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Navisworks Manage 2013 ferred to as the insertion point. If this point is not established ahead of time, models will often not align correctly making 3D coordination impossible. A good practice is for the GC to provide an AutoCAD background for the trade contractors to reference, which seamlessly provides a common insertion point. Adequate training on this concept will help you troubleshoot and hopefully eliminate a common problem that is completely unnecessary.
Finally, learning to aggregate and process large amounts of clash data is essential to the timely completion of a coordination project. You can reduce the overall cycle time of model upload to coordination meeting by focusing your training time on the Clash Detection aggregation functions. Due to the large amount of “duplicate” clashes, and the way Navisworks sorts Clash results by severity and not location, it is essential to master their aggregation tools. Mastering the use of simple but powerful features such as Select Filter to roll several related clashes into a clash group can not only cut down on meeting duration, but can also make navigation to issues more effective.
Figure 2: Insertion point wasn’t understood by Fire Protection contractor.
In Navisworks, proficiency in navigating the model, aggregating clashes, and searching the model are essential to running an effective coordination project, and Navisworks provides extremely powerful tools to accomplish these tasks. Concentrating your training efforts on at least these three areas will maximize your return on investment by reducing the overall time spent in coordination. Concentrating training time in navigation will help you get through coordination meetings efficiently by getting to each issue faster. If you have ever participated in a coordination meeting, you have most likely witnessed bad model navigation and its negative effects on meeting duration and audience engagement. Considering that hundreds, if not thousands, of clashes and issues will be found during the course of a project and each one will have to be navigated to and examined, so even a savings of a few seconds can create a big impact on meeting productivity. Learning to interrogate and parse the model using the search set functionality in Navisworks is another incredibly powerful tool that can be used to provide meaningful clash results. Through search sets, you can run Clash Detection discrete portions of the model and drill down into just the issues that are relevant at the moment. For example, with search sets you could potentially drill into a plumbing model to perform clash detection only on gravity-fed items rather than the entire system. This functionality can help you examine the BIM at a more granular level, potentially allowing you examine more specific issues by filtering out a large volume of clashes that aren’t of equal impact at that point in coordination. 68
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Figure 3: Using select filter can aggregate multiple clashes into one concise issue.
Even though a full-scale BIM implementation including tie-ins to scheduling and estimating may not be feasible for most firms, a focused implementation centered around Navisworks 3D coordination can provide immediate returns for a modest investment in software, training, and staff.
Jesse Ocon is the Director of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) at Scenario Virtual Project Delivery with responsibility for the implementation of strategic innovations of construction technology. Prior to joining Scenario Virtual Project Delivery, Jesse developed the BIM/VDC program for Erickson Construction Co. In his current role, Jesse leads the implementation of Lean Process Management and focuses on developing strategic alliances with industry partners. In 2011, he certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and became a member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ). May 2012