NWD File Format

When you save to a Navisworks (NWD) file, all loaded models, the scene's
environment, the current view, and favorite viewpoints (including redlines and
comments) are all saved to a single file. This is known as publishing a Navisworks file
and creates a "snapshot" of the project. An NWD file is considered a complete file and
can be opened in any Navisworks product and the Navisworks Freedom viewer.
NWF File Format
When you save to the Navisworks file format (NWF), only a list with pointers to the files
currently loaded is saved, along with the scene's environment, the current view, clash
results, if available, and favorite viewpoints (including redlines and comments).
To open an NWF file, a Navisworks product is required, such as Review, Simulate, or
Manage (not Freedom), as well as access to the original CAD files. (Note: Copies of the
original CAD files may be used. However, they must have the same file names as the
original files).
When you open a CAD file in Navisworks, by default, a corresponding cache file (NWC)
is created, which contains all of the conversion details required by Navisworks. When
you subsequently open that CAD file in Navisworks, it will check to see whether a cache
file is available. If it is, then Navisworks will check to see whether the CAD file has been
modified since it was last opened in Navisworks. If the file has not been modified,
Navisworks will read the cache file, speeding up the loading process and utilizing less
memory. If the CAD file has been modified, Navisworks will read the CAD file in again
and re-create the cache.
It is strongly recommended that you use an NWF file when referencing several CAD
files. This will prevent you from having to republish the Navisworks file whenever one of
the CAD files is amended because the NWF file will open the most recent files
available. The NWF file will read in the cache files of CAD files that have not been
modified, which can significantly reduce the time to load the files and the amount of
memory used.
For this reason, it is also strongly recommended that you use an NWF file when
conducting clash tests. The original clash results will be saved in the NWF file. You can
then modify the CAD files as necessary. When the NWF file is opened again, the
revised CAD files will be opened, and the Clash Detective, having retained the original
clash data, will determine that those clashes have already been resolved.