ReCap Regions in Navisworks 2015 or 2016

[AdvancedCM]

Is there a way to see ReCap defined Regions in Navisworks? I believe Inventor has this capability.

[Patrick_Aps_9121]

Nope,
AutoCAD has, Inventor has, but it fails in Recap.
Please submit a request to bump my request for it higher up in the ToDo list of the developers.

[sureshchotrani]

Can you please explain what you actually want to do by bringing ReCap regions in Navisworks:)

[AdvancedCM]

I have found that being able to categorize data within Navisworks to be a very powerful tool. A simple example in a manufacturing environment is when modifying production equipment pieces may be removed  and new ones installed. The new ones may even be existing equipment moved or even a new piece of equipment from another plant. The quickest way to test the plan is to use scanned objects placed into an area or building model. However, it’s necessary to isolate objects in the scan. Currently I use Recap or Faro Scene to cut up scans into separate model to accomplish this which takes a significant amount of time. Additionally, I often use flat or “plane” surfaces to quickly transform section of scans into position in my building models (ex: match floor elevations). Recap has the capability to create “planes” into regions very quickly and subsequently isolate other objects into regions as you turn regions off and on. Beyond just equipment, this capability could be used for building elements, utilities, site features, etc. I think the list is only limited by one’s imagination.

I’ve built 3D .nwd published models in Navisworks in excess of 17Gb using a combination of Recap .rcp files documenting existing buildings, equipment, and utilities in conjunction with CAD, Revit, and JT files which while taking a while to load, moved very well using the Freedom viewer. In addition, Navisworks allows you to make viewpoints illustrating conditions important to clients and project stakeholders. Being able to hide and unhide objects in Navisworks is a key component of a modeling workflow. Currently, being able to choose Voxels in Navisworks isn’t good enough.

Carrying these regions, like AutoCAD layers, into Navisworks would make the modeling workflow enormously faster. The video example Autodesk created for Recap demonstrates the power of Recap’s function, but then fails to indicate how useful this feature would be in Navisworks. Having this capability only in AutoCAD and Inventor is a serious deficiency in my opinion.

This is the video demonstrating the capability I’m referring to in Recap .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oep57AFOk8k

[tor_christian]

Hi.

AdvancedCM: Have you received any new information regarding this topic?

As you describe in your latest comment here, I fully agree with your need for beeing able to show/hide the different regions from Recap in Navisworks.

I`m working on a similar case, where we want to hide some part of a factory plant in Navisworks, in order to present new design.

I was wondering if any representatives from Autodesk have any comments on this topic?

Best regards

Tor Christian Kristiansen, INVIS

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have found that being able to categorize data within Navisworks to be a very powerful tool. A simple example in a manufacturing environment is when modifying production equipment pieces may be removed  and new ones installed. The new ones may even be existing equipment moved or even a new piece of equipment from another plant. The quickest way to test the plan is to use scanned objects placed into an area or building model. However, it’s necessary to isolate objects in the scan. Currently I use Recap or Faro Scene to cut up scans into separate model to accomplish this which takes a significant amount of time. Additionally, I often use flat or “plane” surfaces to quickly transform section of scans into position in my building models (ex: match floor elevations). Recap has the capability to create “planes” into regions very quickly and subsequently isolate other objects into regions as you turn regions off and on. Beyond just equipment, this capability could be used for building elements, utilities, site features, etc. I think the list is only limited by one’s imagination.

I’ve built 3D .nwd published models in Navisworks in excess of 17Gb using a combination of Recap .rcp files documenting existing buildings, equipment, and utilities in conjunction with CAD, Revit, and JT files which while taking a while to load, moved very well using the Freedom viewer. In addition, Navisworks allows you to make viewpoints illustrating conditions important to clients and project stakeholders. Being able to hide and unhide objects in Navisworks is a key component of a modeling workflow. Currently, being able to choose Voxels in Navisworks isn’t good enough.

Carrying these regions, like AutoCAD layers, into Navisworks would make the modeling workflow enormously faster. The video example Autodesk created for Recap demonstrates the power of Recap’s function, but then fails to indicate how useful this feature would be in Navisworks. Having this capability only in AutoCAD and Inventor is a serious deficiency in my opinion.

This is the video demonstrating the capability I’m referring to in Recap .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oep57AFOk8k

---

[AdvancedCM]

Hello,

Unfortunately I haven't heard anything more on this subject. I'm not optimistic Autodesk has this capability anywhere on there immediate plans for Navisworks. The fact that it appears Inventor and AutoCAD support Recap "regions" would suggest that the technology is quite available. However, I believe Autodesk isn't supporting enhancing Navisworks desktop since most of the media I've seen has been directed on cloud viewing where Navisworks has been left out. You see a lot of examples with Revit, Inventor, and AutoCAD.

