3D Viewer online is an online STEP viewer that allows you to easily visualise STEP 3D files directly on the browser, letting you perform all the actions that you would normally do to inspect a STEP 3D model such as rotate, zoom in/out, measure, section and more.
Step files are used to represent the structure and the properties of 3D objects generated through Computer-aided design (CAD). The STEP file format, which stands for “Standard for the Exchange of Product model data”, is a well-known standardized format used in product manufacturing, sometimes referred to as ISO 10303. Because of its standardization, it is often considered to be the best file format to exchange data between different CAD systems (such as Solidworks, CATIA and AutoCAD just to mention some).
Other than just viewing a 3D design, with the online STEP viewer you will be able to do the following:
All these functions are available on the online STEP viewer toolbar located on the top left part of the screen and do not require any previous knowledge of a 3D software.
The Hide/Show function of the online STEP viewer lets you hide or show any part of the STEP 3D model. You can select the part to hide/show from the part list displayed on the left side of the window, or directly from the 3D by clicking on the Select from 3D arrow icon located on the top section of the part list. The Select from 3D function lets you identify the part name by simply clicking on an area of the STEP 3D model, so you can hide it if needed. You can also hide or show all the parts at the same time by clicking on Hide/Show all.
The measuring functions of the online STEP viewer allow you to measure the distance between two points, the overall size of the 3D model and the diameter of a circular feature. Measuring and verifying the thickness of a wall for instance, becomes extremely important when the 3D design has to be manufactured. In the picture below an example of a measurement between two points is presented.
You can change the dimension unit of your measurement result by using the top down menu located at the right of the measurement value. The default unit is mm.
The sectioning function of the online STEP viewer lets you discover the inner parts of the STEP model by using different sectioning planes as showed below. The X section plane for instance, is the plane normal to the X direction (also referred as Y-Z plane). The same applies for the Y and Z section planes.
The Explode function of the online STEP viewer lets you create an exploded view of the STEP file. You can explode the 3D model more or less according to your needs, to better understand how all the parts are assembled together. This function is extremely useful to inspect complex technical models.
Unlike a STL file, the STEP file does not include a list of vertices and facets, but a full geometric definition which includes dimensioning, tolerancing, analysis and additional information specific to various industries such as automotive, aerospace, building construction, ship, oil and gas, process plants and much more.
