How to Export 3D Models from Blender to Other Software

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Blender is a powerful tool for creating 3D models, and it is loved by many artists, game developers, and 3D modelers around the world. However, after creating a 3D model in Blender, you may want to export it for use in other software or platforms. This requires a good understanding of how Blender handles exports and which formats are best suited for different use cases.

Understanding 3D model formats

3D models can be stored in a variety of file formats, each of which has different capabilities and suitability for different applications. Some of the most common 3D model formats include:

• OBJ: A simple format that stores 3D geometry, including the positions of vertices, vertex normals, and UV coordinates.
• FBX: A more complex format widely used in the gaming industry that supports 3D models, animations, lighting, and other features.
• STL: This is mostly used for 3D printing and does not support color or UV mapping.
• Collada (DAE): An XML-based open standard format that works well for exchanging digital assets between different graphics software.
• GLTF/GLB: A new format designed for efficient transmission and loading of 3D models, commonly used in web applications.

Each format has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of format often depends on the requirements of the software you are exporting to.

Preparing your model for export

Before exporting the model, make sure it is properly prepared. This includes checking the geometry, normals, and UVs. Follow these steps to prepare:

1. Check the geometry: Make sure your model has clean geometry. This means no non-manifold edges or internal faces.
2. Check the normals: Make sure the normals are in the right direction. You can do this by going into edit mode and enabling the display of normals.
3. UV unwrapping: If you plan to use textures make sure your model has a proper UV map. Blender provides various UV unwrapping tools to assist with this task.
4. Apply Transforms: Apply any location, rotation and scale transformations by pressing Ctrl+A and selecting 'All Transforms'. This ensures that your model appears correctly in other software.

Exporting from Blender

The process of exporting from Blender involves choosing the right export format and adjusting specific export settings to suit your needs. Here's how to do it:

1. Select the object or objects you want to export. Only the selected objects will be exported.
2. Go to File > Export and choose your preferred format (e.g., OBJ, FBX, etc.).
3. You'll see specific export options for each format. Navigate through these settings to configure them based on your project needs. Here are some common options:
   • Selected Only: Export only the objects you select.
   • Scale: Set the scale of the export to match the units used in the software you are importing from.
   • Apply Modifiers: Select whether to apply a modifier to the mesh before exporting.
4. Select a location and file name for the exported file.
5. Click Export to create your export file.

Common export formats and their settings

OBJ format

The OBJ format is simple and widely used. It only supports geometry and texture coordinates, but not complex features such as vertex colors or animations. Its main settings are:

• Include Normals: Exports geometric normals, which are important for lighting calculations in rendering.
• Include UVs: Export the UV mapping data. This is necessary if your model uses textures.
• Write materials: Include simple material data and references to textures.

FBX format

The FBX format is complex, but very comprehensive, supporting a wide range of features including animations, materials, lights, and cameras.

• Mesh: Select the mesh geometry to include.
• Armature: If your model has an armature this contains the bone and rig data.
• Bake Animation: Export the animation applied to your model. Make sure you set the proper frame range.
• Custom Properties: Decide if you want to include custom Blender properties.

STL format

The STL format is simpler and primarily oriented to 3D printing. It does not contain texture or color data.

• ASCII/Binary: Choose between exporting in textual or binary format.
• Scale: This parameter will determine the size of your model for 3D printing purposes.
• Include Normals: A relatively recent addition to STL, improves printing reliability by including geometric normals.

Collada (DAE) format

The COLLADA format is primarily used when transferring assets between different software, particularly in game development.

• Include Material Textures: Enables the transfer of material data along with the texture.
• Apply Modifiers: Apply any non-destructive changes you've made to your mesh.
• Export animations: This includes animations.

GLTF/GLB format

It is a modern format optimized for lightweight transmission over the web.

• Export Selected Objects: This ensures that only the selected objects are exported for use.
• Include Textures: Embeds texture data within the file.
• Export as GLB: This is selected if a binary version of glTF (more compact) is required.

Troubleshooting common export issues

When exporting models, you may encounter some common problems. Here are some problems and possible solutions:

• Incorrect scaling: make sure the scale settings in Blender match the target software units.
• Missing textures: Check if the UVs are present and assigned correctly. Make sure to include the textures during export.
• Geometry issues: Double-check for non-manifold edges or duplicate vertices that could be causing problems.
• Animation not exporting: Make sure you've baked the animation and selected the correct frame range.

Conclusion

Exporting a 3D model from Blender involves a few important steps, starting with choosing the right format based on your use case. Understanding each format and properly configuring the export settings can save a lot of time and effort in getting your model to work efficiently in the new environment. Take care to prepare your model properly, as this is crucial to preventing problems later on. Constant practice with exporting will build competence and confidence in effectively using Blender's powerful features.

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