Import a 3D model from Rhino

1: Prepare your Rhino model

Before exporting your project, make sure your model is organized and ready for real-time visualization.

A clean model structure will make it easier to work with the scene later in Shapespark. At this stage, it is worth checking object names, removing unnecessary geometry, and assigning materials to the elements that will need different appearances in the final presentation.

2: Export the model from Rhino

Shapespark supports several formats that can be exported directly from Rhino, including GLB, DAE (Collada), and OBJ.

To export your project:

1. Open your Rhino model.
2. Run the Export Selected command.
3. Select all objects by pressing Ctrl + A and then press Enter.
4. Choose one of the supported export formats:
   • GLB
   • DAE (Collada)
   • OBJ
5. Save the file.

For most projects, GLB is the recommended option because it keeps geometry, materials, and textures together in a single file.
 

3: Import the model into Shapespark

Once the export is complete, open Shapespark and create a new scene.

1. Click Import your scene.
2. Select the file exported from Rhino.
3. Wait for Shapespark to process the model.

Depending on the complexity of the project, the import process may take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.

Note: If small details or curved surfaces look incorrect after import, try lowering the vertexAccuracy value in Shapespark’s config.json file.

The values are specified in meters, so for example 0.0005corresponds to 0.5mm (Shapespark’s default value). Lower values increase mesh precision and may improve the appearance of detailed geometry but will increase scene loading time.

For example:

• 0.00005 (will work for most workflows)
• 0.00001
• 0.000001

After changing this setting, update the model, upload the scene again, or rebake the scene to regenerate the web format. Reloading the scene alone will not apply the change

4: Set up materials and lighting

With the geometry in place, the next step is to improve the visual quality of the presentation.

Depending on the project, you may want to:

• refine your materials in the Materials Tab or use Shapespark’s Material Library to replace some of them,
• configure the sky and sun settings,
• add additional lights if needed.

TIP ! Use Bake preview while setting up the lights - Enables live preview mode that shows how your scene is illuminated, updating in real time as you adjust lighting and material settings. Allows to fine-tune everything before starting a full bake.

Even simple material and lighting adjustments can significantly improve the final result.

5. Bake the scene

Once the materials and lighting are ready, bake the scene.

1. Open the Bake panel.
2. Configure bake settings if necessary, you can use bake quality presets:
   • Draft - 100 samples
   • Medium - 400 samples
   • High - 800 samples
   • Super
3. Start the baking process.
4. Review the result.

6: Publish and share

After baking is complete, the project is ready to be shared.

Simply upload the scene and generate a link that can be opened directly in a web browser. Clients and collaborators can explore the project without installing any additional software.