How to import FBX and export to DWG

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

I have a FBX file (https://ufile.io/edf001) which is a building. (refer to the attached screenshot - fbx sample).

Then I followed the steps in https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/import-a-fbx-file/m-p/6513456#M137966 to import FBX.

After I use "Zoom Extents" command in AutoCAD, I only managed to see a few items. It is different from what I have seen in FBX.

Refer to the second screenshot - autocad sample.

Question:

1) Why does the building does not look the same as FBX?

2) How do I show the full model of FBX and export as DWG?

Thank you.

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

This is a big file so give me a little time as I look into this for you.

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

I did the import and did not have Insert as a Block selected.

I did receive one error warning that I have to research as I haven't seen it before.

I did seem top get more of the file imported than you.

The resulting file is huge but I can upload to a cloud location if you have one.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

may I ask which software was used to create that FBX-file?

I can see the content well in NavisWorks, but in AutoCAD I see only a few spline-objects.

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi @john.vellek

Which version of AutoCAD did you use?

Because I don't get the message you get, and I don't get the geometry you get (my AutoCAD looks exactly like the screenshot shown by @Anonymous)

(and I tried with AutoCAD 2017 1.1 / also import not as block)

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

well, I ran some tests and:

• I get the FBX opened with AutoCAD 2018
• I can't get the FBX opened with AutoCAD 2017
• I can't get the FBX opened in 3DS-Max 2017 (never ending process or I have not waited long enough)
• when AutoCAD 2018 showed the geometry there is no material, independent of the settings for "import materials" and/or "layer by material"

So my resume is: the FBX is has valid content as it shows well in NavisWorks, the geometry and the material looks ok.

But the number of materials is equal to the number of objects and that seems to reach a limit. While AutoCAD 2018 ignores then the materials AutoCAD 2017 seems to crash with that number of materials ... but that's just one thougth, there may be a lot other reasons.

The question "which software created this FBX" is open and quite interesting, because it's unusual that a scene with maybe 10 materials assigns every object a different one.

Be careful also about the units! Because the FBX thinks it's in Centimeter while I think it should be Meter.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

@Alfred.NESWADBA, I open NWD file in Navisworks Manage 2016 and export as FBX.
I use AutoCAD 2017 to open that FBX and it does not show the full geometry. 

@john.vellek, I just got your invitation email thank you. I am downloading the zip file you had uploaded.
Can you guide me how did you import FBX to AutoCAD and export as DWG?

Thank you.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

HI @Anonymous,

I created a download location for you.  Here are the steps I used in AutoCAD 2018 to import the FBX file. While watching the video be prepared to take a nap. The file to import is really large.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I open NWD file in Navisworks Manage 2016 and export as FBX

I have got your FBX-file opened with 3DS-Max, one surprise now is that the materials are named like:

   AutoCAD 색상 인덱스 102

So I'm quite sure that the FBX file was created with AutoCAD (or a vertical of AutoCAD), why do you then need to import the FBX into AutoCAD when the original geometry was created with AutoCAD? That would be the much better way with the much better structure and without losing material/color!

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

@Alfred.NESWADBA, I got the NWD file and I need to convert NWD to DWG.

Therefore, I export NWD to FBX in Navisworks Manage 2016 and convert it to DWG using AutoCAD 2018.

@john.vellek, the structural information is available in FBX as shown in Navisworks Manage 2016.

After I import the FBX to AutoCAD, the structural information is not found. 

It is not available in the DWG file after I save it in AutoCAD.

How do I retain the structural information in DWG?

Thank you

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I got the NWD file

As it would help you a lot for your workflow: ask the creator of the file if you can have the original DWG

(than you would have all info's you seem to miss, it does not make sense to run data through many converters to get at the end the same format as it was originally).

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

@Alfred.NESWADBA, the original DWG file is lost. Only NWD file is available.

Is there any setting in AutoCAD which allows me to keep structural information in DWG during export?

Or is there any AutoDesk tool which helps to include structural information in DWG like 3DS max?

Thank you.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Is there any setting in AutoCAD which allows me to keep structural information in DWG during export?

AutoCAD itself does not support structural information, so I guess no, you won't get it imported from FBX.

Maybe you can use Plant3D (which I guess was the application which created that FBX file).

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Or is there any AutoDesk tool which helps to include structural information in DWG like 3DS max?

Yep, 3DS-Max has the structure to make it possible to select tree-like by structure.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

@Alfred.NESWADBA,

I have tried to export to DWG in 3DS Max. That structural information is not stored in DWG when I check in Navisworks Manage.

Can you guide me how to include all structural information when I export to DWG in 3DS Max?

Thank you.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> That structural information is not stored in DWG

That's what I have seen too (and mentioned above)

>> Can you guide me how to include all structural information when I export to DWG

A DWG File for AutoCAD can't have a "structure info" as (plain) AutoCAD does not have know anything about "structure info". In AutoCAD you can have groups for selection, but not any additional info on mesh-objects, that gives you something like "I am the part with name=X and size=13 and ID = 41711". AutoCAD does not support that.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

Hi.

I'm following your video but after I select the FBX file, Autocad does not do anything. It doesn't display the Import options window, or an error message. I thought it was because I have a large file (1.1 GB) but I tried with a small one (267KB) and still, it doesn't work. Do you have any idea about what could be happening? Thank you.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> It doesn't display the Import options window

When starting which command?

Just as info, Autodesk was so kind to remove this function (import and export of FBX) from AutoCAD 2019. ;(

- alfred -

[aruckerY7D6L]

As many things have changed since version 2017 - you may need to use a free converter from Autodesk. I have to export from Navis (2019) as an FBX file, use the converter to change it to a DXF file that can be opened in AutoCAD (2019). I hope this helps someone as it took me about 2 days to find a solution.

[Anonymous]

Hi @john.vellek ,

I faced this problem while importing FBX file to autocad 2017.

Not sure why this error is occurring. Can you help me solve this?

I would have given you the file, but the file size is huge.

Thanks in advance.. 🙂