Import a CAD model and create an Exploded View animation in Blender 3.0

Hey everyone. In this video we're going to take an old CAD file I had and create an exploded view animation in Blender 3.0. We will learn a lot about separating parts, removing unnecessary parts, object origins, working with keyframes, and even some shape keys.
I will be importing an OBJ but you can also use a STEP if you have the STEPper addon. These techniques all work once a model is imported. You can use STL. DAE, OBJ, STEP, FBX, etc.
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Check out Gravgrip here:
gravgrip.com/
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/ derekjelliott
00:00 - Introduction
01:03 - What is that thing?
01:35 - Importing CAD File
03:19 - Splitting up the Model
07:01 - Inspecting the Model + Adjusting Origins
12:17 - Inserting Keyframes for "Assembled"
14:01 - Inserting Keyframes for "Exploded"
16:21 - Basically Done
17:15 - Adding some Rotation
19:28 - Making the Clip Bend [Shape Keys]
21:23 - Time Adjustments [Graph Editor]
23:50 - Dynamic Effects + Closing Thoughts
24:57 - BONUS [My Gravgrip Animations w/ Sound]
Please let me know in the comments if you have questions about this video, suggestions for future tutorials, or topics you'd like to see me cover!
Thanks for checking out this video! Please 'Like' it if you like it, and Subscribe to be the first to see my new videos.

Пікірлер: 190

  • @paularnold2124
    @paularnold21242 жыл бұрын

    I was actually thinking about how to do something like this in blender then comes Derek to bless my day...your a real life saver

  • @unp2louad
    @unp2louad2 жыл бұрын

    8-9 months ago I watched your videos, repeated the lessons, and now I can do whatever I want without any tutorials. Thank you for your efforts, prosperity and success!

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Love to hear it

  • @JaredOwen
    @JaredOwen2 жыл бұрын

    This was great Derek - thanks for sharing your workflow!

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jared, love your videos!

  • @sadafrani1921

    @sadafrani1921

    27 күн бұрын

    ​@@DerekElliottfrom where to download obj model of gravgrip?

  • @muwacodjooy
    @muwacodjooy2 жыл бұрын

    This is an amazing lesson! I really hope that you will have the desire to tell more about this topic. I work as a designer in a factory, and mastering blender from your lessons is great progress for me. Thank you!

  • @emilylynn4578
    @emilylynn4578 Жыл бұрын

    At the time of writing this, I'm only halfway through the video. But I wanted to thank you, so much, for created such a detailed video going over your process in Blender. Absolutely phenomenal.

  • @salarycat
    @salarycat2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome tutorial, I learned a lot of important information here, how to handle origins, how to manipulate animation and more. Thanks Elliott!

  • @original_M_A_K
    @original_M_A_K2 жыл бұрын

    THIS is exactly what i needed to know... as im a (new) kitchen designer working with CAD models like faucets, sinks, ovens fridges etc... & my CAD .dae kitchen designs you, are, a, legend! thank you so much

  • @theDesignClass
    @theDesignClass2 жыл бұрын

    This trick with OBJ files is fantastic! I've been using Stepper for the past 18months and it is fantastic, but having this OBJ technique will help so much! Thank you Derek!

  • @fadhil4008
    @fadhil40082 жыл бұрын

    That animation in the end video was soo cool, much appreciated for giving this tutorial for free!

  • @rosengrozev3326
    @rosengrozev33262 жыл бұрын

    Derek does it again ... Thanks for the massive value!

  • @OldSoulsJazz
    @OldSoulsJazz2 жыл бұрын

    Great tut, thanks Derek! Love the random colors in the viewport tip, haven't used that, super useful. Love hearing you explain how some of this stuff is actually engineered and fabricated too, what a fascinating world, very inspiring!

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes this type of thing can always be done better with more understanding. A lot of time projects like this start with many many questions to the designers/manufacturers

  • @jamesriley5057
    @jamesriley50579 ай бұрын

    I use this workflow a TON. I like that you use the autokey and different colors for each object, and the randomize transform flare

  • @harirachit1585
    @harirachit15852 жыл бұрын

    Really a great teacher , truly appreciate your contribution

  • @akarmdit2267
    @akarmdit22672 жыл бұрын

    just keeps gettin' awesome indeed ... kudos B and all

  • @ArthurBittar
    @ArthurBittar11 ай бұрын

    wow this is perfect, straight to the point

  • @killme9909
    @killme99092 жыл бұрын

    So excited for the new tutorial :)

  • @yusufkor5900
    @yusufkor5900 Жыл бұрын

    That's AWESOME! I love that!

