[Plugin Release] [Update] CAD 2D Importer

[lAvArt-Studio]

CAD 2D Importer v1.1.0 is the ultimate workflow accelerator for ArchViz, Engineering, and Simulation projects. Stop wasting time manually tracing spline references or dealing with messy "Datasmith" imports for simple 2D plans.

This plugin reads standard DXF (AutoCAD) files and our custom JSON schema (3ds Max Exporter included!) and converts them into Unreal Engine Spline Actors, organized neatly by Layer.

Key Features:

  DXF Support: Imports Lines, Polylines, Circles, Arcs, and Splines (NURBS).

  Layer System: Preserves CAD layers, allowing you to select, hide, or colorize groups of splines instantly.

  Smart Unit Conversion: Automatically detects unit setup (mm, cm, m, in, ft) or allows manual override.

  3ds Max Integration: Includes a Python script (`export_cad_json.py`) to export shapes from 3ds Max with 1:1 fidelity.

  3D Building Tools:

      Generate Walls: Extrude selected splines into 3D walls with adjustable height and thickness.

      Weld Seams: Automatically merge disconnected vertices with a configurable threshold.

      Mesh Operations: Clean normals, generate tangents, and collision.

Workflow

1.  Import: Select your `.dxf` or `.json` file.

2.  Review: See a preview of layers, toggle visibility, and set colors.

3.  Spawn: Click to generate Spline Actors in your level.

4.  Build: Use the built-in "3D Toolbox" to extrude walls or floors from your splines.

Technical Information

Features:

  Direct DXF & JSON Import: Import CAD drawings as native Unreal Splines, preserving Layers and Units.

  3D Building Tools: Generate clean 3D Walls and Floors directly from 2D plans with extrusion and welding.

  Batch Processing: Organize, select, and process actors by Layer for rapid iteration.

Code Modules:

  CADCore (Runtime)

  CADIO (Editor)

  CADEditor (Editor)

Required Plugins:

  ProceduralMeshComponent (Built-in)

Number of Blueprints: 0

Number of C++ Classes: 15+

Network Replicated: No

Supported Development Platforms:

*   Windows: Yes

*   Mac: Yes

Supported Target Build Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Documentation: lAvArt | CAD 2D Importer

CAD Importer Export Scripts: lAvArt | Export Scripts

Example Project: N/A

Important/Additional Notes:

NURBS Splines are tessellated into Polylines during import for maximum compatibility and performance.

CAD 2D Importer

[lAvArt-Studio]

Any 2D drawing that can be a DXF can be in your level. CAD 2D Importer 1.1 is live.

Floor plan, site plan, a logo from Illustrator, a vector map, a laser-cut layout, a hand-drawn sketch traced in Inkscape: if your application can save it as a DXF, CAD 2D Importer turns it into Unreal geometry. Every line, arc and polyline becomes a spline actor, sorted by layer, ready to colour, hide, extrude into walls or shapes and bake into static meshes.

It isn’t only for CAD. Architects bring plans from AutoCAD, Revit and Rhino. Designers bring vector artwork from Illustrator, Inkscape or Affinity. Level artists bring blockouts from Blender, 3ds Max or Cinema 4D (JSON exporter scripts included). One import path, one layer-based workflow.

Get it on Fab (UE 5.3 to 5.8): CAD 2D Importer | Fab

Your drawing, organised the way you drew it

Layers stay layers. In the outliner you get CAD/<file>/<layer>, every actor is tagged with its file and layer, and one click selects, recolours, hides or processes a whole layer. Pick mm, cm, m, in or ft, add a scale and a Z offset, and re-importing a file asks whether to replace, duplicate or cancel instead of silently piling up copies.

Walls without leaving the editor

Extrude splines to the height you want, cap closed outlines, fix normals, smooth, then Convert To Static Mesh with recomputed normals and tangents and generated lightmap UVs. New in 1.1: generated walls are no longer drawn inside out, so they light correctly and show their tops from the first click.

New: let an AI assistant do the tedious part (optional, beta)

An editor-only MCP server with 23 tools lets an assistant you connect (Claude Code, or any MCP client) inspect a drawing before importing it (declared units, real size, layers, what will be skipped), import with explicit options, manage layers and materials, generate walls, clean up duplicates and pivots, and screenshot the result to check itself. Every change is undoable.

It stays yours: 127.0.0.1 only, token protected, not in a packaged game, switchable off in Project Settings. The plugin never calls an AI service and never sends your project anywhere.

Bringing in artwork from a design tool

Export your drawing as a DXF from the application (in Illustrator: File > Export > Export As, format AutoCAD Interchange File), keep it to lines, arcs, polylines and curves, put things on layers if you want to treat them separately, and import. Pick the unit the file was drawn in, and the scale is right. Text, hatches, gradients and block references are not imported (convert text to outlines first), so artwork that relies on them needs flattening in your design tool.

Know before you buy

Reads ASCII DXF (LINE, LWPOLYLINE with bulge arcs, POLYLINE, CIRCLE, ARC, SPLINE with fit points, 3DFACE) and the plugin’s JSON, with exporter scripts for 3ds Max, Blender and Cinema 4D included. No DWG, no binary DXF, no 3D CAD (use Datasmith), and block references, text, hatches and dimensions are not imported.

Get started

User guide, FAQ and AI assistant guide: FAB-Plugins-Hub/plugins/CADImporter at main · lAvArt/FAB-Plugins-Hub · GitHub Bugs, ideas, questions: reply here or GitHub - lAvArt/FAB-Plugins-Hub: Public documentation, release notes, and updates for our Unreal Engine FAB plugins. Source code is intentionally not included. · GitHub

Made by lAvArt Studio: https://www.lavartstudio.com Parts of the 1.1.0 AI assistant layer and the wall fix were developed with AI assistance (Claude, by Anthropic) and reviewed by lAvArt Studio.