Navisworks to Unreal with Datasmith

What You Will Learn

This guide covers the complete Navisworks to Unreal Engine import pipeline from plugin installation to final model verification.

• How to download and install the Datasmith Exporter plugin for Autodesk Navisworks
• How to export a Navisworks model as a .udatasmith file
• What the Merge Last Nth Objects setting does
• When to preserve full model detail and when to merge objects for performance
• How to enable the Datasmith Importer plugin inside Unreal Engine
• How to import a .udatasmith file into a clean Unreal project folder
• Which import options to keep enabled or disabled
• How to verify geometry, materials, textures, and hierarchy after import
• How to avoid common performance problems with large CAD and BIM models

Why Use Datasmith for Navisworks to Unreal Engine?

Navisworks models are usually not built like game assets. They often contain thousands of objects, nested hierarchy, engineering metadata, repeated components, dense geometry, construction elements, equipment, pipes, bolts, panels, beams, and imported CAD or BIM data from many different sources.

If you try to export this kind of scene through a basic mesh format, you usually lose organization, material assignments, metadata, object structure, or scene scale. Datasmith solves much of that problem by acting as a bridge between design software and Unreal Engine.

The main benefit is simple: Datasmith understands professional design data better than generic mesh exporters.

Use Datasmith when you need to:

• Bring large Navisworks coordination models into Unreal Engine
• Preserve scene hierarchy where possible
• Keep materials and textures connected
• Create architecture visualization walkthroughs
• Build construction review scenes
• Prepare VR or real-time inspection experiences
• Convert BIM or CAD-heavy projects into interactive Unreal scenes

As of the latest official Datasmith plugin page, the Navisworks Exporter is listed for Unreal Engine 5.7 on Windows and compatible with Navisworks 2019 through 2026. Always check the official plugin page before installing because supported Unreal and Navisworks versions can change over time.

Step One: Download the Navisworks Datasmith Exporter

The first step happens outside Unreal Engine. You need the Datasmith Exporter plugin for Navisworks. This plugin adds the Datasmith export option directly inside Navisworks, allowing you to save your model as a .udatasmith file.

Go to the official Datasmith plugin page:

https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/datasmith/plugins

Find the Autodesk Navisworks Exporter. Download the installer that matches your Unreal Engine version and Navisworks version.

Important installation notes:

• Close Navisworks before installing the plugin.
• Use the plugin version that matches your Unreal Engine version.
• If you have an older Datasmith exporter installed, uninstall it first if the installer or documentation recommends it.
• Install the plugin on the same machine where Navisworks is installed.
• If Unreal Engine is not installed on that computer, you may need extra prerequisites depending on the plugin version.

After installation, reopen Navisworks. You should now see Datasmith export tools available in the Navisworks interface.

Step Two: Open Your Model in Navisworks

Open your Navisworks model as usual. This could be a construction coordination model, industrial plant model, architectural project, mechanical layout, or any complex design scene.

Before exporting, inspect the model and make sure it is clean enough for real-time use.

A good pre-export checklist:

• Remove unnecessary hidden objects if they are not needed in Unreal.
• Check that model scale is correct.
• Make sure important materials are assigned properly.
• Hide or remove extremely dense elements that are not visible in the final experience.
• Organize model sets if you plan to export only specific parts.

Do not blindly export everything if your model is huge. Navisworks models can be massive, and Unreal Engine will still need to render the final result in real time. If your goal is VR, this matters even more.

Step Three: Export with Datasmith

In Navisworks, look for the Datasmith export option in the ribbon bar. The exact location can vary slightly depending on plugin version, but the workflow is the same.

Choose the Datasmith export command and save the model as:

.udatasmith

The .udatasmith file stores the scene description, while related assets such as textures and supporting files may be exported into an accompanying folder. Keep the file and its related asset folder together. If you move only the .udatasmith file and leave the asset folder behind, Unreal may not find the materials or textures correctly.

