3D Viewer¶

Goal¶

Help you understand the valid scope, supported operations, and current limits of the 3D view.

Supported Platforms¶

iOS
macOS

Intended Audience¶

Users reviewing the overall 3D structure of boards
Users checking board shape, main surfaces, pads, vias, silkscreen, imported 3D models, and spatial relationships

Prerequisites¶

A board document is already open in the workspace
The current task really requires 3D rather than 2D-only inspection

Steps¶

Switch to 3D from the workspace and wait for the staged view build to finish.
Use the 3D camera actions and, if needed, adjust the 3D options in Workbench.
If you find a rendering or asset issue, copy View Summary before returning to 2D for deeper inspection.

Result¶

You can confirm whether the board’s 3D view loads, or whether a clear issue state is shown instead.

Current 3D Scope¶

3D Viewer is intended for board-level design data that contains enough information for a spatial view. If the currently open document does not provide enough 3D information, the app shows a clear issue message instead of an empty view.

After Show 3D models is enabled, renderable imported 3D models are preferred. Only when a model file is missing, its format is unsupported, its path cannot be resolved, or rendering fails will the app show a fallback/proxy body or issue so you can continue spatial review while seeing where the model problem is.

3D viewer with board and view cube

Local 3D preview from a selected placement

What Happens After Entering 3D¶

The app starts building the 3D view.
You see staged loading feedback such as Loading / Preparing / Drawing.
When the view is ready, the app automatically fits a suitable camera view to the board bounds.

Current Supported Operations¶

switch to Top / Bottom / Isometric
Fit
copy View Summary

These actions are available from the context menu and directly update the current 3D camera state.

Workbench Integration¶

When you are in 3D, the Visibility area in Workbench adds an extra 3D section for board-surface and auxiliary display settings, including Show 3D models. Renderable models are preferred; models that cannot be rendered are exposed through fallback/proxy bodies or issues so they can still be reviewed and recorded.

Recommendations¶

Use 3D for overall orientation, then return to 2D for precise review and export.
If you notice issue counts in 3D, copy View Summary first so you have an issue snapshot to share.
3D is good for shape, layer, and spatial understanding; it is not the final export view in the current version.

Common Questions¶

Why do some files not have a 3D view?¶

3D needs enough board-level information to build a spatial view. If a file only contains partial manufacturing data or lacks the necessary geometry, the app shows a clear message.

Why do some components show proxy bodies or issues?¶

The current 3D view prefers renderable imported 3D models. Only when a model file is missing, its format is unsupported, its path cannot be resolved, or rendering fails will the app show a fallback/proxy body or issue.

Can I export directly from 3D?¶

No. Export does not start from 3D in the current version. Return to 2D first.