USDZ is a 3D and augmented reality (AR) file format based on Pixar technology and designed for Apple. It aims to facilitate the sharing of 3D resources for AR.

According to Pixar, USDZ is an uncompressed and unencrypted archive containing USD files and their associated graphic resources. USD, or Universal Scene Description, was designed for Pixar's animation system.

USD solves specific operational problems for animation films made by hundreds of people, allowing different artists to work on different layers of the same file, which contains the history of all modifications and manages potential conflicts.

Most importantly, the USD format allows for the grouping of all data necessary for creating a 3D scene. Pixar sees four advantages in using the USD format:

  • Standardization of schemes for data exchange of geometry, shading, or deformation.
  • Improved performance for reading and generating data, including geometric instantiation.
  • Possibility of integrating content variations.
  • Use of a flexible architecture that can be adapted.

The USDZ format addresses the problem of viewing a project designed as a common and portable format, optimized for sharing. A USDZ file is presented as an archive, viewable without decompression, and containing all the resources necessary for generating a 3D scene. Thus, 3D creation applications will be able to export a scene in a USDZ file.

CAD Interop distributes several software programs to prepare, visualize, and convert USDZ files. Below is a list of our solutions compatible with the USDZ format:

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