  • @_m3atball
    @_m3atball2 жыл бұрын

    Great Tutorial! Been wanting to mess around with exploded views from grabcad for a while so this is perfect. Thanks man!

  • @efn2024
    @efn2024Ай бұрын

    Man your channel is one of the best most informative channels amongst other blender ones, I appreciate it.

  • @r3dshed
    @r3dshed2 жыл бұрын

    Coming from Fusion and only started learning Blender...this is going to take static CAD models to a whole new level!

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Let me know how it goes!

  • @Miguellahablios
    @Miguellahablios11 ай бұрын

    Derek, this is so amazing and helped me a lot!!! So clean and perfect introducing!!! I really appreciate your sharing, bless you!! 💯💯💯💯

  • @jirongzhang3237
    @jirongzhang32372 жыл бұрын

    this is what I am looking for days. Thank you.

  • @stanleychukwu7424
    @stanleychukwu74242 жыл бұрын

    Nice to see you here again Elliot, been a minute, I believe everything is going well for you and your family!!!! Super great contents on your channel! Merry xmas and a happy new year soon Elliot!

  • @farhadsamadov3598
    @farhadsamadov35982 жыл бұрын

    Thats maaa boyy! Love you Derek!

  • @ygsg
    @ygsg2 жыл бұрын

    Nice tut as always!🔥🔥🔥 Will be eagerly waiting for the one you do on the graph editor!

  • @karmapanicker7740
    @karmapanicker77402 жыл бұрын

    this is freaking amazing!

  • @peggylu9705
    @peggylu97057 ай бұрын

    THIS tutorial SAVE me😳 Thank you Derek🥺🙏🏻

  • @IbnAbdssalam
    @IbnAbdssalam2 жыл бұрын

    great tutorial, thanx derek ✨

  • @yesman.
    @yesman.2 жыл бұрын

    BRO THANK YOU. I was looking something like this and you saved me

  • @mjmuftah271
    @mjmuftah2712 жыл бұрын

    Like always great value 👌 🧡❤

  • @RomboutVersluijs
    @RomboutVersluijs2 жыл бұрын

    I always love these really practical and very useful vids you make. I still need to finish that camera video. Hahah thanks for reminding me ;

  • @PrintThatThing
    @PrintThatThing2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! So cool. Thanks for sharing this. :)

  • @buell41
    @buell412 жыл бұрын

    dude. Separate by loose parts. How did I not know that was there? I just saved this final animation the other day as inspiration. Had no idea you made it. Loads of handy stuff here. Thanks.

  • @johnleighdesigns
    @johnleighdesigns2 жыл бұрын

    Amazing - I had attempted exploded view in the past but wasnt satisfied with the result - this is fabulous thanks so much for figuring it out and sharing with the community!

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Aye aye John!

  • @johnleighdesigns

    @johnleighdesigns

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DerekElliott Oh Derek - Im so annoyed with myselff - due to necessity I have had to handle non 3D projects around product photography, design and video/motion - i feel so far behind on my Blender passions Ive just got to get more strict on myselfget back up to speed

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@johnleighdesigns tis a slow but fruitful process

  • @SHAP00PIE
    @SHAP00PIE Жыл бұрын

    Exactly what i needed. Thank you so much! You gained a new sub

  • @yaoyaosam
    @yaoyaosam2 жыл бұрын

    This is an amazing lesson, learn a lot.

  • @adityagawade7593
    @adityagawade75932 жыл бұрын

    Loved it !!!

  • @zeeshanmahmood9168
    @zeeshanmahmood91682 жыл бұрын

    I don't normally comment on videos but i gotta say that U dont even know how much we learn from your videos. Much love and respect for you from Pakistan 🇵🇰🤎

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    thanks for letting me know

  • @reignandbongao9497
    @reignandbongao9497 Жыл бұрын

    I'm learning blender for a kickstarter project lmao. So much great info to apply tp my project. many thanks!

  • @donegan50
    @donegan50 Жыл бұрын

    Dope!

  • @patomariano
    @patomariano2 жыл бұрын

    Great video, thank you for sharing

  • @leekolb2027
    @leekolb20272 жыл бұрын

    Very helpful, thanks!

