Beyond Design: the Construction and BIM blog

How to get improved data from DGN’s from AECOsim into Navisworks

Navisworks has long been a place to aggregate models and data into one place for advanced design review and clash detection. One of the key ways to get value from Navisworks is ensuring as many object properties are included in the model as possible. This blog explains the process to include additional properties from Bentley AECOsim in Navisworks thanks to our ANZ consulting team, special thanks to Quoc Pham for putting this together.

Navisworks supports Bentley AECOsim .DGN file format. Not all the AECOsim properties are available through the standard translation, by using DataTools you can link the metadata to the model.

First export the model from Bentley AECOsim as an NWC or import it into Navisworks

Bentley AECOsim Structural and Architectural model elements

Modify the Options located in the Menu Browser > Options > Model > Performance > Collapse on Convert, set to None.

Note: If you do not do this you will have multiple Element ID's.

Bentley AECOsim Mechanical, Hydraulic and Electrical

Modify the Options located in the Menu Browser > Options > Model > Performance > Collapse on Convert > Select All Objects.

Import the property data using Datatools and ODBC drivers

This previous blog about Navisworks DataTools should help you understand the feature. The following example applies it to a project where our client had multiple AECOsim models that needed to be appended into Navisworks and retain metadata.

Export model properties from Bentley AECOsim

1. Click on the Building Designer > DataGroup – Building Components > Open Data Group Explorer…
2. In the DataGroup Explorer select the Export drop down list and select Export All Instances to Excel.

   

   Once exporting has completed the Excel file will be created.

3. Open Navisworks Manage, Append the model.
4. Run DataTools, the DataTools dialog box will appear.
5. Create a new DataTools Link, the Edit Link will appear.
6. As per the image below:
   1. Set up the Connection, click on Setup and follow the prompts.
   2. Input the appropriate SQL string. In this case Select the Walls Table where we are looking at Element ID as the key.
   3. To add the fields, double click on the right pane. Type in the name of the Excel Field name and required Display Name.
7. Once completed click ok, and make sure that the DataTools Link is checked.

To get this information into BIM 360 Glue you can save the file as an NWD and simply upload to BIM 360 Glue. You can automate the process of loading these file and saving NWD's by using the Batch Utility to run this process overnight, then upload the file in the morning. This same process can work to get other data into Navisworks associated with a file.

Laser Scanning and 3D models - As built verification for the masses!

One of the main uses for laser scanning in construction has been checking your 3D CAD and BIM against the real world situation, to check some refurbishment work will fit or the next trade can install their HVAC run rather than turn up onsite and not be able to work. It has long been possible to do this within Navisworks, and more recently with the introduction of Recap, also within Revit. Both of these do the job, but are still in the hands of the specialists.

Towards the end of last year the Recap team snuck out quite a big update, allowing you to view Navisworks NWD models alongside the 360° panoramic Realviews within Recap. These are the easy accessible way to access the point cloud, think of Google Street View in your laser scan!

So what does this mean? Well you can bring your files from over 50 different file formats together in Navisworks (or via BIM 360 Glue), and save out an NWD file. This can then be "Attached" in Recap (make sure the scan and model files are on the same coordinate system), whenever you then go into one of the Realviews, you'll be able to see the models alongside the images captured by the scanner with correct depth being applied (so items in front of the model are shown as that).

The video below is courtesy of Faro and BAM Construct who worked together on seeing what this new feature could do on a real life project.

Tips related to Navisworks and Recap Realview

• To check the coordinates in Navisworks open the Measure dialog (View > Window > Measure Tools) and when you make a measurement the coordinate will show.
• To check the coordinates in Recap you should see the coordinates in the lower left corner as you hover over the view.
• To change the coordinates of the Navisworks model use there are a number of ways, the Measure Tool is my preferred method
• To change the coordinates of the Recap scan add survey points
• Learn more about Attach NWD in Recap