The builder shows glTF binary (.glb) models, the open standard every 3D tool exports. No models yet? Use the placeholder shapes — customers can build with them. This tutorial covers exporting models that fit, keeping them light, and fine-tuning each one.

#Steps in short

1. Export glTF binary, in metres, floor at zero.
2. Make sure the piece’s sides line up with the axes.
3. Aim for under 50,000 triangles and a few MB.
4. Upload it, link it, or pick it from your media library.
5. Use Turn model, scale and offsets, then check the preview.

#1. Export a GLB

In Blender, use File → Export → glTF 2.0, format glTF Binary, apply modifiers, +Y up. SketchUp, Fusion 360, SolidWorks and Rhino all export .glb directly or through a free extension.

• Units: metres. If a model comes out in millimetres, leave Scale the model to the piece’s width on and the builder resizes it.
• Origin: floor at y = 0, centred on its footprint.
• Facing: the front of the piece — where someone sits or stands — faces +z.

#2. Square it to the grid

The piece’s sides must line up with the x and z axes. Models taken from a product-photography scene often keep the angle they were posed at for the camera — 30° is common. Turn model only turns in quarter turns, so square the model up in your 3D tool before exporting.

#3. Keep it light

Customers download every model in the range when the builder opens, so keep each one under about 50,000 triangles and a few MB. The limit is 25 MB per file.

• Textures are usually most of the size. A model carrying a whole fabric library downloads every swatch, though only the default shows — export just one finish.
• Compression: Draco and meshopt are supported and make geometry several times smaller. KTX2 textures aren’t supported yet.

#4. Choose where the model comes from

• Upload a GLB — stored with the plugin, checked, and shown with its size and triangle count. Upload once and reuse it on several pieces.
• Model URL — an https link to a GLB you host. The host must allow cross-site loading, which most CDNs do.
• From your Orbit media library — GLB files you’ve already uploaded to Orbit.

#5. Fine-tune the fit

A model is scaled to the piece’s width, keeping its shape. If its footprint is a different shape from the piece’s, the editor warns you — check the sizes, or use Turn model if it’s facing sideways. Extra scale and offsets fine-tune the rest; check the live preview after each change.