Mastering Autodesk Navisworks 2013

Jason Dodds is an Autodesk Construction Solutions Engineer who has been actively involved in all facets of design and building processes for over 15 years and has been using Navisworks since the software's inception. Scott Johnson is an Autodesk Sr. Technical Account Manager and an early adopter of Navisworks who has over 15 years of experience in design, construction, digital prototyping, and manufacturing. Both authors consult internationally and speak regularly at Autodesk University (AU) and other industry events.

Introduction xix

Part 1 • Navisworks Basics  1

Chapter 1 • Getting to Know Autodesk Navisworks 3

Interface Organization  3

Application Menu: The Blue N  3

Quick Access Toolbar  6

Help Toolbar  6

Navisworks Options 7

Exploring the Ribbon 14

Home 14

Viewpoint 18

Review  21

Animation  23

View  24

Output 26

Item Tools  29

Status Bar, Performance Indicators, and Context Menus 30

The Bottom Line 32

Chapter 2 • Files and File Types 33

Navisworks File Types  33

Native File Formats 34

File Readers  38

File Exporters 43

File Aggregation 47

Opening Files  47

Appending Files  49

Merging Files 50

Refreshing Files 53

Deleting Files 53

Saving Files  53

Publishing Files 54

Emailing Files  56

Batch Utility 57

Object Enablers  66

Exploring the Object Enabler  66

Locating and Confi guring an Object Enabler  67

The Bottom Line 70

Chapter 3 • Moving around the Model 73

Using the Navigation Bar  73

Panning and Zooming  74

Pan Tool  75

Zoom Tools  75

Pan and Zoom in Action Together  78

Learning to Walk and Fly  78

Walk Tool  78

Fly Tool  83

Walking around the Model  84

Using the Orbit and Look Tools 88

Orbit Tools  88

Look Tools  89

Using the ViewCube and SteeringWheels  90

ViewCube 90

SteeringWheels  92

Using the ViewCube and SteeringWheels Together  93

The Bottom Line 94

Chapter 4 • Climbing the Selection Tree 95

Discovering Object Properties  95

Properties  95

Quick Properties  101

Exploring Object Properties of Multiple Elements 106

User-Defi ned Properties  108

Managing Models  109

Using Selection Sets  109

Creating Search Sets 111

Using Select Commands  119

Exploring the Quick Find  120

Adding, Removing, and Updating Items  120

Exporting and Reusing Search Sets 121

Navigating the Selection Tree  122

Standard  122

Compact  129

Properties  131

Sets 133

Exploring Selection Tree Options 133

Configuring Model Visibility  133

Controlling Object Display Using Display Overrides  136

Selection Resolution  148

File Units and Transform 150

Compare  152

The Bottom Line 154

Chapter 5 • Model Snapshots: Viewpoints, Animations, and Sections 155

Understanding Viewpoints  155

Saving Viewpoints  156

Viewpoint Folders 160

Editing and Updating Viewpoints 160

Exporting Viewpoints  165

Creating Animations  166

Using Record to Make Quick Animations  167

Creating an Animation from Viewpoints 168

Editing and Updating Animations  169

Exporting an Animation  170

Using Sections  174

Sectioning in Planes Mode  175

Sectioning in Box Mode 176

Using the Gizmo  176

Transforming Sections  177

Sectioning a Project  179

The Bottom Line 180

Part 2 • Simulation and Clash Detection  181

Chapter 6 • Documenting Your Project 183

Using the Measure Tools 183

Working with the Dimension and Area Tools  184

Translating Items  198

Marking Up with the Redline Tools 201

Using the Text Tools  202

Using the Draw Tools 203

Adding Comments and Tags  208

Saving in Viewpoints  218

The Bottom Line 220

Chapter 7 • 4D Sequencing with TimeLiner 221

Introducing TimeLiner  221

Exploring the Tasks Tab 224

Confi guring the Data Sources Tab 243

Using the Confi gure Tab  279

Using the Simulate Tab  283

4D Simulation Best Practices  300

Showing Context in the Model 301

Creating Reusable Equipment Libraries  303

Simulating Trades and Equipment Paths 304

Using Multiple Task Types for Schedule Analysis 305

Creating Focused 4D Simulations 305

Automatically Mapping the Model to the Schedule 305

The Bottom Line 307

Chapter 8 • Clash Detection309

Starting Clash Detection 309

Test Panel Explained  309

Adding to and Maintaining Test Items 311

Importing and Exporting Clash Tests  311

Working with Rules in Clash Detective 312

Creating New Rules  312

Rules Templates 313

Clashing Objects 314

Clash Object Selection  315

Geometry Type and Self Intersect 317

Run Panel  319

Understanding Clash Results 325

Clash Groups  327

Display Settings  328

Item 1 and 2 Panes  331

SwitchBack 332

Time-Based Clash Detection 333

Clash Detection Redlines, Markups, and Comments  334

Clash Reports  337

Report Contents  338

Output Settings  339

Writing a Report  341

The Bottom Line 344

Part 3 • Advanced Navisworks Tools  345

Chapter 9 • Creating Visualizations 347

Presenter Overview  347

Archive and Palette  347

Interface Options  349

Applying Materials  352

