User`s guide

Using CAD Models with the Simulink 3D Animation Product

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In the 3D World Editor, select the Root node or an MFNode node (usually the

children node of a Transform or Group node).

From the Nodes > Import From menu item, select either STL File or Physical

Modeling XML File.

Tip Alternatively, you can right-click the Root node or an MFNode node and use the

Import From menu item. However, to insert the new node in the middle of a node

list, after the selected node (both at the main level or inside a MFNode node, use the

Nodes > Import From menu path.

Note: To import a Physical Modeling XML file, the target folder must be writable.

Alternatively, you can use the stl2vrml function.

Results

Importing an STL file creates a Transform node containing a Shape node with

IndexedFaceSet geometry that represents the original STL shape. The new

Transform is created either at the main level of the scene hierarchy (at the end of the

file), or as a child of a selected grouping node.

Importing a Physical Modeling XML file creates an individual VRML file for each STL

file that is referenced from that XML file. The created VRML files are stored in the folder

where the edited VRML file is located.

In the edited VRML file, the newly created Transform contains hierarchical structure

Transforms that correspond to the structure of objects described in the XML file.

Individual VRML shape files in this structure are referenced using Inline nodes.

Note: When importing a Physical Modeling XML file into a new, unsaved VRML model,

children VRML files are created in the current working folder. If you save the file into a

different folder, move the referenced VRML files to the new location.

Import VRML Models from CAD Tools

To import VRML models from CAD tools, you first convert your product assembly model

into the VRML format used by the Simulink 3D Animation software. Most CAD tools