Rhinoceros 3D (openNURBS)
Import 3DM files into your digital twin
Freeform design work from Rhino, standing in the same digital twin as your machines and layouts.
- File extensions
- .3dm
- Developed by
- Robert McNeel & Associates
- Category
- Native CAD
- Geometry
- NURBS surfaces and solids
- Typical software
- Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper
- Import pipeline
- Autodesk Platform Services translation
What is a 3DM file?
3DM is the native format of Rhinoceros 3D, the NURBS modeler from Robert McNeel & Associates. Rhino's strength is precise freeform surface modeling, and the 3DM format stores that NURBS geometry along with layers, materials, and annotations.
Unusually for a native CAD format, its core is open: McNeel publishes the openNURBS toolkit, which lets any application read and write 3DM directly. That openness plus Rhino's popularity in design-heavy fields gives the format reach well beyond Rhino itself.
Where these files come from
3DM files come from industrial design studios, architectural facade and furniture designers, marine and jewelry designers, and computational design teams working in Grasshopper.
How to import 3DM files into Moicon
As simple as four steps, from file to factory floor.
Step 1
Upload your model
In the Moicon dashboard, select Add asset and drag and drop your .3dm file.
Step 2
Let it process
Moicon translates 3DM files through Autodesk Platform Services, the service behind its support for more than 70 formats. Translation time depends on the size and complexity of the model and the current service load.
Step 3
Name and organize it
Give the asset a name, add a thumbnail so it is easy to spot, and file it under the categories your team uses in the asset library.
Step 4
Place it in your project
Open your project and drop the asset into the viewport. From there you can position, clone, and scale it like any other asset in your twin.
3DM FAQ
Is 3DM a proprietary format?
It is Rhino's native format, but McNeel documents it openly through the openNURBS initiative, so other software can support it without reverse engineering.
What kind of geometry does 3DM store?
Primarily NURBS curves, surfaces, and solids, which represent smooth freeform shapes exactly. Rhino files can also carry meshes, layers, materials, and annotation.
Can Moicon import Rhino files?
Yes. 3DM uploads are translated through Autodesk Platform Services like most formats Moicon supports.