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Export Mesh

Export your voxel models as meshes to use them with third party tools like game devlopment engines.

Table of contents

  1. Supported File Types
  2. How to Export a Mesh
  3. Export Settings
    1. FBX, OBJ, DAE
    2. STL

Supported File Types

Qubicle 3.0 supports 4 different mesh file formats. We recommend using FBX, because it is the most powerful file format and a bit faster to create.

File TypeDescription
FBXExchange format developed by Autodesk. Qubicle supports the binary variant.
Collada DAEHuman readable XML file format.
Wavefront OBJSupported by almost all 3D tools. Does not support vertex colors or pivots.
STLPrefered by 3D printers due to its strict rules.

How to Export a Mesh

Before exporting your model:

  • ensure that your matrices don’t have any hollows. This might be counter-intuitive but hollows increase the poly count. To remove hollows use Fill Hollows.
  • If you want to export multiple Matrices as a single object you don’t need to combine them with Boolean Union, instead use Compounds. A Compound is exported the same way as a single Matrix. Select the matrices and Create a Compound.
  • If you need to export a selection of your model again and again Compounds are very useful, too. Create a Compound of that selection and enter the new Compound before export. Only child objects of the active node are exported.
  • If you want to export everything either select all objects or deselect. If you only want to export a part of your model select it.

Then, when you are ready to export:

  1. Choose File > Export > FBX DAE OBJ STL
  2. Adjust export settings
  3. Select the filename

Export Settings

FBX, OBJ, DAE

SettingDescription
OptimizationNone: remove invisible lamina faces, no face merging.
Non-Manifold: remove lamina faces, additional face merging (produces the lowest poly count but may lead to unwanted tiny dots when used in game engines).
Manifold: remove lamina faces, additional face merging, watertight (requires more triangles than non-manifold meshes, but better for game engines).
FacesRemove unchecked voxel faces from the export. Useful when parts of your model, e.g. the bottom are not visible by the user.
Pivot Position(unavailable for OBJ)
As Specified: use pivots manually set in your model.
Centered: use object center as pivot.
PositionAs Specified: places the objects as specified in your model.
World Origin: move objects to (0, 0, 0).
Voxel Size (Units)Specifies the size of a single voxel in units. Default is 1:1:1. Values are multiplied to all vertex positions and also the object’s position and pivot.
Unit Scale Factor(unavailable for OBJ)
Tells the target tool how the default unit size should be scaled. E.g. a default unit in FBX is 1m. If you set it to 0.01 then a unit is 1cm.
TypeTexture: store color information in a separate .png file. Affected by Optimization, Texel Size and Edge Bleed. When mesh optimization is disabled a texture is created with a single square for each unique color that is used in the model.
Texel SizeDefines how many pixels are used for a voxel face on the texture.
Edge BleedAdds an outline to texels of given size. Useful to avoid render interpolation issues.
Mesh OutputSingle File: store all objects in a single file.
One File Per Object: create a separate file for each object.
Texture OutputSingle Texture Atlas: create a single texture file (atlas) for all objects.
One File Per Object: create a separate texture for each object.
Mesh Filename PrefixSets a prefix added to the filename of all exported mesh files.
Texture Filename PrefixSets a prefix added to the filename of all exported texture files.
Texture SubfolderSets a subfolder for the texture output relative to the export folder

STL

SettingDescription
Single STL FileCheck this setting to put all generated meshes into a single file. If you leave this option unckecked then a separate file will be created for each selected object.
BinarySTL can be saved as a text file or in binary. Check this option to save the smaller binary variant.