Export from Autodesk Navisworks

In this tutorial, you will learn best practices to export a 3D model from Navisworks for use in cmBuilder.

Summary

• Use the tree structure to hide nonessential elements

• Use "Find Items" tool to multi-select elements by name and hide them all at once

• Go to Output > FBX
• Uncheck Textures, Lights, Cameras
• System Units and Convert Units should be the same
• Set FBX File Format to Binary
• Click OK to export the file and upload it to cmBuilder

Tips:

To scale the model:

• Right-click the parent in the tree, and Units and Transform
• Enter a factor to transform the scale in the x, y, and z directions

FAQs:

Q1: Some parts or faces in my fbx export are missing. How can I fix this? 

• When exporting FBX, the faces are visible from one direction but transparent or invisible from the other. The direction the face is visible from is called the face normal. Normals determine the direction a face is oriented, and when exporting to formats like FBX, sometimes the normal can flip, causing one side of the face to be transparent or not rendered properly.
• This can be easily fixed in cmBuilder by right clicking on your BIM model, selecting Edit BIM Model (1), and turning on Show material on both sides (2) as seen in the image below.