By Garry Stockton
When using Navisworks and Revit together on a project, Appending the model into Navisworks can often be an issue if you don’t set up the appropriate tools. This could have a huge impact on time and can lead to errors. There are several ways of Appending a Revit model into Navisworks.
Navisworks can link in a Revit model directly by Appending the .rvt file. The advantage to this method is that as you resolve clashes or make changes, you can save the Revit file and click Refresh in Navisworks. It also eliminates much of the manual effort of exporting NWC files repeatedly.
If you have tried this method, you have likely had the problem when linking Revit into Navisworks, Revit elements are missing. To get around this problem you need to understand and check the settings in Navisworks.
Click on the Application Menu on the top left of the interface and go to the Options in the lower right.
Pick on File Readers (1) then Revit (2) and select Convert (3)
To resolve the problem of missing Revit Elements, check the Convert settings. There are three options: Navisworks View, First 3D View and Entire Project.
- By using Navisworks View the program will only import views that contain the word “Navis” in the name and it will only import Elements contained in those views.
- Entire Project will bring in all the Elements and 3D Views in the Revit Project you wish to Append.
Using the Navisworks View by setting up named views in the Revit model, or changing the setting to Entire Project, should resolve the problem of Missing Elements when Appending/Linking Revit into Navisworks.