Investigating Challenges of Converting CAD Models to Game Ready Assets

This thesis explores the challenges associated with converting detailed CAD models into game-ready assets optimized for use in virtual reality (VR) environments using game engines, focusing on enhancing using mechanical engineering models. The primary goal is to establish a toolchain that allows the integration of CAD models into game engines for immersive applications, enabling engineers and stakeholders to interact with 3D models in a synthetic environment. The study employs several test cases ranging from simple door models to complex automotive vehicle prototypes, elaborating the process of exporting CAD models through intermediate formats (such as STEP, STL, GLB) using tools like Blender to generate compatible FBX assets for Unreal Engine. Through iterative processes, the research identifies obstacles such as parametric hierarchy loss, mesh optimization, missing material and color challenges. The findings underscore the importance of model simplification, reusable assets, and efficient workflows to improve the CAD-to-game engine pipeline. This research demonstrates the potential of game engines in transforming engineering models into interactive, immersive assets, offering new possibilities for real-time collaboration and design validation.