Piping Input menu: Environment > Advanced PCF Import (APCF) 
Import Model toolbar: APCF
Displays the Advanced PCF Import (APCF) dialog box and imports piping component files (.pcf) into the CAESAR II piping environment. A .pcf is a flat text file containing detailed information about the piping system components. The information is extracted from a CAD system.
The .pcf format is a standard drawing exchange format developed by Alias Ltd. You
can obtain details on the format and its capabilities from Alias.
APCF contains all functionality of the Import PCF external interface with a more customizable interface that allows you to:
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Create a new model or add elements to an existing model.
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Control element sequencing.
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Define and control node numbering.
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Incrementally build and verify the model by creating as many .pcf files as needed.
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Selectively update an existing CAESAR II model.
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Use the block operations modeling tools to assist modeling changes. For more information, see Block Operations Toolbar.
A CAESAR II model constructed from .pcf files uses the units of the current model and automatically attaches/intersects the piping generated from the .pcf to the existing piping, if appropriate.
Selecting Files
After selecting files using Choose Files, you can select all .pcf files to convert at the same time or select them in smaller groupings to convert incrementally. The software only processes selected files. Drag files to arrange them in the needed order.
Conversion Options
Set the conversion options listed in the lower left-hand pane.
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Condense options
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Miscellaneous options
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CAESAR II element properties
Options apply to all files selected when you click Begin Processing. If you select groups of files to convert incrementally, you can set different conversion options for each group.
Supports, restraints, and boundary conditions (such as equipment connections) transfer from the PCF_RES_MAP.TXT file. You can change the thermal displacements.
For information on mapping parameters used during the conversion, see PCF Mapping.
Node Numbering and Element Sequencing
Define the Start Node as 0 when you want numbering for a file to start with the next available number defined by the value of Increment.
You can also use a Start Node other than 0 or change the value of the node number Increment for specific files. In the following example, the selected files represent vent branches with starting nodes defined for each branch.
Before (first group processed):
After (vent branches in second group processed):
Define the default start node and increment values in the Configuration Editor dialog box. For more information, see Configuration Editor.
Rounding of Converted Values
After you perform multiple conversions, some values, such as delta coordinates, temperatures, and pressures, may contain values calculated to many decimal places.
The software automatically rounds these entries to the nearest integer when you close the Advanced PCF Import (APCF) dialog box.
Do not close the Advanced PCF Import (APCF) dialog box until all .pcf files have been imported. The software determines connectivity
between piping based upon sharing global coordinates. If element delta coordinates are rounded, then nodal global coordinates may change enough to fall outside of the connection tolerances.