  • @FurkanGns
    @FurkanGns2 жыл бұрын

    Amazing bro thanks!

  • @xDaShaanx
    @xDaShaanx2 жыл бұрын

    Wow a new tutorial from derek :o

  • @Martin-4D
    @Martin-4D2 жыл бұрын

    Nice!👍

  • @JesTheii
    @JesTheii2 жыл бұрын

    omg this explodes mind

  • @krzysiekmaslejak4406
    @krzysiekmaslejak4406 Жыл бұрын

    amazing tut!!!!

  • @huluinfo1
    @huluinfo1 Жыл бұрын

    you are trully god of blender

  • @3DIYOriginal
    @3DIYOriginal2 жыл бұрын

    Awesome !!! 😎👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

  • @jtwo6307
    @jtwo63072 жыл бұрын

    this is mega cool tutorial!

  • @alexandrnaryshev3552
    @alexandrnaryshev35522 жыл бұрын

    on 03:18 it looks already perfect for me ;) Nice work!

  • @MRLEGOMAN1
    @MRLEGOMAN12 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this its brilliant

  • @brawyougood2454
    @brawyougood24542 жыл бұрын

    I love your tutorial

  • @company4863
    @company48632 жыл бұрын

    After watch this tutorial 😑 my whole blender life was a lie 😑 I was keyframing all part separately, but now Know the best way watching this tutorial. Thanks bro

  • @ilbailba
    @ilbailba2 жыл бұрын

    Çok güzel bir video! eminin (ben de dahil) birçok insanın işine yarayacaktır :)

  • @onemanshow6566
    @onemanshow65662 жыл бұрын

    Thnx man from libya 🇱🇾

  • @Einhorn-ut1mm
    @Einhorn-ut1mm2 жыл бұрын

    Great help. Thx

  • @andressolar517
    @andressolar5172 жыл бұрын

    excellent tutorial (!)

  • @MrCshx
    @MrCshx2 жыл бұрын

    You are my saver. Thanks a lot

  • @_blender_man_
    @_blender_man_2 жыл бұрын

    👍🏻 nice !

  • @Oridavis
    @Oridavis2 жыл бұрын

    Whole 2 mins into the video and I had to subscribe,

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Just had to huh

  • @vasyl_zinych
    @vasyl_zinych Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @pinkandreas
    @pinkandreas Жыл бұрын

    Great Show. Thanks. Ist would be Great to see the detail work on the beziers for that cool camera movements incl slow mo parts. Love it

  • @elafalsalman-5626
    @elafalsalman-56262 жыл бұрын

    that is so helpful thank u

  • @MichaelBattlefield
    @MichaelBattlefield8 ай бұрын

    THANK YOU

  • @Tamer_Gomaa
    @Tamer_Gomaa Жыл бұрын

    Great detailed explanation, thanks for sharing About your question in 0:18, I think, as you said, that industrial designers showing their hard work, or innovativeness.

  • @essentialelephant8850
    @essentialelephant88502 жыл бұрын

    Alright one thing I did see missing here is that when you upload big CAD files sometimes they can come with thousands of material slots and many people are having problem with the "remove unused slots" function ... for me it literally does nothing. SO a good work around is to add a basic cube ... select all the parts that have these slots and then join them to the cube... they will then conform to the active object and clear all these slots out for you. Hope it helps and hopefully Blender fixes that soon. ( PS I found this out after removing 600 slots manually AHAH!! )

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yeah this does tend to be a PITA. Good tip!

  • @mukullingwal6570
    @mukullingwal65702 жыл бұрын

    soo coooolll :D

  • @ThadeousM
    @ThadeousM2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Derek always love working through you tutorials! Could you consider adding a summary to the end of your next one.. maybe once you'r done recording you could compile the critical workflow steps as snippets.. I imagine this would work well as content for insta also.... Appreciate you👊

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Great idea thank you

  • @shabbirmerchant7678
    @shabbirmerchant76782 жыл бұрын

    You can seperate parts as seperate objects during the Obj import window by checking-in (selecting) option "Split by Groups" in Geometry options.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Oooo need to try

  • @87osvald
    @87osvald2 жыл бұрын

    Great video Derek!! Exactly what I have been looking for for a while. Can you please continue to make more videos on cad to Blender? The whole workflow (means more complex animations than in this video. And also assign materials and so on)

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Sure! At a certain point they're just blender videos but what else do you think would be cad specific you'd like to know?

