How to Use MEP Flow Connection Points in BricsCAD BIM

Quick answer: When creating flow elements like Flow Terminals and Flow Segments, you can add a 2D symbol and classify it as a Flow Connection Point, which stores BIM data predefining the profile to use with that component. Select the connection point and run BIMLINEARSOLID or BIMFLOWCONNECT, and BricsCAD automatically uses the correct BIM Profile based on that stored information, exactly the behaviour confirmed in the worked example on this hub’s MEP modeling page.

Creating a Flow Connection Point via the Library Panel

Worked example: creating an air heat pump unit.

Draw a box with the dimensions you want (80 x 40 x 80 cm, representing the heat pump).
Select the box and launch BIMCLASSIFY with the Other option, or hover over it and choose Classify Manually from the BIM tab of the Quad.
Classify it as Building Service Elements > Flow Terminal and click OK.
Open the Library panel.
Go to MEP Flow Connection Points.
Place HVAC outlet round onto the heat pump box.
Select the outlet and click its BIM/Profile property in the Properties panel.
Click Browse; the Profiles dialog opens.
Choose the profile you want and click Select.
Back in the Library panel, click Add block to library; the Add block to library dialog opens.
Choose a name and category and click Create; the drawing saves as a reusable component for other drawings.

Creating a Flow Connection Point from Scratch

Draw a box with the dimensions you want (80 x 40 x 80 cm, representing the heat pump).
Select the box and launch BIMCLASSIFY with the Other option, or hover over it and choose Classify Manually from the BIM tab of the Quad.
Classify it as Building Service Elements > Flow Terminal and click OK.
Draw a circle on the box’s top face.
Select the circle and launch BIMCLASSIFY with the Other option.
Classify it as Building Service Elements > Flow Connection Point and click OK.
Select the circle.
In the Properties panel, select its BIM/Profile property and click Browse; the Profiles dialog opens.
Set Type and Standard to HVAC.
Choose the profile you want and click Select.
Go to the Library panel and click Add block to library; the Add block to library dialog opens.
Choose a name and category and click Create; the drawing saves as a reusable component.

Creating an HVAC System

Worked example: building a ventilation system from flow connection points.

Open a drawing containing a series of flow terminals and a ventilation unit (a sample MEP drawing is downloadable directly from Octave’s documentation for this article).
Select the flow terminals and the ventilation unit.
Launch BIMFLOWCONNECT, or choose Connect Flow Segments from the Structural/MEP ribbon tab.
Press Ctrl to switch between alternative setups, then press Enter.
Click Tune, or type T, to modify the chosen setup.
Click Topology, or type T.
Select the check icons to modify the system’s layout.
Press Enter three times to finish.

BricsCAD automatically uses the profiles assigned to the ventilation units, since that information is stored directly in their Flow Connection Points.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a flow connection point actually store? BIM data predefining which profile to use for that flow component, referenced automatically by BIMLINEARSOLID and BIMFLOWCONNECT.

What’s the difference between the Library panel method and the from-scratch method for creating a flow connection point? The Library panel method places a pre-made connection point symbol (like HVAC outlet round) directly onto your component. The from-scratch method has you draw and classify your own circle as the connection point manually.

How do I reuse a flow connection point component in other drawings? Click Add block to library after setting it up, name and categorize it, then click Create to save it as a reusable component.

Does creating an HVAC system automatically pick the right duct profiles? Yes, BricsCAD uses whatever profiles were assigned to the ventilation units’ Flow Connection Points automatically.