Adding Materials to the Scene 353

Removing Materials  354

Editing Materials  357

Lighting the Model  358

Lighting Types 359

Adding Lights to the Model  360

Advanced Lighting Techniques 363

Enhancing Scenes with RPC  365

Adding RPCs 366

Deleting, Moving, and Editing RPCs  366

Completing the Scene with Effects  369

Backgrounds and Foregrounds  369

Environments  370

Rendering 372

Render Styles  372

Final Rendering 374

Additional Presenter Tools  375

Texture Space 375

Rules  377

The Bottom Line 378

Chapter 10 • Animating Objects 379

Animator Overview 380

Animating with Keyframes  386

Setting Up Cameras and Viewpoints  389

Manipulating Geometry 390

Translating  391

Rotating  392

Scaling  394

Changing Color 395

Changing Transparency  396

Animating Section Planes 396

Exporting Animations 400

The Bottom Line 402

Chapter 11 • Giving Objects Life and Action with Scripter 403

Introducing Scripter 403

Creating and Managing Scripts  403

Enabling and Disabling Scripts  405

Using Events and Actions 405

Types of Events  407

Conditions  414

Actions  416

The Bottom Line 424

Chapter 12 • Collaborating outside of Navisworks 425

Exploring the NWD File  425

Using Navisworks Freedom  425

Viewing Navisworks Files on the Web  427

Automating with Command-Line Switches  428

Command-Line Batch Utility Options  432

Automating the Batch Utility with the Command Line433

Extending Navisworks to External Applications 434

Interacting with NWNavigator 434

Leveraging Vault for Data Management  437

Embedding Navisworks Files in Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations 440

Examining Other Export Options 442

Exporting to Google Earth  442

FBX  445

3D DWF/DWFx  446

Customizing with the Navisworks API 447

The Bottom Line 448

Chapter 13 • Other Useful Navisworks Tools 449

Model Data Tools  449

The Project Browser in Depth  456

Navigating the Project Browser  457

Searching among 3D and 2D Objects  458

Mastering Links  459

Creating Links 459

Editing Links  461

External Application Links  462

Other Links  462

Managing Links 464

Gearing Up for Your Next Project  469

The Bottom Line 469

Chapter 14 • Managing BIM Workflows  471

Leveraging Navisworks in BIM 471

Contractor Workfl ow with John Mack of Herrero Contractors, Inc 473

The Projects  473

Establishing Leadership  474

Creating the Vision 475

Project Staffing  477

Selecting the Software  480

Stress Testing the Models  480

Selecting the Hardware  481

The Workflow: Mapping the Current and Future Process 481

Level of Detail  482

Sharing Model Files 483

File Naming  485

The Training Plan  486

Tracking Changes  486

Reliable Promises and Weekly Work Plans  488

The Integrated Building Model  489

Model Tolerances  491

3D Spatial Coordination  493

3D Clash Detection and Clash Avoidance  493

4D Model-Based Scheduling 493

4D Model-Based Production Planning 495

Facility Maintenance  497

Contract Requirements  497

Model Data Ownership 497

Testing New Technology or Ideas  497

Contractor Workfl ow with Art Theusch, The Christman Company 497

Project Planning Kickoff  498

BIM Execution Plan  498

Quality Analysis/Quality Check of Design Models  498

Clash Detection of Design Models 499

Navisworks Timeline of the Project during Design  499

Prepping the Model for Bidding 500

3D Coordination  500

Deliverables  502

Recap 502

Civil Workflow with Roberta Oldenburg of Mortenson Construction 502

Starting with the End in Mind 503

Building the Team 504

Setting Standards  504

Creating the Model 505

The End in Mind508

The Bottom Line 508

Appendix A • The Bottom Line 509

Chapter 1: Getting to Know Autodesk Navisworks 509

Chapter 2: Files and File Types  509

Chapter 3: Moving around the Model  510

Chapter 4: Climbing the Selection Tree 511

Chapter 5: Model Snapshots: Viewpoints, Animations, and Sections 512

Chapter 6: Documenting Your Project 513

Chapter 7: 4D Sequencing with TimeLiner 513

Chapter 8: Clash Detection 514

Chapter 9: Creating Visualizations 515

Chapter 10: Animating Objects  516

Chapter 11: Giving Objects Life and Action with Scripter 517

Chapter 12: Collaborating Outside of Navisworks 517

Chapter 13: Other Useful Navisworks Tools  518

Chapter 14: Managing BIM Workfl ows 519

Appendix B • Best Practices and Supplementary Information 521

Optimizing Performance  521

2D Graphics  521

Detail 521

Graphics System  522

Transparency 523

Memory Limit  523

Merge Duplicates  523

Securing the Global Options Editor 523

Supported File Types  525

Getting Help  527

Changing the Third Person Avatar Figure 528

Selected Glossary  528

Display Terminology  529

Export Terminology  529

File Terminology 529

Selection Terminology  530

Viewpoint Terminology 531

Clash Detective Terminology 532

Modeling and Other Terminology 533

Index  535

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