Advance Steel export to DWF - Geometry not correct in Navisworks

[higginbotham.david]

When I manually export, or or use "export to Naviworks," a DWF, or DWFx file, the geometry in the resulting DWF or DWFx file is not correct. It's close but the precision is off quite a bit. See screenshots below.

I've used Navisworks & Autodesk Review to view the files to see if it was a resolution setting. Same result no matter the viewer.

Things I've tried:

3ddwfprec = up to 6

exportdwf = Override precision set to MAX

Numerous other methods and settings 

Advance steel view

Exported DWF or DWFx view

[Jonathan3891]

Are you using the "Export to Navisworks" button located on the "Export & Import" ribbon tab?

[higginbotham.david]

Yes. And I have manually created DWF as well. Same result.

[JW_Lotz]

Have you tried opening your master file directly from Navisworks?

[higginbotham.david]

Yes! The master file (.dwg) looks perfect if you open it with Navisworks. But, when you try to export a Dwf or Dwfx manually or with the Export to Navisworks button in Advance Steel. The geometry is of very poor quality. How can I fix this? see snapshots below. 

[Sebastian_Eiche]

I never seen something like that. could you upload an example?

[higginbotham.david]

Yes sir. You want to actual .dwg file?

I attached the .dwg and the dwf that was created by using "export to Navisworks" 

I've driven myself crazy trying to figure out why it looks so bad in dwf

[Sebastian_Eiche]

I lied by writing: I never saw something like that. By opening and exporting your model...I remember a similar issue from the past:

your model is to far away from the WCS 0,0,0 (it's round about 3060561'-3" away)

If you select your model and move it to 0,0,0 your export will look great:

[higginbotham.david]

Wow! I tried it and it worked. Thank you so much, Sebastian.  At least I have a starting point. 

However, we attach laser scanned point clouds (FARO FOCUS Laser Scanner)  of existing project items into our model drawing to locate new model items (beams, plates, etc)  in Advance Steel. So, the objects in our Advance Steel model have to be located wherever they are (even if they are  3060561'-3" away from WCS 0,0,0) to correctly align with the coordinates of the other items (such as existing concrete) in the Navisworks model.

Is there a possible solution to overcome this issue? Settings in dwf export? Setting limits in Advance Steel model? 

If I know where the error is being introduced perhaps I can create a work-around to correct it. 

Thank you so very much! 

[higginbotham.david]

Sebastian, for instance, as a work-around, is there, or could there be, a  LISP routine that would save current distance from WCS as a variable, change the WCS to  0,0,0 for exporting, then restore original WCS prior to export to DWF(x). Would that prevent the Advance Steel geometry from being distorted

[robertwmerriman1]

Hi @higginbotham.david 

With Navisworks when you load in the model at 0,0,0 you can select the model in the tree and change the coordintates to whats required.

I have added an idea to the idea station a while ago to allow Advance Steel models to be exported to co-ordinates - https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/advance-steel-ideas/export-to-coordinate/idi-p/10153680

[higginbotham.david]

Thank you for the info. May I explain the issue and get clarification from you on how to resolve?

We use existing Plant scan data (registered plant survey coordinates) to properly locate new models in advance steel so they will align with existing structures in Navisworks. However, If the registered plant coordinates used in point cloud data scans lie a great distance from the origin point of Advance Steel World Coordinate System (WCS 0,0,0), the resulting exported DWF model (used to create the Navisworks model) file will be of poor visual quality resulting in a poor Navisworks image.

How could I retain the proper plant coordinates (FARO point cloud data) for my model upon export to DWF, yet still model near to the origin point in Advance Steel?

[crydee-AG1]

Hi,

You cannot model at massive coordinates in Advance Steel, or AutoCAD. This blog explains why these things are troublesome. You have to find a different approach.

In Advance Steel move the point cloud so a meaningful point or "site datum" is at 0,0,0 in the WCS. Then model your AS model around this point. The export will be fine. In Navisworks after appending your model into the collaboration model you can set the required offset for the origin point to move the model back to the desired position. This only has to be done once and takes seconds. If the export updates just overwrite the existing file and it will still be at the right point in the consolidated NW model.

[higginbotham.david]

Aleck,

   Do you know what the threshold is with regard to distance from WCS 0,0,0 before accuracy of export begins to diminish? 10,000 ft? 100,000 ft? 5,000 ft? 

I work on numerous projects (all different distances from WCS 0,0,0) and need to be able to "offset" plant scans into Advance Steel for proper export to Navis.

Preferably a round number offset that can be applied to point clouds to get them near enough to WCS 0,0,0 that allows a proper export before translating coordinates back to exact for Navis.  

For instance, if a point cloud is approx. 3,000,000 feet from 0,0,0, would changing the point cloud data to approx. 3,000 feet be sufficient, or 300 feet?

Or, is there an easier way that would not require our engineers to translate every single plant scan, and, not require all designers to have to open each model that has been created to move models closer to 0,0,0 and reexport every model ?

[crydee-AG1]

Hi,

There is no definite threshold. It can vary it seems. However, you are definitely getting into dangerous ground with coordinates above 1 million.

It takes exactly the same amount of time and effort to move the model to an exact site datum like 3126742,559378,135860 as it would to round off those numbers and use that reference (3126000,559000,136000). A rounded-off datum will make the rest of your modelling more tricky since no coordinates within the model mean anything; they are not relative to any meaningful point. Just use a significant point, such as the base of one column, as your site datum and pout that at 0,0,0 in your AS model. Then in Navisworks they can do one move, once when first linking to your file, to put that point at the correct GPS coordinates or whatever they want.