📐Rhino 3D

Rhino is one of the best CAD modeling applications used in many industries from jewelry to architecture. It is NURB-based and also features the parametric visual programming language Grasshopper.

Exporting 3DM

Foveate accepts the native Rhino format, .3dm, from any Rhino version, making visualizing Rhino files between teammates and versions a breeze. Simply drag and drop in your file and visualize it instantly, then share the scene link with your peers.

Make sure you go to 'Shaded' mode at least once per session to generate the Render Meshes in your .3dm file. These will be what gets rendered in Foveate.

Exporting GLTF in Rhino 8

Rhino 8 natively exports GLTF. Rhino 7 and below has support for the import and export of GLTF files using a plugin. There's no need to apply Compression in Rhino, as Foveate will automatically compress it for you.

Ideally, you should use the Mesh command to pre-mesh your model and then Join Mesh to make them all one mesh in the file. This will vastly improve performance in Foveate.

ShapeDiver is another plugin and company that specializes in saving GLTF files straight from Grasshopper.

Export GLTF from Rhino 7 and Below

Exporting GLTF from Rhino is easy. Since the GLTF file format uses PBR materials it is recommended to use Rhino's Physically Based material to ensure an accurate export of materials, otherwise, if you check the Use Vertex Colors option Rhino will export with your layer's colors.

1.) In order to export a .glb from Rhino we must first install the .glb export package. This can be found in Rhinos package manager Tools > Package Manager.

2.) Type in .glb in the search field, and select and install the “gltf-binexporter”. This will allow us to export as a .glb. You may need to restart Rhino for this to take effect.

3.) After setting up your model with Physically-based materials you are ready to export.

  • If the material is assigned to the layer ensure the objects within the layer are not nested and that any CAD blocks are “exploded”. This can be achieved by typing in “Explode” with your asset selected.

Plugin for Exporting .3dm to Blender

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