What is the difference between NWD and NWF file formats that are optimized in Navisworks?

Posted on: September 25, 2014, By: Divya Dave

This particular blog holds a lot of importance for Navisworks users since I am going to discuss the difference between NWD and NWF file formats. Both these file formats are optimized by Navisworks users while working on a project to save various important files. A file is nothing but a document that is created in computers and a file format can be described as a standard way according to which information is encoded or stored in a file.

Let’s take a look at what NWD File Format is.

When the Navisworks users save a file in NWD file format all important things concerning the project are saved in a single file such as loaded models, scene’s environment, favorite view points and current view etc. In other words an NWD file which can often be called as ‘Navisworks Document File’ is considered as a very basic file format. It contains all the relevant or useful object properties concerning geometry along with clash tests, markup and viewpoints etc. This helps in creating a snapshot of a project and hence it is called a complete file. An NWD file can be viewed or run in any Navisworks product.

Now what is NWF File Format?

However, when Navisworks users save a file in NWF file format then no 3D geometry is stored in it. It however contains links that are connected to the geometry from the original file that is used as a source. So apart from links an NWF file also accommodates things like viewpoints, comments, markup, TimeLiner and data from Clash Detective.

One important point that should be noted down is that the size of NWF files is very small when compared to NWD file formats. NWF is often used as a standard file format by Navisworks users while they work on building projects. This file format is used because it helps in updating the original source file. Model elements whose color often keeps on changing depending upon the project progress can be fully captured in an NWF file.

So in this way both these file formats are important in their own ways as they help in the storage of important information related to the project.

Written By:
Divya Dave

Divya Dave is a Senior Manager with Tesla Outsourcing Services. An engineer and management graduate, she has been working with the outsourcing industry now for more than a decade. With a passion for writing, she writes on topics that provide an insight into CAD, BIM, and 3D Visualization services for the Architectural, Structural, and MEP disciplines. Her focus is to enable architects and engineering professionals in the AEC industry to adopt the right technology so as to increase their efficiency and profitability.