Collision Course: A Practical Guide to Using Autodesk

Revit with Autodesk Navisworks Manage

David Foley
Associate / Manager - BIM
Class summary

Learn How to leverage your knowledge of Revit in

Navisworks.

Create a standard Navisworks process that improves the

speed and efficiency in the way you utilise Navisworks
create a standard that will produce clash detections and
sequencing animations quickly .
Key learning objectives

At the end of this class, you will be able to:

Describe what is required to effectively get Revit models into Navisworks
Manage
Automate the process with templates, filters, and selection sets
Apply standards, tricks, and tips to your own projects.
Standardize collision/clash detection in your organization
A little bit of History
The NDY Group (est. 1959)

Australia New Zealand United Kingdom

Melbourne Auckland London
Sydney Wellington
Brisbane Christchurch
Perth
Canberra NDY Melbourne, 115 Batman Street, West Melbourne

Adelaide
Darwin
Gold Coast

Asia
Kuala Lumpur
Market Sectors
Experience

In summary our experience with BIM is:

History - NDY have been working in 3D for engineering services since

2001 when we worked in conjunction with AutoDesk to create the libraries
that form the basis of AutoCAD MEP today.

Industry Leaders – NDY have led the industry in the application of BIM as
a methodology to large scale complex projects in Australia. The $200m
Corporate Data Centre in Sydney was designed using a collaborative BIM
approach, a project that started in 2007.
Experience

Revit Usage – NDY adopted Revit as soon as it was released as a metric

version in 2009

Revit Development – NDY have a dedicated full time development team

creating intelligent families of objects and researching integration into
Revit.

Consulting – NDY are one of the few organisations providing BIM

consulting and set-up services to the industry.
Experience

History of my exposure to Autodesk Products

AutoCAD Release 11 in 1991

MAP CADUCT in 2006 (now Fabrication CAD mep)

Navisworks Jet stream v5 in 2006

Revit MEP 2009

Key learning objectives

We wanted to will be able to:

Quickly and effectively get Revit models into Navisworks Manage

Automate the process

Standardise the process and the result

The Handout
Getting Revit models Into Navisworks
To append Revit
To append Revit
To append Revit
To append Revit
To append Revit
To export to Navisworks

This is my preference

Level by Level

Service by Service
(i.e. Mechanical Ductwork,
Mechanical Pipework)
New in 2014

You can export linked files that are Cropped by section boxes.
This enables you to create a Control model
New in 2014

RTV Xporter Pro by RTVtools

Automating the process
Building a Navisworks Template

Navisworks does not have template file

You will need to create an NWC but it needs at least 1 element

Building a Navisworks Template

Now you have an NWC you can Build a template

I would recommend creating the NWC’s that match you Revit template
Building a Navisworks Template

You can append the NWC to NWF

Standard Selection Sets

Use Find items to create basic selections set looking for the file name
Standard Selection Sets

I would recommend you use two items

One for the discipline

One for the level

Standard Selection Sets

You should then have standard collection of search sets

Standard Selection Sets

You can check they work be highlighting them

Back in your Revit Model

Create standard view templates for your 3D views

Back in your Revit Model

Create and apply standard view templates for your 3D views

Back in your Revit Model
Test in on a project

Use a small project to test.

This will assist you in developing your selection sets further.

New in 2014

RTV Xporter Pro by RTVtools

Suite No.

You can name the NWC

export by view name mean
you don't need to rename
the files as they happen
Advanced Selection Sets

Change your find items search to look for sets

Advanced Selection Sets

Select ductwork and then begin to create additional selections sets

Advanced Selection Sets

Always name your sub selection set with a floor name as well

Build these selection sets based on Revit categories or System names

Tips and Tricks
Export your selection sets to XML

Only create selection sets for one level

When exporting the xml file name it accordingly

L00 selection sets.xml

Editing your XML

Copy the selection sets creating one for each Level

Editing your XML

You will need an xml editor I use notepad ++

Editing your XML

Use the standard find and replace function

Replace the level indictor

Selection Set Top Tip

Create several different selection sets as you can load more than one

Overall (Level by Level)

Detailed Service (i.e. Mechanical Ductwork, Mechanical Pipework Arch

facade, structural concrete, Structural steel Etc..... )
Selection Set and appearance profiler

Open up appearance profiler

Select by set

Refresh
Selection Set and appearance profiler

Develop a standard colour guide for each selection set

Selection Set and appearance profiler

Using different shades of the same color for the same discipline

Keep everything looking a consistent

Selection Set and appearance profiler

We are now going to create the your first appearance profile

Select by set

Add colour

Click add

Do this for each set

Than save
Selection Set and appearance profiler

Unfortunately this exports a .dat. Not an .xml file

This needs to be link this first time we set it up each floor

Load in the .dat file

Select the selector(right)

The match it to the set (left)

Then update

Do this for each set

Selection Set and appearance profiler

Hit Run

Save your
View.
Standard collision/clash detection
Clash detection and selection sets

Using a matrix will help you understand how many clash batches you
wish to run.

These should match

Your selection sets
Clash detection and selection sets

To create clash detection batch

Turn your selector to sets select one set against another
To match your matrix. Do this until your matrix is complete
Clash detection and selection sets

Make sure you have named your clash batch with a level id
You can then export the xml

And edit the same

way as before.
More Tips

You will now have two .xml files one for selection sets and one for clash
detection.

You will need to apply the standard selection set first

Then apply the clash detection set second (don't try and just use the clash
detection on its own.
Why have we been doing this level by level?

You can append each NWF level by level in to one

All the selection sets and clash detection batches will work in the overall
model.

You then will have everything in one NWF (if required)

Last benefit

You can then use your level by level sets in Timeliner.

but that another presentation (may be for next year)
Key learning objectives

We ended up with was the ability to be able to:

Quickly and effectively get Revit models into Navisworks Manage

Automate the process

Standardise the process and the result

Thank You
Questions
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