#### 7.2.3.31 IfcSwitchingDevice

| Interrupteur
| Schalter

A switch is used in a cable distribution system (electrical circuit) to control or modulate the flow of electricity.

Switches include those used for electrical power, communications, audio-visual, or other distribution system types as determined by the available ports.

> HISTORY New entity in IFC4

## Electrical System Design

Switches may be defined in various configurations of 2-way, 3-way, or 4-way, with or without neutral wires, and with or without control capability (such as radio or powerline communication). Ports for switches reflect the logical flow of power and do not correspond to individual wires; this enables one-to-one connectivity between devices to reflect the design intent without requiring detailing of wire connections.

For the most typical configurations, switches are wired from the distribution panel where all conductors are available (Hot, Neutral, Ground) such as using 12/2-G wiring for a 120V circuit at 20A. Figure 110 illustrates a single 2-way switch controlling a light fixture. Figure 111 illustrates two 3-way switches controlling the same light fixture. Figure 112 illustrates three switches controlling the same light fixture, including two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch.

Figure 110 — Switching device layout for single switch

Figure 111 — Switching device layout for two switches

Figure 112 — Switching device layout for three switches

For some older configurations, switches may be wired as legs from the controlled light fixture, where one wire is hot and the other is switched hot such as using 14/2 wiring where no ground or neutral wire is available. For such configurations, the wiring path is indicated by using an IfcCableFitting within the IfcJunctionBox hosting the IfcLightFixture. Figure 113 illustrates such configuration for a single switch; multiple 3-way or 4-way switches may also use similar configuration.

Figure 113 — Switching device layout for single switch leg

For switches that participate within a control system, an extra port is defined for sending and receiving messages within the control system. Such switches may not necessarily have a load attached if they serve as a remote switch for another load-bearing switch. As such switches draw power themselves for illumination and communication, most require either a neutral wire or else an attached load capable of running at lower power. Switches that control multiple loads are also possible, such as keypads with 8 buttons; while there may be virtual connections between such buttons and other switches, only connections impacting physical wiring are indicated by ports. Figure 114 illustrates a single controlled switch. Figure 115 indicates two controlled switches. Figure 116 indicates three controlled switches. Figure 117 illustrates a single controlled switch without neutral wire.

Figure 114 — Switching device layout for single switch controlled

Figure 115 — Switching device layout for two switches controlled

Figure 116 — Switching device layout for three switches controlled

Figure 117 — Switching device layout for sigle switch leg controlled

The following concepts are inherited at supertypes:

- IfcDistributionElement: Footprint Geometry

Instance diagram

Identity

The Identity concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | R | R | R | R |  |  | R | R | R
Export |  |  |  |  | R | R | R | R |  |  | R | R | R

Object Typing

The Object Typing concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 146.

Type
IfcSwitchingDeviceType
IfcDistributionElementType
Table 146 — IfcSwitchingDevice Object Typing

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | R | R | R
Export |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | R | R | R

Properties for Occurrences

The Properties for Occurrences concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 147.

PredefinedType | Name
--- | ---
| Pset_ElectricalDeviceCommon
Table 147 — IfcSwitchingDevice Properties for Occurrences

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | R |  | R | R |  |  | R | R | R
Export |  |  |  |  | R |  | R | R |  |  | R | R | R

Ports

The Ports concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 148.

PredefinedType | Name | Flow | Type | Description
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
| Line | SINK | ELECTRICAL | The supply line.
| Load | SOURCE | ELECTRICAL | The load controlled by the switch.
Table 148 — IfcSwitchingDevice Ports

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | R |  | R | R |  |  | R | R | R
Export |  |  |  |  | R |  | R | R |  |  | R | R | R

Spatial Containment

The Spatial Containment concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | O | R | R | R |  |  | R | R | R
Export |  |  |  |  | O | R | R | R |  |  | R | R | R

Body Geometry

The Body Geometry concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 149.

