Is there a way to retrieve volume from a solid?

[tcorey]

I have looked all over the object properties and can't find it, but is there a way to get Navisworks to display the volume of a solid?

[dembkod]

tcorey,

Hello. Navisworks will display all properties that it finds and convert them when the file is first opened. So, the properties you are seeing currently are all the properties Navisworks has viewed in the file. Sometimes, if a loader year was set incorrectly, not all properties may be converted. In this case, you would change your DWG loader year,  delete your NWC file and reload your DWG file.

It is possible that your selection resolution is off as well and you are not selecting the correct level of the selection tree. Click Home > Select & Search and adjust the Selection resolution to “Last Object” to make sure you are selecting the object layer. If the property existed, I would think it may exist on this layer.

Thank you for participating in our community!

David Dembkoski                

Product Support Specialist

Autodesk Product Support

[Patrick_Aps_9121]

Measure from lower-left-front corner to upper-right-back corner.

the measure tool will display DeltaX, DeltaY and DeltaZ with the Differences

DeltaX x DeltxY x DeltxaZ = Volume

But it takes a lot of Crtl+C from the measure tool to a spreadsheet, because only can copy one value at a time.

[r_de_nier]

There is realy no way to get the volume from an AutoCAD solid in Navisworks.
The suggestion about the selection resolution indicates that David did not test this issue, This migth work for an Revit model, but not for AutoCAD.
We ran in this problem when exporting a Corridor Solid of a bridge or tunnel from AutoCAD Civil 3D. Only the layer information is retrieved by Navisworks.
No BIM in Infrastructure here!

[tcorey · Accepted solution]

If you created the solid using AutoCAD Civil 3D, Architecture or MEP, you can use the MassElementConvert command in the AutoCAD vertical before you NWCOUT. The resultant AECMassElement object will carry its volume property with it to NavisWorks.

I still don't know how to get the volume directly from a solid within NavisWorks, but using MassElementConvert is a reasonable workaround.

It's cool to see this question I posted three years ago come back around. 

[hlammerts]

It would be much more efficient if volume were to be retrieved directly from 3D ACIS solids without any conversion, in between.

Any conversion makes it impossible to use Naviswork to use it linked  to 'live' models. Some development needed i suppose.

[dgorsman]

The volume can change depending on the resolution used to open the file, especially for curved objects.  And since it effectively shells solids into surfaces calculating even simple shapes like a pipe with an internal wall could be challenging.

[hanslammerts]

Yes, bim has many challanges on both sides

The Pi thing is one of them. 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Following up on this question from 8 years ago. 

It would very disappointing (and confusing) if Navisworks still couldn't give the volume of a defined solid (Item type - solid). Is anyone able to update me on this?

Thank you.

[hlammerts]

No doubt the information is there alright.

Too sad that despite all the talk about the 'I' in BIM we have to conclude development has come to a FULL STOP !