Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery

Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Lesson Overview
Summary

• In this lesson, students explore the model importing capabilities of

Autodesk® Navisworks® Manage software to create composite
models that can be viewed and explored
• They will learn how to:
– Create a Composite Model
– Explore a Composite Model
– Define Sets of Model Elements

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

• Understand the importance of creating a composite model

• Describe the options available and tradeoffs of exporting and
importing models using different file formats.
• Apply the concept of transforms to align separate models.
• Appreciate the value of creating scene views to communicate
design intent and document model evolution through stages.
• Interrogate the composite model to explore how the integrated
models relate to the whole.
• Create sets of elements that cut across all models and develop a
model hierarchy for the integrated composite model.
© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Exercise 1.1: Creating a Composite Model

In this exercise, students will learn how to:

• Export model files to file format

supported for transferring model
information to Navisworks® Manage
(including NWC, DWG, and IFC).
• Set global options for working
effectively in Navisworks® Manage.
• Append multiple model files to
create a single composite model.
• Transform individual models to
provide the proper alignment and
positioning in the composite model.
© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Model Integration
Steps to Success

• Create models in BIM tool

• Export models in compatible
formats
– NWC
– IFC
– DWG
• Import models into Navisworks
Manage
– Align if needed
– Save as NWF file
• Analyze composite model

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Model Integration
Analyzing a composite model

• Integration
• Viewing / exploration
• Issue management / markup
– Manually identify
– Clash detection
• 4D process simulation
• Model presentation
– Rendering
– Simulation
© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Exercise 1.1: Creating a Composite Model

Student Exercise

• Export the MEP plumbing

model to a NWC file
• Export the Revit MEP lighting
model to an IFC file.
• Open the composite model file
and append these two
exported files the previous
steps.
• Adjust the offset of the lighting
model to align it

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Exercise 1.2: Exploring a Composite Model

In this exercise, students will learn how to:

• Navigate the composite model in

the scene view
• Explore the hierarchy of elements
in the Selection Tree.
• Manipulate appearance with Hide,
Require, and Override
commands.
• Create viewpoints that feature
different systems
• Publish the model as an.nwd file
© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Exercise 1.2: Exploring a Composite Model

Student Exercise

• Create the following viewpoints

–Structural Frame-Overall
–Structural-MEP
–Restroom-Wet-Wall-Top
–Exposed Ceiling-Level 1
Retail-Section Box
• Create new folders to organize
the viewpoints
• Save a new copy of the master
NWF file

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Exercise 1.3: Defining Sets of Model Elements

In this exercise, students will learn how to:

• Interrogate the composite model to

find particular elements.
• Define selection sets of like
elements.
• Define search criteria to select sets
of elements that share common
properties or parameter values.
• Merge previously defined selection
sets and organizing the sets into
folders.

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Exercise 1.3: Defining Sets of Model Elements

Student Exercise

• Create a multi-criteria Search

Set, called Wood Framing, that
contains the wood framing
elements that meet at least one
of the following constraints:
– Item Name Contains timber
or joist or pine or wood
• Create a Selection Set, called
Windows & Doors that includes
all the windows and doors of the
model, regardless of the family
type.
© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Assessment
Creating a Composite Model

• What are the key differences in the file import formats and how do
these differences impact the creation of the composite model?
• Is there a limit to the number of models that can be appended? (No)
• Navisworks® Manage can also publish a composite model in the
NWD file format—a highly compressed formation that cannot be
edited and can be secured with password protection. For what
purposes would this file format be useful? (Question 1)
• Would it be useful to save several different NWF files of the
composite model? What might an NWF file to be shared with the
project owner contain, as compared to an NWF created for the MEP
consultants? (Question 2)
© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Assessment
Exploring a Composite Model

• What techniques can you use to filter the information displayed in a

scene view? (Question 3)
• What might be conditions under which we would not want a
viewpoint to retain the saved hide/require and overrides, but instead
to inherit all the real-time settings in the course of our view
navigation? (Question 4)
• Can you cut a section view using a cutting plane that is not vertical?
(Question 5)

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Assessment
Defining Sets of Model Elements

• Can you describe a quick method for merging two existing search
sets into a joined set? (Question 6)
• Can you edit the search constraints that define a search set after it
has been created? (Question 7)

© 2010 Autodesk
Using BIM in Integrated Project Delivery
Lesson 1: Model Integration and Management

Key Terms
The following key terms were used in this lesson:
Key Term Definition

The hierarchy of the files users have opened and appended into the current scene and
Selection Tree the model elements in each of these files. This hierarchy reflects the structure of the data
created by the original design application.

Viewpoints are saved camera positions and view settings that allow model reviewers to
Viewpoints capture and easily return to specific views of the model. Viewpoints can also store
information that facilitates design review audit trails and setting up model animations.

A mode of view displaying all the points of a model being projected parallel to the screen,
Orthographic and thus making it easier to work with a model due to all the edges of the model
appearing as the same size, regardless of the distance from the camera.

Perspective The mode of view as we see things in the real world, where with increasing distance
objects recede.

Selection sets are static groups of items used for saving a group of objects that you want
Selection Set to regularly perform some action on. They simply store a group of items for later retrieval,
and do not dynamically update as the model changes.

Search sets are dynamic groups of items selected by specifying search criteria. They are
Search Set used in ways similar to selection sets, but the search criteria can rerun at a later date to
update the search set when the model changes.

© 2010 Autodesk