MicroStation to Blender workflow?

Question

I've seen a few posts show up in the search results for Blender. I'm wondering if anyone here has established a workflow for making MicroStation 3D Models usable in Blender? 
 What I'm looking for is: 
 
 Export Format 
 Export Settings (including any necessary working unit settings) 
 Import Settings within Blender 
 Additional initial steps within Blender (geometry cleanup etc..) 
 
 I recently did an initial test and the only file format format I had some success was OBJ but I'm about to make a more concerted effort and was curious if OBJ is still the way to go or if FBX or other is the better route to go down?

Marta Kaczmarek · Answer

1.First if you are working with some Geographic Coordinate System and have huge value for the coordinates you need to move the objects close to (0,0). Blender cannot handle objects well that are far away scene origin. 
 2. For export I will recommend two options: FBX or OBJ. In export options you need to set Invert Y and Z but then keep the axis settings in Blender for import by default (-Z Forward, Y Up). Or keep uncheck the option for axis in MicroStation and for import in Blender set: Y Forward, Z Up.

3. The option for import OBJ in Blender Split by Group will create separate elements in Blender for each level in MicroStation.

4. If you have imported the model, select one and go to Edit Mode( Tab ), press A to have selected all vertices, press M and select Merge by distance . It will remove all duplicated vertices. 
 
 5. If some of faces are not displaying properly it may have a relation with Normal. So select the face and press ALT N and try these options. 
 Enable displaying of normal could be helpful. These options are only available in Edit Mode.

David Trejo-Rodriguez · Answer

OBJ and FBX would be the best options. Others have pointed to some existing resources. 
 The following might also be helpful: 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK7Air0kJHU 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SaYbMoiXDo 
 What exactly are you trying to do in blender?

Louis van Amerongen · Answer

Hi Barry, 
 If you are using MicroStation Connect, I've got good results with the export to .obj. Geometry and the scale of the materials becomes visible in Blender. 
 It is important to make sure that the model is not too far from the XY=0.0 point. In that case I make an extra model with a shift. 
 
 In MicroStation Connect: 
 Step 1) export to obj: 
 Stroke Tolerance (Meters): 0.001 
 Invert Y and Z selected: 
 
 Step 2) Open Blender 
 Open Blender and click on an empty space (so the splash screen goes away): 
 
 Make a new Collection (Right click on the Scene Collection in the tree structure on the top right of the screen), and give it a logical name (F2): 
 
 Step 3) Import the .obj 
 Select this new Collection and go to File - Import: 
 
 Select the .obj file that was exported from MicroStation and select Split by group on the right. Click on Import OBJ and the 3D model wil be imported:

Example of MicroStation / OpenRoads project, visualised in Blender: 
 
 Regards Louis

MicroStation to Blender workflow?

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