The Complete Navisworks to 3MF Conversion Guide

August 05, 2025

General Information

This guide is part of the RapidPipeline 3D Formats Knowledge Database. It shows how to convert Navisworks to 3MF, if you'd like to know more about the formats, please check out the following links:

Converting and Optimizing Navisworks Files to 3MF

RapidPipeline can import Navisworks files, but currently doesn't support exporting to 3MF format yet.

If you specifically need 3MF export functionality for your workflow, please feel free to get in touch with us - we'd be happy to discuss your requirements and potential timeline for adding this export capability.

If you need, you can import 3MF files and convert them to any of these 8 formats: FBX, glTF, OBJ, PLY, STL, USD, USDZ, and VRM.

In the meantime, you can explore other options on the 3D Formats Knowledge Database, which might serve as suitable alternatives for your workflow depending on your target applications and use cases.

What are Navisworks and 3MF files commonly used for?

The Navisworks file is a format mostly used for 3D design review and project coordination software for BIM model visualization, clash detection, and construction planning.
The 3MF file is a format mostly used for 3D printing and additive manufacturing.

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Comparison of Features Supported by Navisworks and 3MF

FeatureSupported by NavisworksSupported by 3MF
Morph TargetsNoNo
Rigid AnimationsYesNo
Skinned AnimationsNoNo
AnimationsYesNo
Free-Form SurfacesYesNo
Geometry CompressionYesPartial0
Quad MeshesYesNo
Basic 3D GeometryYesYes
PBR MaterialsYesPartial1
Transparent MaterialsYesPartial2
Vertex ColorsYesYes
MaterialsYesYes
Scene CompositionYesYes
Hierarchical Scene GraphYesYes
Scene NodesYesYes
Standardized FormatPartial3Yes
Embedded TexturesYesYes
Multiple UV ChannelsYesPartial4
Normal MappingYesNo
Procedural TexturesPartial5No
Texture CompressionYesPartial6
Texture TransformsYesPartial7
TexturingYesYes

0 - ZIP-based compression of model data
1 - Basic PBR material properties
2 - Alpha channel support for transparency
3 - Uses proprietary Navisworks formats (.nwd, .nwc, .nwf) but serves as a universal viewer supporting extensive import capabilities from industry-standard CAD and BIM formats for project coordination.
4 - Multiple texture coordinate sets supported
5 - Limited procedural texture support, mainly through imported materials from CAD systems rather than native procedural generation capabilities.
6 - Compressed textures within ZIP package
7 - Basic texture coordinate transformation

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Limitations of Navisworks Files to 3MF Conversion Workflow

The following limitations should be taken into account when converting Navisworks files to 3MF format:

Navisworks Feature (not supported by 3MF)Limitation Details
Free-Form Surfaces

Free-Form Surfaces Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: No support

Free-Form Surfaces illustratedlack of support for Free-Form Surfaces illustrated

Impact:

Free-form surfaces allow a CAD user to design surfaces with advanced controls over curvature and continuitiy. While these surfaces are common for CAD models (in the form of so-called boundary representations or "B-reps"), they need to be converted to polygonal triangle or quad data to work with most 3D rendering engines - a process called tessellation. In this example, a surface patch is used to describe a part of a curved surface of a product. Without support for this feature, the free-form surface has to be tessellated into quads or triangles.

Geometry Compression

Geometry Compression Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: Partial support

Geometry Compression illustratedlack of support for Geometry Compression illustrated

3MF Notes:

ZIP-based compression of model data

Impact:

Geometry compression describes the process of compressing the representations of a 3D model's geometry, usually a triangle mesh. 3D geometry compression does not change the topology of a 3D model, but just changes the way that a 3D model and its 3D positions and related vertex data is stored. Geometry compression can be lossy (just like JPEG compression in image processing can be lossy, for example), in which case one might notice slight artifacts like variations in 3D vertex positions (compared to the uncompressed 3D model). However, such differences are often not noticeable. There are only very few standards for geometry compression, like glTF's support of Draco compression and similar extensions.

Quad Meshes

Quad Meshes Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: No support

Quad Meshes illustratedlack of support for Quad Meshes illustrated

Impact:

Quad meshes are a common way to hand-model and edit 3D models. 3D artists get intuitive control and such meshes are also easy to refine, as well as well-suited for creation of skinned animations. However, real-time rendering pipelines and hardware are usually all based on triangles, so if a 3D model should not be edited any more, it is safe to convert quads to triangles (and engines will do this automatically before sending data to the rendering hardware). In this example, a part of a mesh is modeled with quads. Without support for this feature, quads will have to be triangulated, producing a pure triangle mesh.

Texture Transforms

Texture Transforms Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: Partial support

Texture Transforms illustratedlack of support for Texture Transforms illustrated

3MF Notes:

Basic texture coordinate transformation

Impact:

Texture transforms describe transformation operations that are applied to 2D texture images or UV coordinates when using 2D texture data on a 3D surface. They can be used, for example, to make sure that material patterns are using real-world scale when rendered on the 3D surface. In this example, such a pattern is used and scaled with the help of a texture transform. Without support for this feature, the texture pattern shows up at the wrong scale.

