Navisworks Introduction

What is Navisworks

Project review software for AEC professionals

Navisworks® project review software products enables architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to holistically review integrated models and data with stakeholders to gain better control over project outcomes.

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Navisworks version types There are three different versions of Navisworks. These three different versions differ in functionality from full blown to a really nice reader. The price can range from over $8,000 to absolutely free. So, let's take a look at the three different Navisworks versions. Starting with Navisworks Manage, we'll look at Navisworks Simulate, then we're going to take a look at Navisworks Freedom. The first version we'll talk about is Navisworks Manage. This is the full blown Navisworks. This has all the features we're going to cover in this course.

The next version we'll look at is Simulate. Simulate does not have clash detection. You also cannot do interference checking in Simulate. Simulates less expensive. It costs over $2,000. Last but not least, we look at Freedom. Freedom is a free viewer. You cannot save a file in Freedom. You have a timeline playback function, but you can't create a timeliner. In freedom you must open a .NWD file format.

So if you only need to see Navisworks model and not make any edits, perhaps freedom is for you. If you need most of the functionality but don't need clash detection simulate is for you. If you need the full power of Navisworks works well then go with manage.

File Types in Navisworks

There are three different types of Navisworks files. The first is an NWC. This is called a Navisworks Cache file. There's an NWF. That's called the Navisworks File Set. And last but not least, there's an NWD. This is a native Navisworks Model. Let's take a look at NWC. NWC we said, is called the Navisworks Cache file. This file is generated in two ways. If you open any kind of file directly, Navisworks will generate an NWC, this file acts as the interpreter between Navisworks and the software you you're using.

An NWC file cannot be saved. The second type of file is called the NWF. This file will serve as a host for all the merged or appended files. This file will actually contain live links to the contributing NWC files. This is the file type used in production, the reason for that is when you update either in AutoCAD or a Revit file or export a Revit model to NWC, the NWF model will be updated, so that means if you send an NWF model to somebody you need to include all the links.