Getting started
Importing
Design process
Turn your CAD models into interactive experiences
Vectary supports STEP/STP , IGES/IGS formats, which are mainly used in the CAD workflow. Once such a file is imported, its structure is converted into one or multiple NURBS objects.
A NURBS is a special object that contains NURBS geometry. Since Vectary is a mesh software, the imported NURBS geometry is automatically converted into mesh geometry.
However, this transformation is procedural, which means that the quality can be changed at any time (similar to segment parameters for primitive objects).
NURBS object is that there is no need to create a new model, just to change settings.STEP/STP , IGES/IGS are files that allow you to export only the data you need, not the entire project.Importing can take some time (a few minutes in some circumstances).
When importing a file, the parameters of all objects are adjusted relative to the size of the largest object in the file.
Import example:
We recommend the size of the STEP/IGES file up to 50MB. Files exceeding this size may be processed for too long. If the file exceeds the mentioned size, it is best practice to export in standard OBJ format, import to Vectary, and use the Simplify plugin to decrease the polygon density.
Vectary only supports geometry that can be directly converted to polygons, meaning we do not support curves or points. We only support surfaces and polyfaces.
<aside> ☝ Vectary offers the ability to import CAD files, which can be a valuable feature. However, it is important to note that there are some limitations.
In most cases, we recommend importing files as mesh geometry (such as OBJ, FBX, GLTF, GLB, or STL). This is because STEP and IGES are old formats and there may be differences in the way each software interprets these formats, namely different object structure, geometry, and materials.
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Notice that NURBS objects have the following icons in the left panel:
Imported NURBS geometry can contain multiple parts. in that case, it is imported as multiple NURBS objects under the group (the name of the group is the name of the file).
In some cases, there is the button Break apart which will change the current object to multiple parts:
The settings allowing for changes in the density and quality of the mesh are located on the right panel.
Default settings
<aside> 💡 These parameters can be adjusted either for an individual object or for all selected objects.
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<aside> 💡 It is not necessary to modify all of the values at once; instead, try to change each one a little at a time..
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Default values may result in distorted geometry. However, you can define the level of detail for each part of the object yourself. It is important to note that increasing the level of detail leads to an increase in the number of polygons, which results in a larger file size and can potentially affect the performance of the project.
Geometry distortion example
After changing the quality settings
Linear deflection - defines the maximum distance between the original NURBS geometry and final mesh geometry (strong impact on the polygon count).
Angular deflection - defines the maximum angle between 2 polygons (minimal impact on the polygon count).
Min edge size - defines the minimum length of the edge (average impact on the polygon count).
<aside> ⚠️ The lower the number, the more precise the result is, but number of polygons also increases.
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After changing the parameters in the upper right corner of the scene you can see the status of the recalculation:
