Filmbox
Import FBX files into your digital twin
If your 3D content came out of a game engine or animation pipeline, it is probably an FBX. Moicon lets you reuse those assets in a digital twin of your plant.
- File extensions
- .fbx
- Developed by
- Autodesk
- Category
- Mesh & visualization
- Geometry
- Polygon mesh with full scene and animation data
- Typical software
- 3ds Max, Maya, Blender, Unity, Unreal Engine
- Import pipeline
- Autodesk Platform Services translation
What is a FBX file?
FBX started life as the native format of Kaydara's Filmbox motion-capture tool. Alias acquired Kaydara in 2004, Autodesk acquired Alias in 2006, and FBX has been an Autodesk format ever since. Unlike simple mesh formats, FBX describes an entire scene: meshes, materials, textures, cameras, lights, skeletons, and animation, in either a binary or ASCII encoding.
That scope made it the de facto interchange format of the games and media world. Most digital content creation tools and both major game engines read and write it, so a huge share of the world's realtime 3D assets exist as FBX files.
Where these files come from
FBX files come from game-engine projects, animation and visualization studios, and marketplaces for realtime 3D content. If a marketing or training team already built 3D content for your products, there is a good chance it is sitting in FBX.
How to import FBX 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 .fbx file.
Step 2
Let it process
Moicon translates FBX 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.
FBX FAQ
Can FBX files contain animation?
Yes. Animation is one of the format's core strengths; it can store skeletal rigs, keyframes, and morph targets alongside the geometry.
How is FBX different from OBJ?
OBJ stores a static mesh with materials. FBX stores a whole scene graph, including object hierarchy, cameras, lights, and animation. For a single still part the difference is small; for anything richer, FBX carries far more.
Is FBX an open format?
No. It is proprietary to Autodesk, accessed mainly through Autodesk's SDK. The open alternative with similar realtime ambitions is glTF.
Does Moicon import FBX?
Yes. FBX uploads are translated through Autodesk Platform Services, the pipeline behind most of Moicon's 70+ supported formats.