Why you should be Using Timeliner in Navisworks

by Garry Stockton

The TimeLiner tool enables you to link your model to an external construction schedule for visual time and cost based planning. This feature is available for Autodesk Navisworks Manage and Navisworks Simulate users.

TimeLiner imports schedules from a variety of sources (Excel, Microsoft project or Primavera). You can then connect tasks in the schedule with objects in the model to create a simulation. This allows you to see the effects of the schedule on the model and compare planned dates against actual dates. Costs can also be assigned to tasks to track the cost of a project throughout its schedule. TimeLiner also allows the export of images and animations based on the results of the simulation. TimeLiner will automatically update the simulation if the model or schedule changes.

You can combine the functionality of TimeLiner with other Navisworks tools: 

• Linking TimeLiner and Object Animation together enables the triggering and scheduling of object movement based on start time and duration of project tasks and can help you with workspace and process planning. For example, a TimeLiner sequence may indicate that when a particular site crane moves from its start point to its end point over the course of a particular afternoon, a workgroup working nearby causes an obstruction along its route. This potential obstruction problem can be resolved before going to site (e.g. the crane can be moved along a different route, the workgroup moved out of the way, or the project schedule altered). 

Please note: I will create another blog in due course to show take you through this process. 

• Linking TimeLiner, Object Animation, and Clash Detective together enables clash testing of fully animated TimeLiner schedules. So, instead of visually inspecting a TimeLiner sequence to make sure, for example, that the moving crane didn't collide with a workgroup, you can run a clash test.

 Please note: This feature is available for Autodesk Navisworks Manage users only.