Texture Compression

Texture Compression Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: Partial support

Texture Compression illustratedlack of support for Texture Compression illustrated

3MF Notes:

Compressed textures within ZIP package

Impact:

Texture compression refers to a process of compressing 2D texture images for memory-efficient rendering (and sometimes for efficient transmission). The decompression of compressed texture data is therefore performed on-the-fly during rendering, so that it never has to be stored in unpacked form, but can be kept as-is in GPU memory. Formats supporting texture compression methods, such as the ones offered by glTF through KTX2 containers, therefore allow 3D models to use a smaller memory footprint on the client device during rendering. This can speed up rendering time, and also make it possible to store and use larger amounts of texture data than it would otherwise be possible.

Multiple UV Channels

Multiple UV Channels Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: Partial support

Multiple UV Channels illustratedlack of support for Multiple UV Channels illustrated

3MF Notes:

Multiple texture coordinate sets supported

Impact:

Multiple UV channels allow the optimized and sophisticated use of various 3D modeling features at once. For example, one can use one set of UVs and 2D texture data to model a tiling texture or procedural material, and another UV set to leverage a global lightmap or occlusion map of the 3D model. In this example, a combination of tiled texture (UV channel 1) and baked ambient occlusion map (UV channel 2) is used. Without support for this feature, one needs to either give up the tiling property (e.g., by using a tool like RapidPipline to bake a single texture atlas), or give up the ambient occlusion map, as only one UV channel will be usable.

Procedural Textures

Procedural Textures Support:

Navisworks: Partial support | 3MF: No support

Procedural Textures illustratedlack of support for Procedural Textures illustrated

Navisworks Notes:

Limited procedural texture support, mainly through imported materials from CAD systems rather than native procedural generation capabilities.

Impact:

Procedural texture allow the modeling of surface details through mathematical functions, along with artistic control over various parameters. Typically, they are used for patterns like wood grain or other semi-regular structures. Since they are not using any pixels as source data, procedural textures have, in principle, infinite resolution and are very lightweight to describe. In this example, a procedural texture is used to model the look of a wooden material. Without support for this feature, in this case, the wooden parts won't show any visible details.

Normal Mapping

Normal Mapping Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: No support

Normal Mapping illustratedlack of support for Normal Mapping illustrated

Impact:

Normal maps are used to model shading differences that are arising from small geometric details on a surface, such as fabric structures, visible gaps between bricks forming a wall, or rough rock surfaces. In this example, a normal map is used to model a fabric structure. Without support for this feature, the rendered fabric will look smoother than it actually is in the real world, as the fabric structure won't be visible.

Transparent Materials

Transparent Materials Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: Partial support

Transparent Materials illustratedlack of support for Transparent Materials illustrated

3MF Notes:

Alpha channel support for transparency

Impact:

Transparency is commonly used for see-through objects, containing (usually partially) transparent surfaces. In this example, a transparent material is used to model the glass window of the microwave, so that one can see inside. Without support for this feature, the inside of the microwave cannot be seen, as the window will be rendered as an opaque surface.

PBR Materials

PBR Materials Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: Partial support

PBR Materials illustratedlack of support for PBR Materials illustrated

3MF Notes:

Basic PBR material properties

Impact:

PBR materials enable Physically-Based-Rendering (PBR) for a standardized, photorealistic look of rendered images. PBR uses concepts like metallic-roughness or specular-glossiness properties and a microfacet-based modeling of the surface, using a concept called BRDF (Bi-Directional Reflectance Distribution Function). In this example, PBR materials are used to achieve realistic looking plastic and metal materials. Without support for PBR materials, only basic colors and shading can be used (for example, based on more simple shading models, such as the Blinn/Phong model).

Animations

Animations Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: No support

Animations illustratedlack of support for Animations illustrated

Impact:

Animations are an important part of many interactive 3D assets, for example in real-time rendering (including games, XR training, assembly instructions, product demos, and other use cases). There are various kinds of animations that can be used on 3D models. In this example model, a rigid animation is used to make the gears spin. Without support for this feature, in this example, the gears won't move.

Rigid Animations

Rigid Animations Support:

Navisworks: Full support | 3MF: No support

Rigid Animations illustratedlack of support for Rigid Animations illustrated

Impact:

Rigid Animations are typically used to animate mechanical parts. In this example, the door of this 3D model of a microwave can be interactively opened or closed, using a rigid animation that gradually changes the 3D transformation of the door. Without support for this feature, in this example, the door will just stay in place and won't move.

What's the best way to get Navisworks files into my 3D applications, and are there alternatives to using 3MF?

Doing 3D conversion right, especially at scale, can be tricky, as 3D data is in general a rather complex (yet very powerful!) medium. This also applies to Navisworks and 3MF files - the conversion guide above provides a rough first idea about that. Once you know what you would like to do, tools like RapidPipeline can help you perform the necessary steps, and to even automate the process for thousands or even millions of files.

Especially when introducing pipelines and workflows at scale in an enterprise context, it is usually good to rely on dedicated tools and expertise, making sure you do not introduce any steps into your 3D workflow that are detrimental to the final output's quality, or that take your team too much time (and money).

If you're interested to hire dedicated expertise from the best in the field to help your company reach your goals fast and reliably, please do not hestitate to contact DGG. Being the creators of RapidPipeline, and ambassadors for open 3D standards for more than a decade, we have been building some of the world's most advanced 3D pipelines, having processed many millions of 3D assets.

Therefore, our expertise will help you to reach your goals faster, at scale, and with the least possible friction, since we are focused on maximum interoperability.

To get started with 3D data conversion and optimization today, sign up for a free account!

If you have any questions, feel free to chat with our human team.

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3D Knowledge Team

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