Options for 3D model viewing
This page collects workflows for 3D viewing of models. This includes options for export from Freecad and available viewers for the export formats.
The following features are specific to individual formats or to the exporter implementation in Freecad.
- Compactness: part instance based or flat geometry
- Geometry description or mesh based
- Access to the assembly structure and individual parts
- Color data (whether it obeys the instance coloring). In Freecad, the color of part instances can be overridden in the assembly.
Features of viewers:
-
Location of installation and data processing
- Local installation and processing (safest)
- Browser based web app with local processing (also safe if you trust the promise that nothing is uploaded)
- Browser based web app with data upload (unsafe)
-
View modes
- Adjustable or fixed top direction
- Parallel or central projection
- Cutting planes
- Display of surface edges (some viewers can't do that). Some viewers offer suppression of edge below a certain surface angle.
- Ambient occlusion
- Exploded view of assemblies
| Feature | CAD assistant | Open 3D viewer | Autodesk Viewer | eDrawings | 3Dviewer.net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | local | local | web | web | web |
| Data | local | local | web | web | web |
| Mandatory registration | no | no | yes | yes | no |
| glb | OK | OK | OK | OK | OK |
This is a web service with data upload meant for CAD file viewing and sharing. It requires a registration. Uploaded files are stored for a limited time. The viewer can display STEP and glTF (glb). In the latter case no ambient occlusion is available, but the instance colors are correct.
Screenshot from Autodesk Viewer with edge rendering and ambient occlusion (STEP file):
eDrawings is a local application provided by Dassault. It requires registration. It can display STEP and STL.
CAD Assistant is a locally installed application. It has no ambient occlusion
Screenshot from CAD Assistant in view mode "Shaded with Edges" (glb file):
Online 3D viewer can be used without any registration. It can open files from urls. It displays glb files. Instance colors aren't respected. Advisable settings:
- Free orbit (not restricted to fixed z direction)
- Show edges (set threshold to 60°)
This format can be displayed in browsers, some of them support it natively. Freecad exports need to be modified manually, because they include http links instead of https. This is a bug in Freecad 1.1, which will be fixed in the next release. The format does not obey the instance colors.
This is a standard CAD exchange format with mature exporter from Freecad.
Another established CAD file format. Colors aren't exported correctly by Freecad.
| Model | X3D | glb | STEP | IGES | STL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C12 | 10 | 4.3 | 14.3 | 52 | 45 |