[Plugin Release] From architectural plans to motion graphics | CAD 2D Importer for Unreal Engine

lAvArt_Studio
Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:10:19 +0000
UE Marketplace

Unreal Engine is exceptionally good at rendering, animation, and real-time visuals.
Where it still falls short is something far more basic: starting from 2D data.

Most professionals don’t begin inside Unreal. They arrive with drawings, diagrams, logos, or vector illustrations created elsewhere. The CAD 2D Importer exists to try closing that gap, cleanly, predictably, and without forcing users into heavy Datasmith or mesh-based workflows.

This plugin is not about “CAD support” in the traditional sense.
It’s about bringing structured 2D intent into Unreal as editable, native spline data.

Why a 2D CAD Importer matters in Unreal

Unreal has no native 2D spline import

Out of the box, Unreal cannot:

Import DXF drawings as splines

Preserve layers from 2D files

Use vector drawings as procedural or animation drivers

The usual workaround is manual tracing or round-tripping through DCC tools, both slow and error-prone.

The CAD 2D Importer turns existing 2D assets into first-class Unreal data, ready to drive geometry, animation, or logic.

Core idea: DXF & JSON → Unreal Splines

The plugin reads standard DXF files and a lightweight JSON schema, converting them into:

Native Unreal Spline Actors

Organised by layers

With correct units and scale

Editable, selectable, and reusable across workflows

No meshes. No baking. No loss of intent.

Use cases across industries

ArchViz & AEC

For architects and visualisation artists:

Import floor plans directly as splines

Preserve CAD layers (walls, grids, circulation, structure)

Extrude walls and floors procedurally

Use splines as snapping guides for assets

Iterate layouts without re-exporting meshes

This fits before Datasmith, not instead of it, especially for early-stage or schematic work.

Urban planners & simulation designers

For planning, GIS-adjacent, or analytical workflows:

Import zoning diagrams, site boundaries, road layouts

Keep clean 2D references for simulations

Drive procedural generation or agent systems

Maintain unit correctness across large scales

Splines remain lightweight and editable, unlike imported meshes.

Motion Designers

This is where the plugin quietly becomes very powerful.

Motion designers working in Unreal often need:

Logos

Type outlines

Line illustrations

Abstract vector paths

Infographics

These usually exist as:

CAD drawings

Illustrator exports

3ds Max shapes

Technical diagrams

With CAD 2D Importer, those vectors become:

Animated spline paths

Motion-controlled geometry

Niagara drivers

Procedural reveals, wipes, or line growth animations

Instead of rebuilding vectors manually or relying on meshes, designers get true spline-based motion control.

This makes the plugin especially suitable for Unreal Motion Designer workflows.

Illustrators & technical artists

For illustration-heavy projects:

Import line art or diagrams as splines

Control stroke behaviour procedurally

Use splines as masks, paths, or construction guides

Combine with materials, Niagara, or Blueprint logic

This bridges the gap between vector illustration tools and real-time rendering.

Key features (current scope)

DXF Import

Lines, Polylines, Circles, Arcs, Splines (NURBS tessellated)

Layer Preservation

Toggle, filter, colour, and batch-process by layer

Unit Handling

Auto-detect where possible, manual override when needed

JSON Schema

Clean internal format for reliability and extensibility

Spline-Based Output

Native Unreal Spline Actors, not baked meshes

3ds Max Integration

Python exporter for precise shape transfer

3D Building Tools

Wall and floor extrusion

Seam welding

Mesh cleanup.

Typical workflow

1. Import a DXF or JSON file

2. Review layers, counts, and units in the importer window

3. Select which layers to spawn

4. Generate spline actors in the level

5. Use splines for:

Architecture

Motion graphics

Procedural tools

Animation and VFX

Technical overview

Modules

CADCore (Runtime)

CADIO (Editor)

CADEditor (Editor)

Data

JSON schema as internal source of truth

Blueprints

None (pure C++ for performance and control)

Dependencies

ProceduralMeshComponent (built-in)

Platforms

Windows, macOS, Linux

What this plugin is not

To set expectations clearly:

Not a DWG editor

Not a BIM replacement

Not a text/dimension importer

Not a full CAD round-trip tool

It focuses deliberately on clean 2D geometry as splines, because that’s where Unreal benefits most.

The CAD 2D Importer is less about CAD, and more about intent preservation.

Whether that intent is:

a wall layout,

a city diagram,

a logo path,

or an animated line illustration,

the plugin lets Unreal start where professionals already are, instead of forcing them to start over.

Check out CAD 2D Importer on FAB:

Fab.com

CAD 2D Importer

CAD 2D Importer 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...