Convert NWD to 3DXML in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read NWD files and write 3DXML, generating the 3DXML mesh from the geometry it reads, with tessellation settings your application controls.
Spatial does not offer an online converter or a desktop conversion app. 3D InterOp is a component that software vendors embed in their own products.
- Reads Navisworks · Writes 3D XML
- Mixed geometry → triangle mesh
- C++ / C# APIs
NWD to 3DXML at a glance
Navisworks can mix exact solids and facets; 3D XML stores triangles only, so the whole model is tessellated when it is written.
| Navisworks (source) | 3D XML (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Navisworks document and cache files | 3D XML |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | Dassault Systèmes |
| File extensions | .nwd, .nwc | .3dxml |
| Geometry | Mostly tessellated, B-Rep for cylinder and elliptical shapes | Tessellated geometry |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes | Yes |
| PMI | Not imported by 3D InterOp | Graphical PMI |
| 3D InterOp support | Read only | Read and write |
What's preserved, what changes
Here is what your application can expect to carry across from Navisworks to 3D XML.
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Preserved
Product structureThe NWD product structure is written to 3DXML.
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Changes
Geometry is tessellatedThe exact Navisworks B-Rep is replaced by a triangle mesh, generated by 3D InterOp from the exact geometry it reads. Accuracy depends on the tessellation settings your application uses.
Why software vendors add NWD to 3DXML conversion
Lightweight review
3D XML carries tessellated geometry that opens much faster than the full CAD model, so design reviews and digital mockups stay responsive.
Sharing outside engineering
Marketing, training and sales teams rarely have CAD software. A 3D XML file gives them the shape in a format their tools can open.
Easier handling of large assemblies
Without exact surfaces and feature data, 3D XML files are easier to transfer and display, even for large assemblies.
Things to check before you ship
- Written 3DXML versions: 3D XML 4.3, as static tessellation.
- Only static tessellation is written, not XML tessellation.
- Supported NWD input: Navisworks 2011 to 2026 (.nwd and .nwc).
- Test tessellation settings on your heaviest parts: finer meshes mean larger files.
- Validate a sample of translated files in the target system your users actually work with.
Working with Spatial was a real milestone for us: Thanks to the powerful 3DInterOp library, we were able to successfully bring our complex CAD-based solutions to the cloud while remaining flexible to meet individual customer requirements. For us, Spatial is not just a technology partner, but a true enabler of our product strategy.
Dr. Arno Michelis, Founder, Simus Systems
Read the Case StudyAbout the formats
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Source format
What is a Navisworks (.nwd) file?
NWD is Autodesk Navisworks’ document format, a compact snapshot of a coordination model that combines files from many design tools. NWC files are the cache files Navisworks creates when it opens a native file.
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Target format
What is a 3D XML (.3dxml) file?
3D XML is Dassault Systèmes’ lightweight XML-based format for sharing 3D product data. 3D InterOp reads and writes its tessellated representation, with product structure and graphical PMI.
Frequently asked questions
3D InterOp tessellates the geometry it reads from NWD when it writes 3DXML. Your application sets the tolerances, so it controls the trade-off between accuracy and file size.
Yes. 3D InterOp reads the NWD product structure and writes it to 3DXML.
3D InterOp writes 3D XML 4.3 with static tessellation. XML tessellation isn’t written.
Mostly not. Navisworks models are read as visualization data; exact B-Rep is extracted only for cylinder and elliptical shapes.
3D InterOp reads Navisworks 2011 to 2026 (.nwd and .nwc).
3D InterOp writes 3D XML 4.3, as static tessellation.
No. 3D InterOp reads NWD but doesn’t write it. To send data back to Navisworks users, write a format Navisworks opens, such as IFC.
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Building software that needs to convert NWD to 3DXML?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read Navisworks and write 3D XML alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.