Understanding Merge Last Nth Objects

One of the most important Navisworks Datasmith export settings is Merge Last Nth Objects.

This setting controls how much of the lower-level object hierarchy gets merged during export. It directly affects performance, object count, selection behavior, scene organization, and editability inside Unreal Engine.

In the video, the setting is kept at 0 to preserve full detail. That is useful for showing the complete export result, but it is not always the best production choice.

Brutally honest advice: if your model is large, exporting everything with merge set to zero can create a nightmare inside Unreal. You may end up with thousands or even hundreds of thousands of small objects, which hurts editor responsiveness, draw calls, Outliner usability, and real-time performance.

Use zero when detail and object-level control matter. Use higher merge values when performance and usability matter more.

Step Four: Enable Datasmith Importer in Unreal Engine

Now move to Unreal Engine.

Open your Unreal Engine project and enable the Datasmith Importer plugin:

Edit > Plugins > Search: Datasmith Importer

Enable the plugin and restart Unreal Engine if prompted.

This step is required because Unreal needs the Datasmith importer to read .udatasmith files. Without it, the import option may not appear.

Step Five: Import the .udatasmith File

After restarting Unreal Engine, import the Datasmith file.

Use:

Quick Add > Datasmith > File Import

Then select the exported .udatasmith file from Navisworks.

Create a dedicated folder for the import. For example:

Content/Datasmith/Navisworks_Project

Do not dump imported assets into the root Content folder. Datasmith imports can create many assets, meshes, materials, textures, and scene objects. If you do not organize them from the start, your project becomes messy fast.

Recommended Import Settings

During import, Unreal Engine will show import options. For most Navisworks visualization workflows, you usually want to keep geometry, materials, and textures enabled.

A clean beginner setup:

• Geometry: Enabled
• Materials: Enabled
• Textures: Enabled
• Lights: Disabled unless you specifically need Navisworks lights
• Cameras: Disabled unless you need source camera views
• Animations: Disabled unless your workflow includes animation data

For most CAD and BIM visualization imports, source lights and cameras are not needed because you will usually create better lighting and camera setups directly inside Unreal Engine.

Import the model and wait for Unreal Engine to finish processing. Large models may take time.

Step Six: Verify the Imported Model

After import, inspect the result inside Unreal Engine.

Check the following:

• Is the model scale correct?
• Is the model located where expected?
• Are materials assigned?
• Did textures import correctly?
• Is the hierarchy usable?
• Are there too many tiny objects?
• Does the scene respond well in the editor?
• Is performance acceptable when navigating the viewport?

If the model imports but Unreal becomes slow, the problem is probably object count, material count, texture size, or geometry density. Datasmith can bring the model in, but it does not magically make every engineering model game-ready.

Performance Tips for Large Navisworks Models

Large Navisworks models are usually built for design review, not real-time rendering. That means optimization is often required after import.

Use Merge Settings Carefully

If your scene has too many small parts, go back to Navisworks and try a higher Merge Last Nth Objects value. This can reduce object count and make the Unreal scene easier to manage.

Remove Invisible or Unnecessary Geometry

If the player or viewer will never see an internal bolt, hidden bracket, or tiny mechanical part, do not pay the render cost for it.

Reduce Material Count

Too many unique materials can hurt performance and make the project harder to maintain. Consolidate materials where possible.

Check Collision

Imported CAD geometry may not have useful game-ready collision. For walkthroughs, you may need simplified collision volumes instead of complex mesh collision.

Use Levels or Data Layers

For massive projects, organize sections into levels or Data Layers so you can load, hide, or isolate parts of the model.

Use Unreal Lighting Instead of Imported Lighting

Build your lighting inside Unreal Engine using Directional Light, Sky Light, Lumen, baked lighting, or project-specific lighting workflows. Imported lighting is often not ideal for real-time presentation.

Test Early in Target Hardware

If your final experience is for VR, test in VR early. A model that feels fine on desktop can be unusable in standalone or VR hardware.

