Preparing 3D Files for Import
BLNG imports 3D models and converts them in the cloud for viewing on every device. Most import problems trace back to the export, not the upload; this guide covers the settings that matter in the tools jewelers actually use.
Formats at a glance
| Format | Import? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GLB (.glb) | Yes, recommended | Used as-is, no conversion step that can lose fidelity |
| glTF (.gltf) | Yes | Package it as a ZIP with its textures (see below) |
| ZIP (.zip) | Yes | A glTF or OBJ bundle: one model file at the root, with its textures beside it |
| USD (.usd, .usda, .usdc, .usdz) | Yes | Keep textures alongside the file |
| OBJ (.obj) | Yes | Include the .mtl and texture files or materials will be incomplete |
| STL (.stl) | Yes | Geometry only, no materials, colors, or textures |
| PLY (.ply) | Yes | Geometry and per-vertex colors, no textures |
| Alembic (.abc), COLLADA (.dae) | Yes | Accepted by the importer, but GLB is the reliable route |
| Rhino (.3dm) | No | Export to GLB instead (see Rhino, below) |
| FBX, STEP/IGES | No | Re-export to GLB from your 3D tool |
Why GLB is the recommended format
A GLB is a single, self-contained file: geometry, materials, and textures all embedded. BLNG can use it directly; the other formats are converted, and every conversion is a chance for materials or textures to be lost in translation. GLB also carries modern PBR materials (metallic, roughness, transparency) that survive best across BLNG's viewers. When in doubt, export GLB with textures embedded.
Exporting from Rhino
Rhino's native .3dm can't be imported, and that is deliberate: a .3dm can hold NURBS surfaces, SubD bodies, or meshes, and the conversion differences produce confusing results. Export instead.
- Convert to meshes first. Select your surfaces/polysurfaces and run the Mesh command (or ExtractRenderMesh). NURBS and SubD geometry must become meshes before export.
- Export selected as GLB (File → Export Selected → glTF/GLB). Embed textures if prompted.
- Check the mesh density before export: dense enough that curves look smooth, but avoid multi-million-polygon meshes, which convert slowly or time out.
Exporting from Blender
- File → Export → glTF 2.0 (.glb): Blender's default glTF settings work well.
- Keep +Y up enabled (the default) and apply transforms before export so the model arrives oriented correctly.
- Pack/embed images so textures travel inside the .glb.
Rules that prevent failed conversions
- One model per file. A ZIP must contain exactly one .gltf (or .obj) at its root: not nested in folders, with its textures findable next to it.
- Embed textures in GLB. Texture references that point to external URLs are ignored.
- Avoid UDIM texture layouts: they aren't resolved during conversion.
- Model at real-world scale, in centimeters. BLNG's conversion treats 1 unit as 1 cm and never rescales your geometry, so export at real size: proportions and every export downstream depend on it.
- Keep it lean. There's no fixed polygon cap, but very heavy files can exceed the conversion time window. If a conversion fails repeatedly, reduce mesh density in your 3D tool and re-export. BLNG doesn't decimate for you.
What happens after upload
Drop the file on the canvas, or use Import (Cmd/Ctrl + I). A toast tracks the job: Uploading 3D Model, then Converting 3D Model, then 3D Model Ready. If the conversion fails, the toast offers Retry. Once it's ready, the model is a live, orbitable object on your canvas. See 3D on the Canvas.
No supported export available?
Fall back to rendering from screenshots of your model instead. You lose the live 3D object, but the render workflow is the same. See CAD Visualization.