Whether amateur or professional, if you’re involved in a 3D modelling or simple CAD project you will often need to check in on and give feedback on the progress of project assets.
On a computer with professional-grade software like AutoCAD or Blender installed this poses no problem. But what if you’re out and about on your Chromebook? Or a receive a project file through Gmail when not at your main PC?
3DView for Chrome – Offline 3D Model Viewer
3DView for Chrome is an offline-enabled app that allows you to open, view, manipulate, and make minor edits to 3D model files. Formats supported are .stl, .dae (collada), .obj, .ply, .ctm, and .vtk.
It also has integrated support for loading, saving and sharing of files through Google Drive.
As well as letting you view projects, 3DView for Chrome also includes a handy compliment of tools for measuring distance, rotating, resizing and scaling, and exporting to the .obj and .stl file formats.
While the application is a standout – offline support alone makes this a must-have for 3D designers – it’s not flawless. I had particular trouble trying to open .dae project files, and the app routinely froze or crashed when I tried manipulating anything saved in .obj.
Download 3DView for Chrome
3DView is a free app and works on Chrome for Windows, Mac, Linux and, of course, on Chromebooks.