USD (Universal Scene Description) is widely used for film, digital twins, and Omniverse-style pipelines. Tensile3D writes ASCII USDA with Xform groups and Mesh prims.
Prim names are sanitized for OpenUSD (letters, digits, underscore). Optional custom string attributes hold Navisworks properties; semantic mode adds ifc:class.
Questions or a license? Email tensile3d@gmail.com. License terms.
Features
ASCII USDA
Readable #usda 1.0 that OpenUSD, Omniverse, and many DCC tools can open.
Nested Xforms
Embed the Navisworks tree, or keep a flat file plus model-tree.json.
Valid prim names
Dots and hyphens from CAD names are rewritten so stages open in strict USD parsers.
Free preview
Drop the .usda on tensile3d.com/3d-viewer. The USD viewer stays local — no upload.
Export settings
- Export metadata / properties
Off by default. When on, Navisworks properties go to model-tree.json (sidecar hierarchy) or into the file (embed hierarchy). Takes longer on large models.
- Hierarchy
Separate JSON (default) writes model-tree.json next to the export. Embed writes the selection tree inside glTF, IFC, or USD. 3D Tiles and the single web file always use the sidecar / packed JSON.
- Flip YZ-axis
On by default for glTF, 3D Tiles, and the web file so Y is up. Off by default for IFC and USD.
- Semantic types
When on, meshes get an ifc:class custom attribute from the Navisworks type hint. Geometry stays tessellated.
How to use
- Install the Tensile3D Exporter (or the format-specific bundle) for your Navisworks year and restart Navisworks.
- Open a model. On the Tensile3D ribbon, choose the export format if more than one is licensed.
- Open Settings. Options such as Export metadata/properties, hierarchy (sidecar JSON vs embed), Flip YZ, and units are stored per format.
- Click Export and choose a .usda path.
- Open https://tensile3d.com/3d-viewer and drop the .usda (plus optional model-tree.json). The USD viewer opens in the same tab.
