How to reference dwg to revit using Navis?

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain to me the proper workflow for referencing a DWG into a Revit file while using Navis?

Navis must be used because Revit cannot directly reference the DWG (its too big).

I was able to create a a NWD by "appending" the DWG through Navisworks Manage. I was then able to hide layers and override colors and it all looked great.

However, changes from the DWG are not shown in the NWD, and then they are not shown in Revit. I cannot even manually open Navis and "refresh" the file to get the DWG changes. Its like its an export and not a link.

Is there a way to have all this happen automatically? Its time-prohibitive to reset all the color/layer overrides by creating a new file.

[SteveKStafford]

Revit can link a DWG file. If by too big you mean it generates a warning about the extents that's not a deal breaker. The file can be cleaned up so it can be linked without the warning.

Even if it isn't cleaned up it can be linked but it may affect the graphic appearance of the model in views. That may be okay if you're just comparing the position of things between them but not relying on leaving it visible all the time.

[Anonymous]

Okay, let me rephrase: linking a DWG is worthless because you can't override any colors and you can't use cut planes for plan views, sections, etc.

Are you able to answer the question I asked?

[SteveKStafford]

Without experimenting myself, based on my past experience, I don't know for certain if you can get a viable result doing what you're doing...but I don't think you will. I have no incentive to go that route, I can get what I need out of Revit directly.

Revit can override layers in Object Styles or Visibility/Graphics. If the CAD file is drawn ByLayer for it's color, line pattern etc then Revit can override them. It's the same limitation as AutoCAD and external references.

Cut Plane - Inserting the DWG while creating an in-place family will allow the DWG to behave according to cutplane, like a section view. Assuming the DWG is 3D...otherwise it's not really relevant. Placing a 2D DWG in the appropriate view is sufficient to control where it will be visible.

Edit: I did create a 3D dwg and appended it to Navisworks. I overrode the colors of a couple and then published an NWD. That file did update as a Coordination Model and show the different colors after using Reload. Perhaps that's all you're after?

[Anonymous]

Regarding using a family: this only works when the DWG is small. This is not small, so it cannot work. This is an entire piping model made in Plant 3D. I'm not gonna get into why my firm needs to do it this way, but we do. We have the building, structure, and HVAC in Revit and the process and piping in Plant 3D. No amount of "why don't you ____" is going to change that.

The only way to reference a DWG of this size into Revit AND show it correctly AND allow us to use cut planes is to go through Navis. Its miserable and clunky, but Revit simply can't handle a huge .DWG as a family and it can't use cut planes on a raw .DWG.

Here is the main problem:

I can generate the .NWD just fine, exactly the way you described. This is the way I have done it. Also, I can make changes to the .NWD file (colors, transparency, hide) and they show in Revit, so that's not the problem.

The problem is that the .DWG (where all the work is being done) isn't linked in any way to the .NWD. This method of generating an .NWD is like an export instead of a link/xref. So, other engineers make changes to the Plant 3D model (the .DWG) and those changes don't update the Navis File (the .NWD). Is there a way to generate a .NWD that updates as the .DWG is updated?

Right now I have to open the .NWD, create a new instance of the .DWG, then delete the old .NWD, and then reapply color overrides and other settings. It takes like half an hour whenever I want to do this and its just not a sustainable way of doing things.

[SteveKStafford]

The NWF is the working file for Navisworks. The NWC format is a cache file that is more like an external reference. Those are updated in the NWF file as you replace them. If you can export from plant to NWC then future exports can be refreshed in the NWF file. Then you can Publish from Navisworks (NWD) to use as a coordination model in Revit. That model can be reload as a new one is created.

> Export from Plant to NWC (or export to DWG and Navisworks will create a NWC for it instead)

> Append NWC to NWF Navisworks "project file"

> Publish to NWD for Revit coordination model linking

Export from Plant again...replace the original files and reopen NWF file, you should see the updates. Repeat Publish to NWD using same file name and then Reload in Revit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, that might help. I'll try it later today/tomorrow when I'm in the model. I'll be sure to resolve it if it solves the issue.