  • @87osvald

    @87osvald

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DerekElliott yeah that's true... I think it's just something about the workflow when modeling products made as cad that it useful. Even if isolated tasks are possible to find in other tutorials. I would suggest animation follow a path, both camera and objects. Physics. Is it possible to animate snap fits based on when they hit other parts? Like simulation of clips basically. Also water splash, xray beams, fog, and such things could be useful. And also add metarials and textures for typical engineering materials (plastics, metals, wood and so on). Alternatively, where to find ready material for blender, for free. Don't know if all this makes sense?

  • @RomboutVersluijs
    @RomboutVersluijs2 жыл бұрын

    Hahaha this must be the smoothest ad added in a KZread video ;)

  • @martined7366
    @martined73662 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much

  • @multiengineer9199
    @multiengineer91992 жыл бұрын

    Thanks sir

  • @avati804
    @avati80410 ай бұрын

    great

  • @laddagardenshop
    @laddagardenshop2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks

  • @katarmp4786
    @katarmp47862 жыл бұрын

    hey derek, ive recently checked your instagram and i was amazed by your furniture projects, especially with the chairs! would loove to see some modeling tutorial on those things because ive notice theres no furniture modelling tutorial in this channel, maybe add in something like rotation animation tv commercial style, thatd be great!!

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    I'll have to do more soon!

  • @RomboutVersluijs
    @RomboutVersluijs2 жыл бұрын

    I guess it could be handy when you have pulled all the pats apart, is to keyfame them outside the time line. So add location keys and move those keys to -10 frame or so. Very esay to switch back and see how things connect with each other.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes I definitely have done this

  • @heinschultz8970
    @heinschultz89702 жыл бұрын

    Not sure if it was mentioned below in the comments, but I've found that FBX exports from Fusion 360, keeps the object orientation and scale as the engineers had it in Fusion. OBJ's I've found to be randomly large, strange orientations and especially the normals being all screwy. FBX didn't have any of those issues....for me.

  • @acnimatorstudio7487
    @acnimatorstudio74872 жыл бұрын

    good!

  • @jeremydemarco8697
    @jeremydemarco8697 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks I was using SimLAB to export constraints and animation from SW to blender, but it sometimes get issues with complex assemblies. Your method is solid and without issue, the problem is that I have to do th assembly job twice, one time in SW and then in Blender. BTW Your edges looks so beautiful in the viewport. Are you using HardOPS or it's the genuine chamfers from the CAD model ??? Thanks again !!!

  • @rodeobot
    @rodeobot2 жыл бұрын

    This is great. You're awesome. How am I /just finding out about this channel!?

  • @mohamedaymanennachet8490
    @mohamedaymanennachet84902 жыл бұрын

    I just found your channel it s realllly good thank youu so much, i was wondering if you can do a tuto on the fancy animation you did in the beginnig of the video.

  • @nogoofyorks4584
    @nogoofyorks458410 ай бұрын

    Hello @DerekElliott, thanks for a super great tutorial! I'm looking to recreate the outlined effect at 1:00 - You don't happen to have a tutorial for that?

  • @josipasimic3245
    @josipasimic32454 ай бұрын

    Hey Derek, this is exactly what Ive been looking for. Once question, do the CAD files keep their materials when imported to blender?

  • @wingmansion
    @wingmansion2 жыл бұрын

    We use PIXYZ and VRED for CAD tessellation for large assemblies (around 80 million poly) and Blender for clean-up of small sub-assemblies. VRED tessellation is not good and you end up with each patch surface being an individual part. Merge vertices destroys the custom normals. PIXYZ tessellation is very good and it works great with Step files. Has some issues with our JT files, though.

  • @dougieladd
    @dougieladd2 жыл бұрын

    Excellent... would love a follow up on this kinda thing.. thanks man.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Sure Dougie what you got in mind? Where do we go next !?

