Autodesk Navisworks Manage is a project review software designed specifically for 5D BIM (Building Information Modeling) coordination, clash detection, and scheduling. Unlike Revit or AutoCAD, which are used for authoring geometry, Navisworks Manage is used for aggregating geometry.
Think of it as the "control tower" of your construction project. You can import files from over 60 different formats, including:
Once aggregated, Navisworks Manage creates a single, federated model that represents the entire project. This unified environment allows different teams (architects, structural engineers, MEP contractors) to see how their individual models interact with one another.
If you are deciding between versions, note that Navisworks Manage produces all of the above. The primary difference is that Navisworks Simulate lacks the Clash Detective feature, making Manage the standard choice for BIM Coordinators and Managers.
Autodesk Navisworks Manage is a comprehensive project review software that enables Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) professionals to holistically review integrated models and data. It is the most robust version of the Navisworks suite, offering advanced tools for coordination, analysis, and communication during preconstruction. Key Features and Capabilities naviswork manage
Navisworks Manage is a high-level 3D model review and project coordination software used by architects, engineers, and construction professionals
. It is a core component of the Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflow, designed to aggregate data from multiple sources into a single integrated model for review. Key Features
Even experienced users hit snags. Here are the top three issues with Navisworks Manage:
1. The "Black Box" [View Cube issue] Problem: You append a Revit file and everything is black, or materials are missing. Solution: Navisworks respects Revit phase filters and visibility graphics. Ensure the Revit file has a 3D view that is not set to wireframe and that all categories are turned on in Visibility/Graphics Overrides before exporting NWC. Autodesk Navisworks Manage is a project review software
2. Searching is Literal
Problem: You search for "Steel Beam" but find nothing because the consultant named it "Structural Framing: Beam."
Solution: Use the "Find Items" tool with wildcards (*Beam*) or switch to "Properties" tab searching. Learn to use the Selection Tree to browse by category rather than relying on text search.
3. The Case of the Phantom Clash
Problem: Clash Detective says a pipe hits a wall, but the pipe is actually 2 feet away.
Solution: You have a units mismatch. One file is modeled in millimeters; the other in feet. Go to Options > Model > Units and ensure "Rescale on file merge" is set correctly.
Why do veterans love Navisworks? The navigation wheel and the "walk/fly/orbit" modes. It sounds trivial, but in Revit, you orbit around a center point. In Navisworks, you walk through the model like you are on the job site.
You can set a gravity factor, clip planes, and even a third-person avatar. This turns model review into a video game. You can find a clash not by running a report, but by "walking" down a virtual hallway and realizing, "My head just clipped through a sprinkler head." That visceral, human-scale perspective is something automated algorithms often miss. Even experienced users hit snags
While not a replacement for dedicated takeoff software like Bluebeam or PlanSwift, Navisworks Manage offers a robust Quantification module. This tool allows users to perform "model takeoffs" (counting objects from the geometry) and "paper takeoffs" (measuring 2D sheets). This is vital for contractors who need to verify that the quantity of steel or concrete in the model matches the bid documents.
| Stage | Role of Navisworks Manage | |-------|--------------------------| | Design Development | Regular model aggregation to ensure structural and MEP systems fit within architectural spaces. | | Preconstruction | Running clash detection reports; assigning clashes to engineers; 4D simulations for bid packages. | | Construction | Weekly coordination meetings with model as the centerpiece; tracking RFIs (Requests for Information) linked to clashes; 5D takeoffs for change orders. | | Handover & Facilities | Exporting as-built models (with metadata) for owner's asset management systems. |
Before diving deeper, it is crucial to distinguish between the two primary versions of Navisworks: