Import models into the Unity Editor

Use Asset Transformer Toolkit to import 3D files from most industrial and standard formats of any type – mesh, CAD, BIM, and point clouds – into the Unity Editor:

• Use Import Model to import CAD or mesh models (anything but point cloud)
• Use Import Point cloud to import Point Cloud models

See formats supported at import.

With the import process:

• Preserve the files hierarchy, materials assignment, and metadata.
• Generate high-quality meshes with the tessellation feature and optimal presets.
• Repair surfaces and meshes automatically.
• Create standard UVs and UVs for lightmaps automatically.
• Create levels of details (LODs).
• Create prefabs or nested prefabs.

Import workflow

The import process generates a Prefab out of the source model, through the creation of an Importer asset, which can be edited in the Inspector.

Note

• The prefab generation step is the final import step, and can be long to process depending on the size of your source model. If this workflow is not suitable with your workflow, the alternative is to use the Import as a scene method.
• See also the project settings about prefab generation.

It is not necessary to store the file you wish to import in the project. The Importer stores the link to this file without cloning the file in the project.

Asset Transformer Toolkit doesn't automatically refresh models from the linked 3D files. To refresh a model, reimport it. For projects that include models that have been imported with Asset Transformer Toolkit, the model remains unchanged if you share it with stakeholders.

Reimport workflow

When you reimport a 3D model, the prefab keeps its instanciations and overrides, but modifications applied to it (e.g. using the Toolbox) are lost.

To keep modifications, the best practice is to create rules with the Rule Engine (including rules not necessarily doing Asset Transformer Toolkit actions - see Custom Actions) that will apply the same operations at each reimport.

For example, if you know your model requires to be snapped to the ground and its normals orientation to be fixed, create a Rule Set that will perform these actions and define it in the Rule Engine tab of the model's CAD Importer Scriptable Object (or Point Cloud Importer Scriptable Object) script.

Presets

Use Unity Presets to save and re-use import settings accross multiple importers.