3D CAD files into Unity

Hi,

I would like to know if it's possible to convert a CAD model file such as stp, iges, xt into a Unity readable file such as FBX and OBJ. After conversion some CAD functionality has to be maintained like when hovering your mouse over a part in an assembly only that part will be highlighted and thus creating hotspots. Is it possible to write something in Unity which would allow such a process to happen automatically even if we change the assembly or design?

We are working on a project and we are just searching for options.

 

yes, its possible to convert CAD files into a format read-able by unity, and its also possible to export them in a way that the part structure transfers over to unity intact
the highlighting part also seems doable from what you describe. don't expect out of the box solutions for this from unity, most likely you will have to write the code for this yourself

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm not a programmer, I just had this idea that probably unity can be used for our project. I will be passing on this information to a software developer we are working with. I have a few other questions if you don't mind me asking.

By taking a stp file for example, if you check the source code for any file of this type it will look like a list of geometric functions creating lines and planes from one reference location to another. I have no idea how it actually works but using these codes each part will be generated independently. I don't know how a FBX, OBJ or any unity readable file looks like and therefore I don't know how these two files will relate to achieve highlighting and allow the program to know how to differentiate between different parts in the assembly.

I'm not sure if this question will make sense to you but here goes. Will the coding be after the conversion to a unity readable file, during the conversion or before the conversion?

 

To get CAD data into Unity you might look at PIXYZ-Plugin:
https://www.pixyz-software.com/

 

usually your CAD files should have something like a hierarchy, and separate entries can be exported as separate files to unity, depending on the exporter and settings

FBX and OBJ files are polygonal files, meaning that models are build and rendered with triangles, since CAD files are nurbs based, they will be transformed into 3d meshes readable by unity.

to your last question :
that depends.
you can use 3rd party converters to import your models into unity and manually assign scripts and load enviroments etc
you could also write your own converter which adds all this stuff automaticly and outputs a unity package.
it all really depends on how much time you want to invest into building something like that and how skilled your programmers are.
i am a 3d artist, so my knowledge in this field is limited since i only do some c# scripting. i know that these two options are doable, but there may be more solutions to this. it would be best to ask a seasoned programmer who has some in depth knowledge in this field.

 

I have and will be working bringing cad designs to vr with unity, i recommend using catia. If u seek to do simulations u probably have to take .step file now days, take one by one needed part from assembly to other view and save it as that 3d printed file, then open with blemder or similiar and scale it down since millimeters are huge, use auto unwrap or if u need textures unwrap with time, my projects are just metal materials but this is what they ask

 

You can export your file as IFC and use Tridify to convert it to COLLADA. All the original BIM data will remain attached. Blog: https://blogs.unity3d.com/2019/04/1...models-for-better-bim-visualization-in-unity/
You can download Tridify BIM Tools for Unity here: https://www.tridify.com/support/

 

Ty, will check out this! More better cad importing gets more realistic we all get

 

We have a new assets which allows to import files from CAD Systems. It works with every CAD System which is able to export 3MF files. Please check in the Unity Store the solution CADLINK.

We are also having a Youtube tutorial available:

 

hello everyone!
i have problem with hirarchy with #rhino files.. some what unity didn't recognize the hirarachey that "material" related.
e.g: i'm desginig a ring mesh made by 2 different meshes: stone and metal - while i'm import it to unity this data lost..

any idea?