RepresentationType | Geometry | Description
--- | --- | ---
Brep | IfcFacetedBrep | All fixtures (all non distribution flow elements, i.e. everything which is not a duct, a pipe, a cable, or a cable carrier) should be defined by an b-rep geometry. This includes also the complex flow fitting elements (e.g. Y branch or T branch) or distribution flow elements with size changes (e.g. reducer).
SurfaceModel | IfcFaceBasedSurfaceModel | If the geometric model consistency of a b-rep shape representation can not be guaranteed (arcwise connected volume bounded by faces, each being connected, oriented, finite, closed 2-manifold), a surface representation based on open shells should be used.
SweptSolid | IfcExtrudedAreaSolid | All "simple" distribution flow elements (general ducts and pipes) are defined by sweep geometry.
SectionedSpine | IfcSectionedSpine | If only the analytical shape is required for which the exact interpolation between the cross sections is not required, a sectioned spine can be used.
CSG | IfcCsgSolid |
Tessellation | IfcTriangulatedFaceSet |
MappedRepresentation | IfcMappedItem | All occurrences of IfcDistributionElement (and its subtypes) should (whenever possible) share a representation map established by the assigned type. The geometric representation of the occurrence is then an IfcMappedItem.
Table 149 — IfcSwitchingDevice Body Geometry

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | - |  |  | R | R | R
Export |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | - |  |  | R | R | R

Placement

The Placement concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | R |  |  | R |  | R
Export |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | R |  |  | R |  | R

Classification

The Classification concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | R
Export |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | R

XSD Specification:

<xs:element name="IfcSwitchingDevice" type="ifc:IfcSwitchingDevice" substitutionGroup="ifc:IfcFlowController" nillable="true"/>
<xs:complexType name="IfcSwitchingDevice">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="ifc:IfcFlowController"/>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>

EXPRESS Specification:

ENTITY IfcSwitchingDevice

| SUBTYPE OF (IfcFlowController);

PredefinedType | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| WHERE

CorrectPredefinedType | : | NOT(EXISTS(PredefinedType)) OR (PredefinedType <> IfcSwitchingDeviceTypeEnum.USERDEFINED) OR ((PredefinedType = IfcSwitchingDeviceTypeEnum.USERDEFINED) AND EXISTS (SELF\IfcObject.ObjectType));
CorrectTypeAssigned | : | (SIZEOF(IsTypedBy) = 0) OR ('IFCELECTRICALDOMAIN.IFCSWITCHINGDEVICETYPE' IN TYPEOF(SELF\IfcObject.IsTypedBy[1].RelatingType));

END_ENTITY;

Formal Propositions:

CorrectPredefinedType | : | Either the PredefinedType attribute is unset (e.g. because an IfcSwitchingDeviceType is associated), or the inherited attribute ObjectType shall be provided, if the PredefinedType is set to USERDEFINED.
CorrectTypeAssigned | : | Either there is no switching device type object associated, i.e. the IsTypedBy inverse relationship is not provided, or the associated type object has to be of type IfcSwitchingDeviceType.

Inheritance Graph:

ENTITY IfcSwitchingDevice

| ENTITY IfcRoot

GlobalId | : | IfcGloballyUniqueId;
OwnerHistory | : | OPTIONAL IfcOwnerHistory;
Name | : | OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
Description | : | OPTIONAL IfcText;

| ENTITY IfcObjectDefinition

| INVERSE

HasAssignments | : | SET OF IfcRelAssigns FOR RelatedObjects;
Nests | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatedObjects;
IsNestedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatingObject;
HasContext | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDeclares FOR RelatedDefinitions;
IsDecomposedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatingObject;
Decomposes | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatedObjects;
HasAssociations | : | SET OF IfcRelAssociates FOR RelatedObjects;

| ENTITY IfcObject

ObjectType | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| INVERSE

IsDeclaredBy | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatedObjects;
Declares | : | SET OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatingObject;
IsTypedBy | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByType FOR RelatedObjects;
IsDefinedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelDefinesByProperties FOR RelatedObjects;

| ENTITY IfcProduct

ObjectPlacement | : | OPTIONAL IfcObjectPlacement;
Representation | : | OPTIONAL IfcProductRepresentation;

| INVERSE

ReferencedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelAssignsToProduct FOR RelatingProduct;

| ENTITY IfcElement

Tag | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| INVERSE

IsInterferedByElements | : | SET OF IfcRelInterferesElements FOR RelatedElement;
InterferesElements | : | SET OF IfcRelInterferesElements FOR RelatingElement;
ContainedInStructure | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatedElements;

| ENTITY IfcDistributionElement

| INVERSE

| ENTITY IfcDistributionFlowElement

| INVERSE

| ENTITY IfcFlowController

| ENTITY IfcSwitchingDevice

PredefinedType | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

END_ENTITY;

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