The term “component or part” originates from Japanese and refers to an individual element that makes up a whole. It is the most basic unit directly constituting a finished product, including parts, finished goods, and semi-finished products. A component library is a collection of all such component systems. It not only serves as a platform for developers to publish their own systems but also allows users to select the components they need.
The BIM component library is a standardized collection of “families”—various prefabricated components such as beams, slabs, columns, doors, windows, ducts, power supplies, and water meters—created through parametric settings in BIM software. Each “family” type is optimized and compared to develop standard shapes and model sizes for commonly used components. As the number, types, and specifications of components grow, a standardized component library gradually forms, serving as the parameterized units that build the BIM model.
During the construction phase, when modeling prefabricated residential buildings in BIM, professional modelers can directly access or edit component information—such as shape, size, performance, price, manufacturer, positioning connection, and design attributes—within the component library. This process greatly improves BIM modeling efficiency.
The BIM component library is categorized based on its application scope into enterprise-level and project-level libraries. Additionally, it is divided by construction disciplines into architectural, structural, and equipment specialties. The commonly used components for prefabricated residential buildings in each specialty are as follows:
1. Architectural Specialty: walls, doors, windows, curtain walls, roofs, stairs, balconies, railings, cabinets, and venues.
2. Structural Specialty: columns, beams, floor slabs, openings, trusses, foundations, steel bar shapes, and structural connections.
3. Equipment Specialty, which includes HVAC, plumbing, and electrical fire protection:
HVAC: fans, ducts, butterfly valves, louver vents, static pressure boxes, variable diameter pipes, air conditioning cabinets, chillers, circulating water pumps, and electric air valves.
Water Supply and Drainage: water pumps, water meters, floor drains, butterfly valves, gate valves, elbows, toilets, urinal basins, backflow preventers, fire hydrant boxes, stainless steel pipes, and more.
Electrical Fire Protection: power supplies, switches, sockets, lamps, cables, socket boxes, wiring pipes, button boxes, cable trays, emergency lighting devices, power distribution boxes, fire hydrants, fire dampers, smoke exhaust valves, and fire vents.
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up