iConstruct's Smart IFC Exporter is a Navisworks add-in from Hexagon that exports model geometry, item properties and material colours to IFC, including IFC4. It needs a licensed Navisworks seat plus an iConstruct Pro licence, both on the same Windows machine. If you were handed an NWD and have neither, convert it with Veksle in the browser instead.
iConstruct is a good tool for the office that already lives in Navisworks. It is no tool at all for everyone else, which is most of the people searching this.
What the Smart IFC Exporter does
- Exports the Navisworks model's geometry, item properties and material colours to IFC, with IFC4 supported alongside IFC2x3.
- Maps Navisworks objects and property sets onto IFC classes through saved templates, so a federated model can be exported the same way every time.
- Is one feature inside iConstruct Pro, a suite of Navisworks tools for federation, data linking, clash management and reporting, sold by Hexagon.
What it needs
- A licensed Navisworks Manage or Simulate seat. Freedom, the free viewer, loads no add-ins.
- An iConstruct Pro licence. Pricing is quote-based and not published; ask Hexagon. Trials are handled through their sales channel.
- A Windows desktop with both installed, and a person to drive the export.
When it is the right tool
You own Navisworks, you federate models in it every week, and you need repeatable IFC exports with your own property mapping. In that office, an add-in that lives in the same window as the model is the natural fit, and the rest of the suite earns its keep.
When it is not
- You do not own Navisworks. Most people searching "NWD to IFC" were sent an NWD by a contractor and cannot open it. No add-in helps here at any price.
- You need one file converted today. Procuring a suite licence for a single export is the wrong shape of solution.
- You want conversions to run unattended — nightly, on a server, for every model in a project. An add-in inside a desktop application cannot do that.
The alternatives
| Route | Needs Navisworks? | Cost | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| iConstruct Pro, Smart IFC Exporter | Yes, plus the iConstruct licence | Quote-based | Desktop, inside Navisworks |
| Codemill IFC Exporter | Yes, plus the plugin licence | About €500 per seat perpetual or €750 floating, per Codemill's page | Desktop, inside Navisworks |
| Veksle | No | Free while we are in launch | Browser, or your own server |
Veksle reads the .nwd or .nwc directly. The output is IFC4 Design Transfer with real classes: elements that carry an IFC class or a Revit category come out as that class — IfcBeam, IfcColumn, IfcSlab, IfcPlate, IfcMember, IfcCovering, and the MEP flow classes for ducts, pipes, fittings, terminals and equipment. Every element keeps its Navisworks property sets as IFC property sets, sits on its building storey, and MEP elements keep their Revit systems. Anything the source never classified becomes an IfcBuildingElementProxy rather than being dropped. Units are preserved and the model is previewed in the browser before download. The full comparison of all three routes is on Navisworks IFC exporter.
No Navisworks? Convert the file directly
Upload the .nwd or .nwc, get IFC4 back in the browser — free while we are in launch, nothing to install.
OPEN THE CONVERTER ▸Related
Navisworks IFC exporter — plugins vs no plugin · Does Navisworks export IFC? · Convert NWD to IFC.
FAQ
Does iConstruct export IFC4?
Yes. The Smart IFC Exporter supports IFC4 as well as IFC2x3, and maps geometry, properties and colours into the chosen schema.
Can I use iConstruct without Navisworks?
No. It is an add-in and runs only inside a licensed Navisworks Manage or Simulate installation. Without Navisworks, convert the file with a standalone tool such as Veksle.
How much does iConstruct cost?
Hexagon does not publish a price; it is quoted per organisation, on top of the Navisworks seat. Codemill lists its single-purpose IFC exporter at roughly €500 per seat. Veksle is free while we are in launch.
Is there an iConstruct free trial?
Hexagon arranges trials through its sales team; check iconstruct.com. If you only need to see whether an NWD converts, Veksle needs no trial — upload the file and look at the result.