Best Use Cases for This Workflow

Navisworks to Unreal Engine through Datasmith is useful for many real-world workflows.

• Architecture visualization
• Construction site walkthroughs
• BIM coordination review
• Industrial plant visualization
• Factory simulation environments
• Client presentations
• Training simulations
• VR safety walkthroughs
• Engineering design reviews
• Digital twin prototypes

This is where Unreal Engine becomes more than a game engine. It becomes a real-time visualization platform.

Common Problems and Fixes

Datasmith Export Button Does Not Appear in Navisworks

Make sure the correct Datasmith Exporter for Navisworks is installed. Close and reopen Navisworks after installation. Also check that your Navisworks version is supported by the exporter version you installed.

Unreal Engine Cannot Import the File

Enable the Datasmith Importer plugin in Unreal Engine and restart the editor. Also confirm that you are importing the .udatasmith file and that its related asset folder is still next to it.

Materials Look Wrong After Import

Datasmith usually preserves material assignments, but CAD and BIM materials often need manual cleanup in Unreal. Check texture paths, material instances, UVs, and roughness values.

The Scene Is Too Slow

Reduce object count, merge more objects during export, remove unnecessary geometry, simplify materials, and organize the scene into smaller sections.

The Model Is Too Detailed

That is common with engineering data. Use merge settings, simplify the source model, remove hidden elements, or create optimized versions for real-time use.

Imported Model Scale Is Wrong

Check units in the source model and verify import settings. Unreal Engine uses centimeters by default, so unit mismatch can create scale problems.

Merge Setting Recommendations

Use this as a practical starting guide:

There is no universal best value. The correct setting depends on model complexity, final platform, required object selection, and performance target.

Final Result

After following this workflow, you should have a Navisworks model imported into Unreal Engine as a Datasmith scene.

The imported result should include:

• Model geometry
• Material assignments
• Textures where available
• Scene hierarchy based on export settings
• Unreal assets organized inside your selected import folder

From here, you can improve the scene with Unreal Engine lighting, cameras, post process settings, collisions, interaction logic, VR controls, UI overlays, or walkthrough systems.

Conclusion

Datasmith is the cleanest workflow for bringing Navisworks models into Unreal Engine. It saves time, preserves more useful scene structure than generic mesh exports, and gives you control over how detailed or optimized the import should be.

The most important setting to understand is Merge Last Nth Objects. Set it to zero when you need maximum detail. Increase it when your scene becomes too heavy and you need better performance.

This workflow is ideal for architecture visualization, BIM review, construction planning, engineering presentations, and real-time walkthroughs.

Watch the full tutorial: Export Your Navisworks Model to Unreal Engine in Minutes

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Datasmith?

Datasmith is Unreal Engine’s workflow for importing complex scenes from CAD, BIM, architecture, product design, and visualization tools into Unreal Engine.

What file does Navisworks export for Unreal Engine?

With the Datasmith Exporter plugin installed, Navisworks can export a .udatasmith file that Unreal Engine can import through the Datasmith Importer plugin.

Should I set Merge Last Nth Objects to zero?

Use zero only when you need maximum detail and object separation. For large projects, higher merge values are usually better for performance and scene management.

Why is my imported model slow in Unreal Engine?

The most common reasons are too many objects, too much geometry, too many materials, large textures, or unoptimized CAD data. Try merging objects during export and removing unnecessary model parts.

Can I use this workflow for VR?

Yes, but you must optimize aggressively. VR needs stable performance, so large Navisworks models often require object merging, simplified materials, collision cleanup, and careful lighting choices.

Does Datasmith support other software?

Yes. Datasmith supports many design tools. The official plugin page lists exporters for tools such as Navisworks, 3ds Max, SketchUp Pro, Rhino, SOLIDWORKS, and more.

Do I need to keep the exported asset folder with the .udatasmith file?

Yes. Keep the .udatasmith file and its related exported asset folder together so Unreal can locate referenced assets correctly during import.