What is Navisworks?

BIM modeling allows modern construction to make much more complex projects, but at the same time growing number of elements and filling projects and drawings. All these possibilities bring new problems and require new solutions. One of the main of them it’s Navisworks.

What Navisworks is?

First of all, it is used mainly in the construction industries that we are in. In this program, users can create a simple and easy 3D model, review it faster than in every other BIM software with a pack of useful tools, that can help highlight moments that you need. There are possibility to create locked views with comments, redlines and even measurements.

Navisworks versions

On the official website, you can find three versions of the programme – Freedom, Simulate and Manage.

Autodesk Navisworks Manage

Autodesk Navisworks Manage provides all the tools you require to keep your construction projects running smoothly. Navisworks Manage combines powerful visualization of all model types, exact copying of designs, 5D schedule modelling of construction, and powerful clash detection. This allows everyone working on a project to use the same data, whether they are creating 3D models, viewing them, or inspecting them.

Autodesk Navisworks Simulate

This version helps to create exact copies of projects, as well as to simulate 5D schedules of upcoming construction works. It is the decision for examination of architectural and construction projects allowing to control results completely. It verifies models and data from all participants in the design process.

Autodesk Navisworks Freedom

Looking at the name of the version, we can understand that it is free. It gives subscribers the possibility to view the project that was created in Revit or other drawing programs. Also, it helps to create NWD files, that are more optimized and easier than CAD files. The most useful and important function of the Freedom version is to view NWD files. It is also well suited to a customer who does not need to check the model for intersections, but simply look at the building

File formats

Navisworks can open more than 60 file types and manage them. Some CAD files can be exported directly to Navisworks format file, another CAD can be transformed to IFC or other popular formats, which are possible in most “construction” programs.

You read above, about some NWD files. As other software of Autodesk, Navisworks also have some:

NWC (Navisworks Cache File) – this format contains cached files of the converted model. By Navisworks exporters users can generate this cached file and save it in NWF or NWD format.

NWD (Navisworks Document) – this format contains all the information needed for viewing and editing the model. There are models from a project, saved views with all marks, and all of them are saved to a single file. Usually, engineers and BIM managers call it “publishing the Navisworks file”. The main benefit of this format is that anyone can view it even with the Freedom program, so it is perfectly created for customers and contractors with whom you work.

NWF (Navisworks File Set) – it contains links on NWC files and combines all the models in one file. It’s used by engineers for coordinating the model and updating links after correction since all the changes will be updated in the next file opening.

Benefits of Navisworks

One of the biggest advantage of Navisworks is Clash Detection. Maybe it’s the main reason why this program is so important and famous, but what else it can do?

1. It creates a light model, so you can open the full project and just walk in it to see how your building looks inside.

2. You can configure elements that you need to check, according to the information converted from the BIM model. It’s a type of element or even one element that you need. Also, you can create sets of elements, links and models that you need. Then, the program will do all for you. And, of course, you can also check intersections within one component (self-intersections).

3. This software enables not only to see collisions in dynamic mode but generate a report in XML, HTML or in text form – TXT. For each found collision, you can set a status, add an arbitrary text comment – all this is displayed in the report along with the geometric parameters of the collision. In addition, illustrative views of the model at the collision site are inserted into the HTML report.

4. Navisworks have fully equipped Collaboration Toolkit with wide possibilities to share needed information with other members of a team. There is an entire tab “review” for that reason, which have the text and draw functions for commenting, also there are dimensions and tags.

As Karno Energy is an outsourcing company that works in BIM with teams all over the world we have to resolve crosses in a 3D model. Some of them you can find during modelling, but bigger part you can’t just see. For that reason, we use Autodesk Navisworks. It helps us to do our work faster and make the quality even better.