Nextech AR Launches CAD-to-3D Technology

Nextech AR Solutions Corp., a provider of augmented reality experience technologies and services, has launched its CAD to POLY solution. The company is incorporating into its services a technology to create optimized 3D meshes that are suitable for 3D and AR applications. This technology helps the company expand its augmented reality business beyond ecommerce, Nextech reports.

The company has filed a provisional patent covering the conversion of CAD files into 3D models. CAD-to-3D model conversion capability implies improved scalability associated with Nextech's 3D models for ecommerce, with the creation of photorealistic, fully textured 3D models from raw CAD models and reference images.

“Most modern products that have ever been built have been manufactured from reference CAD models,” CEO Evan Gappelberg says. “Think of it, that’s billions of products worldwide, and Nextech has invented an easy way to turn them into 3D models. Instead of using 2D images to create 3D models, we now have the ability to go straight to the source, where the products are actually designed by engineers (CAD files) and render these into perfect 3D models, at scale. Our new CAD to POLY solution is backed by technology that will prove to be the holy grail of scaling 3D content.”

Nima Sarshar, CTO of Nextech AR, comments on the issues with meshes exported natively from CAD: “Nextech has solved all these problems by rethinking the process of converting CAD files into 3D meshes from the ground up. Rather than relying on native CAD conversion, we have created a CAD conversion technology from scratch, creating new techniques rooted in computational geometry, computer vision and physics. When given a CAD file, we can now create fully textured, lightweight 3D models at scale which can be used for real-time AR and 3D viewing.”

The managed solution is now readily offered and available, with some of Nextech’s customers already using the service. The company believes SaaS is a critical component to the advancement of all its augmented reality solutions, and will continue to pursue this business strategy. Nextech’s CAD to POLY solution will be offered as SaaS within 2022.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.