urdf_importer
URDF Importer is an add-on for Blender. It supports for importing robots from URDF format from ROS Packages and provides FBX Exporter with textures for further usage.
Features
- Import robot from URDF format from ROS environment to Blender (please source the package first)
- Auto generate meshes, armatures and bones based on the URDF
- Remove duplicated materials
- Export robot to .fbx format with textures
Prerequisite
Installation
- Setup python enviroment
cd <blender_path>/<version>/python/bin/ # For example cd blender-3.1.2-linux-x64/3.1/python/bin/
./python3.10 -m ensurepip
./python3.10 -m pip install --upgrade pip
./python3.10 -m pip install pyyaml
./python3.10 -m pip install rospkg
./python3.10 -m pip install urdf_parser_py
Windows: If Blender is installed to i.e. C:\Program Files\, run cmd.exe as administrator! Define ROS_ROOT as system environment variable pointing to a folder containing your ROS packages.
- Install add-on
- Compress the folder
urdf_importer_addon into a ZIP file named urdf_importer_addon.zip.
- Open a terminal, source the ROS workspace that contains the URDF model, and then start Blender by running
blender in the terminal.
- In Blender, go to the
Edit menu and select Preferences.
- Click on
Install.
- Navigate to and select the
urdf_importer_addon.zip file, then click Install Add-on.
- Enable the add-on by checking the box next to
Import-Export: Import URDF Format.
- Verify the installation by opening
File → Import. You should see URDF (.urdf) listed in the menu.
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/64316740/160031703-74b12638-89e8-4aed-a1c0-4ce39fa56783.mp4
Quickstart
Import a standard PR2 from ROS
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/64316740/160031686-0263fd5f-013a-47c1-b760-d4723a0d95a3.mp4
Export as .fbx format with textures for e.g. Unreal Engine
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/64316740/160304519-1879882c-9229-4db5-8234-aac34a32c896.mp4