Convert NWD to DAE in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read NWD files and write DAE, generating the DAE 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 COLLADA
- Mixed geometry → triangle mesh
- C++ / C# APIs
NWD to DAE at a glance
Navisworks can mix exact solids and facets; COLLADA stores triangles only, so the whole model is tessellated when it is written.
| Navisworks (source) | COLLADA (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Navisworks document and cache files | COLLADA Digital Asset Exchange |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | Khronos Group, ISO/PAS 17506 |
| File extensions | .nwd, .nwc | .dae, .zae |
| Geometry | Mostly tessellated, B-Rep for cylinder and elliptical shapes | Triangle mesh |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes | Yes: scene hierarchy |
| 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 COLLADA.
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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 DAE conversion
Lightweight review
COLLADA 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 COLLADA file gives them the shape in a format their tools can open.
Easier handling of large assemblies
Without exact surfaces and feature data, COLLADA files are easier to transfer and display, even for large assemblies.
Things to check before you ship
- Written DAE versions: COLLADA 1.4.1 (.dae).
- The DAE writer is available through the UConnect interface only.
- 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 DAE (COLLADA) file?
COLLADA (.dae) is an XML-based open format from the Khronos Group for exchanging 3D scenes: meshes, materials, cameras and lights. It is common in visualization and AR/VR pipelines.
Frequently asked questions
3D InterOp tessellates the geometry it reads from NWD when it writes DAE. Your application sets the tolerances, so it controls the trade-off between accuracy and file size.
The DAE writer is available through the 3D InterOp UConnect interface.
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 COLLADA 1.4.1 (.dae).
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 DAE?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read Navisworks and write COLLADA alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.