Let's get to work! - Converter Prototype for 3DS Experience Platform

For live version demo, click here  but only in Chrome or WEBGL enabled Safari browser.

Objective of the converter prototype: An installed app or plugin to fill a specific client need to click a button to convert and open a 3D model from CATIA or SolidWorks format and interface into an x3d format and WebGL enabled browser as part of the 3DS Experience Platform. Using my unique UX skills with Adobe Creative Suite and .NET to give a look and feel similar to our native software products

CATIA and SolidWorks can export as VRML file, but since the customer need to open files via web and especially mobile devices increases daily and my unique skill set, Peter and I initiated this prototype research project. This project brought an exciting feature to the 3DS Experience platform. The objective was to prototype opening a 3D model via browser using technologies such as WebGL, x3d, CATIA & SolidWorks VRML file export feature as well as my unique design skills with Adobe Creative Suite to give a look and feel similar to our native software products. This converter is an app or plugin created in C# .NET to be installed into CATIA/SolidWorks that is triggered by pushing a button to take the VRML file from the exporter functionality, converts it to X3D, which is readable via WebGL in WebGL enabled browser and display an interactive 3D model in an environment quite similar to our native software look and feel. Once the browser has opened the file, the user can hit the play button on our 3DS compass at the top to play through the defined Viewpoints in the file, translate, rotate, zoom, walk, etc. as if in 3D software. I researched all the technologies in depth to find the best prototype work flow: C# .NET, WebGL, X3D, html 5, CSS 3, JavaScript, jQuery, etc. The teams involved were delighted at the application because the clean, engaging and useful user experience functionality, the speed in which the project was completed, and more importantly what this meant for the future apps possible for our 3DS user experience platform. If there is no link to the project you should download a WebGL enabled browser such as Chrome.