Meta Announces New Augmented Reality Integration with SOLIDWORKS
A press release on Business Wire by Meta Company, a pioneer in the augmented reality (AR) field, announced today that it will be the first company to offer 3D CAD viewing capabilities in AR integrated with Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS applications.
The news was shared today by Suchit Jain, vice president of strategy and business development for Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS brand, at SOLIDWORKS World in Los Angeles during a keynote session that also featured a live demonstration of Meta’s and SOLIDWORKS’s new AR capabilities.
Integration Overview
SOLIDWORKS “Publish to Xtended Reality” capability will allow users to export a CAD model from SOLIDWORKS to a customized version of an open-source format known as “glTF.” Once a SOLIDWORKS model has been exported to glTF, it can be viewed on Meta’s Model Viewer platform in the Meta 2 Development Kit headset.
The exported file retains key information from SOLIDWORKS, such as:
- Display states
- Materials/colors
- Animations (such as exploded view animations, motion study, etc.)
- 3D model hierarchy
This AR integration between SOLIDWORKS and Meta enables a simple and more natural design visualization for SOLIDWORKS customers on the Meta 2. Furthermore, the Meta 2’s wide field of view and direct hand interaction creates an easier and more immersive experience than virtual reality. Through this collaboration between Meta and Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS brand, consumers of 3D CAD are no longer limited to viewing models on a 2D screen, and product design can become three-dimensional.
Key benefits of the Meta-SOLIDWORKS integration include:
- Speed – the plug & play nature of the file export/import process means there is no need for a SOLIDWORKS user or developer to build models uniquely for the Meta AR headset.
- Accessibility – benefits of 3D CAD visualization is not limited to designers and engineers – any sales or training professional wanting to view 3D models in immersive AR can do so immediately.
- Efficiency – viewing 3D CAD models in AR can have a significant impact on time-to-market, cost optimization and revenue by shortening the design review cycle, increasing sales conversion, and enhancing training comprehension.
The full press release can be viewed here.