Working with Revit Files in Navisworks 2014

by Neil Simmonds

Using Revit Construction Parts in a Navisworks model

The different workflows that are often seen between Revit and Navisworks require the use of different options in both of the programs. Here we look at using Revit Construction Parts and how that appears differently in Navisworks properties. Firstly, we see here the default simple wall and window families in a Revit model.

Notice the wall construction when looking at the family type. It contains 4 layers, fairly normal stuff so far.

Now once we append this into Navisworks, and looking at the selection tree, we can see that only the wall faces on both sides have come through, with the rest of the construction listed as ‘Default Wall’.

This may be fine for a lot of circumstances and it keeps the model size down and selections simple. However, what about in a situation where you are interested in the construction elements of the wall – EG in a Timeliner sequence showing the physical construction as it goes. After all, in reality it does take time to build a wall and it does happen in different stages.

In order to work with this idea, go back to the Revit model… I like to use the NAVISWORKS view in order to control exactly what gets pulled through into Navisworks consistently.

If you do this you will also want to check your Navisworks Global options (F12) to ensure that’s the view you are appending. Please see this in the screenshot below.

With your items selected use the CREATE PARTS option from the Modify tools.

You may get some warning messages about some families not being able to be made into parts, or joins somehow being broken – whatever, don’t worry there’s little you can do about those things at this stage. OK, save the Revit model and toggle back to Navisworks.

Check your Global options (F12) so that you are ‘Converting Parts’ in the Revit File Reader options.

Now make sure you Refresh the file append, or otherwise start a new file and start again.

And go back to your Selection Tree to see how the items are listed differently.

You can see from my screenshot here that I have hidden a couple of the layers of the wall construction, and that each layer is coming through as a ‘Part’ of a single wall item.

Further, looking at the Properties of each item, you will see them coming through independently. From here use various methods of searching and selecting to build your selections and sets up and apply to your task in hand.

From here use your selection and searching routines to build sets for your tasks in hand, for example the Timeliner routines mentioned earlier. In the following example I am searching for the ITEM > MATERIAL