  • @dougieladd

    @dougieladd

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DerekElliott Ohh you got me there... I was thinking of 'infographic design' - you know those news graphics you see when they show exploded views of a building...? Or those animations you see in those "buy/build a house" type programmes.. where the views of the object/house kinda build up? Also the animations that show 'the inside' of something... I dunno man I'm a beginner :D :D :D (not really.. just have no talent) :D

  • @bigfilsing
    @bigfilsing2 жыл бұрын

    In grabcad there's normally a 3D view available and in that 3D viewer there's an "explode" option. That will at least give you some idea of how many individual parts there are "in" the model and save you from downloading and importing into Blender to evaluate.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Very cool

  • @Greannn
    @Greannn2 жыл бұрын

    I have the plugin step importer. For my workflow pretty neat. This keeps the groups already made in cad.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    is that different than STEPper? I'll have to try

  • @Greannn

    @Greannn

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DerekElliott I just got the name wrong...Sorry. #dontpostlate

  • @RomboutVersluijs
    @RomboutVersluijs2 жыл бұрын

    Those kind of CAD models are always tricky to work with.most of times it's one big mess with tons of separated parts. It is however a quick way to get these nice models though. It just needs lots of cleaning, mesh merging and fixing :(

  • @evanlane1690
    @evanlane16902 жыл бұрын

    Something that may be really helpful is that rendering video. A lot of bad topology with CAD models, and I'd like to hear your rendering tips to get good looking materials with junk geometry.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes I'll have to do more CAD related

  • @fvalduga

    @fvalduga

    2 жыл бұрын

    Exactly. The main issue I had when trying to import CAD models to Blender is having a good topology for easily laydown a good UV map for texturing, usually they have even worse topology than what was shown in this video. I'm yet to find a better solution than importing STEP file in 3ds Max and keep as "body object", so you have perfect UV straight out of the box.

  • @fvalduga

    @fvalduga

    2 жыл бұрын

    One more thing...If topology is important for texturing a CAD model, I've seen some videos where people use MOI3D to export a mesh file (fbx or obj) with very clean topology. Never tried myself, but I will take this approach if I would have to stick to Blender as a render package.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@fvalduga usually with bad topology if it absolutely needs a uv unwrap then working with smart uv project, project from view, cube project, etc or a combo will work out. Mostly with mechanical stuff though I'm using basic procedural textures though and UVs not required

  • @andymclanza
    @andymclanza2 жыл бұрын

    about the scaling, CAD usually works in mm instead Blender use cm

  • @cocboss3329
    @cocboss33292 жыл бұрын

    Wow

  • @dudleybarker2273
    @dudleybarker2273 Жыл бұрын

    hey Derek, any idea how to combine both forwards and backwards animation into one single strip? ie how to do a product explosion going both directions. [edit] forgot to mention; i've animated and rendered the 'assembly' part, now i need to reverse it without having to do another 400 hours of work...

  • @Biru_to
    @Biru_to2 жыл бұрын

    2:28 It sounds like you don't understand why this happens. By default blender uses 1 unit = 1 meter. Typically CAD files are set up to use 1 unit = 1mm, so when you don't change the import unit scale, they'll most likely be 1000× times too large. 1 unit = 1cm is also used, so then you'll indeed need to scale it 0.1, and again 0.1 (or just 0.01 once, which is 1/100th the scale, aka 1m > 1cm). If you were using the default unit setup, the model you're using is being displayed as a 16 meter wide phone grip (based on your grid). Considering the model seems to be a iPhone 13 Pro Max, that would make sense, since that phone is about 16cm tall.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Good explanation

  • @chidharthm4987
    @chidharthm49872 жыл бұрын

    For any Creo users facing problem with their CAD models to perform separating by loose parts after importing an assembly into blender, check the "Split by group" option under Geometry tab on the right side of import window.

  • @punkisinthedetails1470

    @punkisinthedetails1470

    Жыл бұрын

    Is it not easier to just use Keyshot.

  • @MsDexter47
    @MsDexter472 жыл бұрын

    what CAD made such cool obj models.

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    I think this might have come from fusion 360

  • @luchod9339
    @luchod9339 Жыл бұрын

    the yada yada part made me watch seinfeld again

  • @designer9137
    @designer91372 жыл бұрын

    YO long time :)

  • @TheLordDino
    @TheLordDino2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Derek, thanks for the tutorial, really helpefull. Just want to throw a more complex question related to the ShapeKey, I have a plastic bottle cap with 4 clips that need to make the movement to clip to the neck, i'm very beginner in Blender, but do you have any ideia how should i do the rotation clip movement along a curve? thanks for your time

  • @DerekElliott

    @DerekElliott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hmm I'm not sure I understand.