Nine concrete problems
in 3D handoff to Apple platforms.
Most pipeline issues aren't subtle. They're the same nine things, every time. This is the companion to the launch video series — one section per feature, deep-linkable so a thread, DM, or pitch can land on the exact one being discussed.
Convert FBX, glTF, OBJ, STL → USDZ
Industry-standard 3D files don't open natively on Apple platforms. AR Quick Look, RealityKit, and visionOS expect USDZ — your DCC tool exports something else.
Drop the file in. Gantry produces a clean USDZ with materials, textures, and hierarchy intact.
Preview natively
Most converters preview in a generic 3D engine. What you see isn't what your app or AR scene will render.
Gantry's viewport is RealityKit — the same renderer Apple platforms use at runtime. The preview is the result.
Light the scene
PBR materials look different under different lighting. You need to evaluate them under real conditions before shipping.
Pick from a curated set of IBL environments — Beach Sunset, Downtown Night, Rooftop Sunny, more. Adjust exposure and rotation. Toggle the environment as scene background.
Edit materials
Imported materials rarely match the source. You need control without round-tripping back to a DCC tool.
Tweak per channel — Base Color, Metallic, Roughness, Emissive, Opacity. Convert to USD Preview Surface or MaterialX. Replace individual textures. Live preview.
Switch variants
Same model, different looks — day/night, color options, configurations. You need a way to ship them all in one asset.
Variants are first-class. Author them in Gantry. Ship them in one USDZ.
Export USDZ
USDZ has flavors — flat for AR Quick Look, layered for richer scenes. Most tools pick one and don't tell you.
Standard USDZ keeps your structure. Export Flattened resolves complex hierarchies, references, and layers into a single asset for AR Quick Look. Pick what fits.
Open in AR Quick Look
Converting is half the work. Validating in the actual delivery surface — AR Quick Look — is the other half, and most tools force you to re-share files to get there.
One tap from Gantry to AR Quick Look. See the asset in your room before it leaves your iPhone.
Minimal interface
Most 3D tools throw 200 controls at you on launch. The work disappears in the chrome.
The viewport is the room. Tools surface when you need them. The model is what you see.
Play animations
Static preview lies about animated content. You need to see motion, blend shapes, and skinning before you trust the export.
Gantry plays animations in the viewport — skinning, blend shapes, transforms. The export carries them through.
