Convert NWD to OBJ in your application
3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read NWD files and write OBJ, generating the OBJ 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 OBJ
- Mixed geometry → triangle mesh
- C++ / C# APIs
NWD to OBJ at a glance
Navisworks can mix exact solids and facets; OBJ stores triangles only, so the whole model is tessellated when it is written.
| Navisworks (source) | OBJ (target) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Navisworks document and cache files | Wavefront OBJ |
| Standard / owner | Autodesk | Open format |
| File extensions | .nwd, .nwc | .obj |
| Geometry | Mostly tessellated, B-Rep for cylinder and elliptical shapes | Polygon mesh |
| Assemblies / structure | Yes | No assembly 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 OBJ.
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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.
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Changes
Assembly structureOBJ has no native assembly hierarchy. Decide in your application how Navisworks product structure is grouped or flattened before writing.
Why software vendors add NWD to OBJ conversion
Lightweight review
OBJ 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 OBJ file gives them the shape in a format their tools can open.
Easier handling of large assemblies
Without exact surfaces and feature data, OBJ files are easier to transfer and display, even for large assemblies.
Things to check before you ship
- The OBJ 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 an OBJ (.obj) file?
OBJ is a simple, widely supported text format for polygon meshes, created by Wavefront. It describes vertices, faces and texture coordinates, with materials in a separate .mtl file.
Frequently asked questions
3D InterOp tessellates the geometry it reads from NWD when it writes OBJ. Your application sets the tolerances, so it controls the trade-off between accuracy and file size.
OBJ has no assembly hierarchy, so your application decides how the NWD structure is grouped or flattened before writing.
The OBJ 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).
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 OBJ?
3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read Navisworks and write OBJ alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.