How to Import and Repair GLB, glTF, OBJ, STL and PLY Models

Choose the best source format

Use GLB when you want one portable binary file. Use glTF when you need readable JSON and separate resources. OBJ, STL and PLY are better treated as geometry interchange formats because they do not preserve the same modern scene contract.

• GLB/glTF: hierarchy, transforms, PBR material data, textures, supported skin, morph and animation data.
• OBJ: geometry and object structure; companion material files are not currently parsed.
• STL: triangle geometry, normally without colour, hierarchy or animation.
• PLY: triangle geometry and vertex colours when present.

Import the asset and its resources

1. Open Create → Import 3D asset or drop files into the editor.
2. For GLB, select the single .glb file.
3. For external glTF, select the .gltf file together with every .bin and texture it references.
4. Wait for validation, decoder and texture processing to finish.
5. Read the import notice and select each mesh in the scene tree.
6. Open Move → Edit mesh to inspect source format, triangle count and saved warnings.

Understand the validation result

GLB and glTF files are checked with the official Khronos validator during import. A parser can still open a file that contains specification errors, so a successful viewport appearance does not automatically mean the asset is portable.

• Errors indicate a specification or resource problem that should be fixed at the source.
• Warnings identify risky or non-ideal data that may still render.
• A validation failure message may also mean an external resource was missing.
• The warning summary is stored with imported provenance so it remains visible later.

Repair normals and coincident vertices

1. Use Fix shading when lighting looks faceted or inconsistent because normals are missing or incorrect.
2. Use Weld points when duplicate vertices should form one continuous surface.
3. Use Flip surfaces only when a face is visibly inside-out or disappears under back-face culling.
4. Inspect the model under more than one light after repair.
5. Undo immediately if welding changes a deliberate hard edge or seam.

Protect skins, morph targets and textures

Skeleton weights and Shape State deltas refer to specific vertices. Extrude, inset, delete, weld or subdivision can invalidate that relationship. The editor blocks topology edits while deformation data is attached.

• Pose and animate imported deformation data before attempting topology changes.
• Remove a skin or Shape State only as a deliberate destructive decision.
• Confirm before editing a painted mesh because new topology can alter texture correspondence.
• Multi-material meshes currently use the first material and report a warning.

Re-export and test

1. Choose the intended export profile and include textures or animation only when required.
2. Run export preflight and address errors before download.
3. Verify and export GLB.
4. Open the GLB in an independent glTF viewer.
5. Import it into the maintained target engine and compare hierarchy, scale, material, skin, morphs and clips.
6. Keep the original source asset until those checks pass.