in Revit: File>Open>IFC (if you don't see the File menu try pressing  Ctrl+D)
2. By linking the IFC: Open a new temporary project and link the (Insert>IFC). When linking an IFC file Revit will transform it to rvt format in the background and save it in the same location as the IFC.
   

In my experience, the second method is faster.

 

File preparation

If you selected the second method, close the temporary Revit file and open the rvt file generated by Revit. If you used the first method just continue working on the file.

Start by turning on the Project Base Point in a plan view. If the coordinates are 0, it isn't a good sign and the model probably is not using the proper coordinates. If there are coordinates in the Project Base Point note down the Northing, Easting and the Angle to True North

Next, place two gridlines in the Project Base Point:

 

You can now save the file and close it.

Linking the IFC

With your host model open, link the Revit file created in the previous steps.

Next, you need to locate the point of the coordinates that we got in the previous point. For doing that you can use the Survey Point by moving it to that point (type the coordinates into its properties). But first, make sure to unpin it and unclip it! Otherwise, you will move your project's coordinates. It is also a good idea to note down the coordinates of the current position of your survey point to be able o restore it.

Once you have moved your survey point, move your link so the gridline intersection that you created in the previous steps is in the survey point. After this, you can move your survey point back where it was and pin it.

Height and rotation

For adjusting the height I normally check the height above sea level of the lowest level. Then I move the link down by the same amount. This normally works fine.

If the rotation of the link doesn't match, I normally try using the Angle To True North that we noted down earlier and rotate the link by the same amount.

Final thoughts

As I mentioned at the beginning, dealing with IFC in Revit is not easy. Hopefully, these steps will help you link IFC files. I know other methods involve opening the IFC in a text editor and finding the coordinates. I find, however, that my method works and it is easier. If you want to share how you do it, please leave a comment.