I also don't think even giving Navisworks cloud viewing capability rather than the Recap region capability in their desktop software is a robust solution since piont cloud data, while well supported in Navisworks, is just too large for cloud storage and streaming in my opinion. I have been successful in building some quite large Navsiworks models combining 3D CAD and laser point cloud data which work well on desktop software, even Freedom, with the right computer hardware configuration.

I've resolved myself to "cutting" up laser data separately and using pieces integrated with 3D CAD to build the NWD models I need. It takes longer and more effort this way but it still works. It looks like Navisworks is being left out of the internal Autodesk workflow improvements between software packages.

Regards

[Patrick_Aps_9121]

I could not agree more, and I can only add that cloud viewing capability is not always allowed, due to Intellectual property. The Navisworks team just need to update their File reader for Recap files and Recap Projects.

[Alaaeldin_Alsahli]

Hi everyone,

The issue is been already flagged as an enhancement feature to the Navisworks development team, They are working hard to make it available in near future. 

I could always update you on which version will be available once I get any published updates from the development team. 

As AdvancedCM mentioned in the last reply ,to use the alternative solution until this feature comes up.

I know it is frustrating but This will be available sooner or later since one of the main purpose in Naviswork is to hide and unhide elements unless something major happens.

[AdvancedCM]

Thanks to all who commented. I'm glad to see others have realized the powerful capability in Navisworks to accommodate and utilize 3D data from a host of sources including existing conditions acquired by laser scanning.

I've recently purchased a Faro Freestyle hand laser scanner and along with that SCENE software for working with point clouds. It works well with Recap but is signifiacntly quicker in using clipping boxes to isolate laser scan points to mimic "regions" or volumes which Recap cannot currently translate to Navisworks. While it is more effort and time to do it this way, SCENE handles this process better than Recap. So now I can slice up laser scan data into separate files in Navisworks which I can hide or unhide depending on the situation.

Best regards to all.

[Patrick_Aps_9121]

Bentley Pointools is also very good in deviding a cloud into different blocks, including a grid of x times y cells export in one go.
But the main benifits of Recap are
- you are independent of the brand of scanner the scan was made
- It works so fast that you do not need to split up a scan any more
- the quality in Autocad, Inventor and Navisworks is far better
- an of course, it's included in your license of Autocad, Inventor or Navisworks.

[LyleHardin]

I've been following this topic for a while because, we too, would like to see ReCap Regions flow through into Navisworks. I'm glad to see Autodesk is apparently working on incorporating this. I just looked for it in 2017 Manage but apparently it's not there yet.

We will laser scan an entire plant then make and use regions in ReCap to mark certain areas (equipment, steel, concrete, etc.) as demo areas. Works great to pull this into AutoCAD. But much of our pre-planning workflow is to use Navisworks to show clients several options and walk them through their plant (point cloud with 3D models of proposed equipment). ReCap Regions in Navisworks would make this much easier.

I've not seen anyone mention if regions work in Revit. Has anyone tried it?

[tor_christian]

Disappointed to see that it`s still not possible to inherit regions from Recap into Navisworks in 2017.

This is something that we hoped Autodesk had solved by now.

I gave it a try in Revit as well, but it doesn`t seem to be poissible here either.

Works very well in Inventor though. 

Regards 

Tor Christian

[josh]

Just wanted to through my support behind this as another that would like to see this happen. anyone got a link to the idea station request so we can up vote it? or is that not available now as Autodesk are already onto it?

[Patrick_Aps_9121]

Navisworks does not have and IdeaStation...

[tor_christian]

Hi,

Any news from the Autodesk team regarding this topic?

Kind regards 

Tor Christian Kristiansen

[tor_christian]

Hi,

Any news from the Autodesk team regarding this topic?

Kind regards
Tor Christian Kristiansen

[lacullinane]

Any news Autodesk on this topic? Curious to know...

[tor_christian]

Hi 🙂

Has this happend yet?

This post about recap layers derived into Navisworks seems to still be missing?

Is there any chance that this will eventually happen?

Kind regards

Tor-Christian

[lacullinane]

Also keen to hear if @the dev team @Alaaeldin_Alsahli has looked at this in anymore depth? or more focus on BIM 360 features now?

[thebearjed]

AdvancedCM...you have explained it perfectly. this function NEEDS to be added.

it makes no sense to have 2 of your programs that are built to work together and not have them able to communicate.

make Regions viewable in Navisworks or change Regions to Layers so Navis can recognize them.