What's New

Latest updates, features, and improvements to ModelLink 3D.

v1.7.0 August 2026 Latest

✨ SketchUp Plugin v2.4.1 — Print to p3DF

  • Print to p3DF — export your model as a single self-contained .p3df file straight from SketchUp. Open it in 3D and step into AR with no account, no upload, and no connection. Send it, archive it, or hand it to a client on a USB stick; it keeps working.
  • Verified end to end on both iPhone and Android: a freshly exported file, never previously opened, rendering and placing in AR with the device offline.
  • Find it under Extensions → ModelLink 3D Studio → Print to p3DF…

🔧 Export Checks

  • Off-center warning — the plugin now tells you before exporting when your model sits far from the origin, which is the usual cause of a model that lands in an odd spot in AR.
  • Materials and textures summary — the post-export summary lists what your model actually carries, so you can see at a glance what travelled with it.

🐛 Fixes

  • The iPhone AR notice named the wrong cause. It reported that fast AR needs SketchUp 2025 whenever no USDZ was bundled — including for SketchUp 2025 users, where the real cause was TIFF textures. It now names the actual reason and, for TIFF, tells you exactly what to convert.
  • The Print to p3DF confirmation told you the file opens in any web browser on a computer. It does not — a .p3df is a package with the viewer carried inside it. The message now points at the free P3DF™ Viewer, which is where it opens on every device.
v1.6.3 June 2026

✨ New Features

  • QR codes from SketchUp — generate a QR code that opens your hosted model in 3D and AR. Place it in the model as a face-me component, or save it as a PNG to drop into LayOut sheets, drawings and quotes.
  • The P3DF™ Viewer is now easy to reach — linked from your dashboard beside the Download P3DF™ button, and listed as its own tool on the Downloads page.

🔧 Plans and Pricing

  • The pricing page now states what the platform actually enforces: link duration is 1 year on paid plans, where it previously said permanent; Team and Enterprise show Unlimited models; Enterprise is Custom — let's talk; and the free tier is labelled $0 / 30 days, because that is what it is.
  • Studio is now Team — the plan name collided with the ModelLink 3D Studio converter. Same plan, same price, clearer name.
  • New Maker plan at $9/month, open for waitlist sign-ups.

🔧 Improvements

  • Every uploaded model now gets an explicit default lighting and material setup, so a fresh upload looks right without opening the display settings.
  • Import & Tag is far more accurate on Cabinet Vision files — new Hardware, Appliance, Wall and Floor tags, and manufacturing detail split into separate Drawer Slide, Hinge and Edgebanding tags. Across every test file, nothing was left in the catch-all Other tag.
  • Import & Tag now checks that a DAE really is a Cabinet Vision export before it changes anything, and asks first when it isn't.
  • The export dialog shows "Uploads as:" — the exact project name your model will publish under, so a QR code you print now matches the link you end up with.
  • SketchUp 2024 and earlier now get a one-time notice on load explaining which AR path they will use.

🐛 Fixes

  • Android AR fixed. Models built from Cabinet Vision imports carried thousands of separate material pieces; they are now merged on export, which is what Android AR needs. Files got smaller in the process.
  • iPhone AR improved. SketchUp 2025 exports without TIFF textures now bundle a native AR file, so iOS opens AR directly instead of converting the model on the fly.
  • Replacing a project thumbnail now shows the new image immediately, instead of the old one lingering.
  • Times across the dashboard and admin — and the arithmetic behind link expiry — were three hours out. The database and the application now agree on the timezone.
  • The fullscreen button no longer appears on embedded viewers, where iOS blocks it and it could never work. Viewers opened directly keep the button.

🔒 Security

  • A model's display settings can now only be changed by the account that owns it.
v1.6.2 May 2026

✨ New Features

  • Studio Web — convert a Cabinet Vision DAE export into a 3DF™ package from your browser. The conversion runs entirely on your own machine; nothing is uploaded. Sign in with your ModelLink 3D account to use it.

🔧 Improvements

  • The SketchUp plugin now ships encrypted and signed by Trimble — SketchUp's Extension Manager will show it as a signed extension.
  • Patent Pending notice added to viewer and gallery footers, following the provisional application filed in April 2026.
v1.6.1 May 2026

📚 New Documentation

  • What is ModelLink 3D? — master explainer page covering the platform, formats, pricing, and supported file types
  • File formats reference — definitive guide to 3DF™, p3DF™, GLB, and USDZ, and how they fit together
  • The Case for p3DF — position paper on why 3D needs a portable document format

🔧 Site Structure

  • New /info/formats/ directory groups format-specific documentation (file-formats and case-for-p3df, with a 3DF™ specification page to follow)
  • Schema.org structured data added to the master explainer page for richer AI search and AI overview results
v1.6.0 April 2026

✨ New Features

  • Any .p3df file now opens in a standalone browser-based viewer at modellink3d.com/p3df-viewer/. View in AR; installs as a Progressive Web App and works offline after first visit.

🔧 SketchUp Plugin v1.7.0

  • Native .3df output — exports ModelLink 3D's primary package format directly, replacing the legacy .m3df extension
  • Manifest declares format: p3df aligned with platform convention

🔧 Improvements

  • Upgraded model-viewer to v4.2 — latest AR rendering and material handling across viewer, gallery, and embedded surfaces
v1.5.0 March 2026

✨ New Features

  • Communication preferences — opt out of product emails and set your preferred language from Account Settings
  • Cloudflare R2 cloud storage — models now served from edge locations for faster loading worldwide
  • Stripe billing — subscribe, manage your plan, and view invoices from the Billing page

🔧 Improvements

  • Mobile navigation redesign — always-visible compact buttons replace the hamburger menu
  • iOS safe-area support — full-screen display on notched iPhones
  • Blog added to navigation across all pages
  • Gallery pages — cleaner "View in AR" (mobile) / "View Model" (desktop) button
  • Smoother registration — email failures no longer block account creation

🐛 Fixes

  • Fixed blank screen on registration caused by email configuration
  • Fixed Stripe webhook duplicate event handling
  • Fixed plan expiration not resetting correctly on upgrade
v1.4.0 February 2026

✨ New Features

  • Rich metadata — display name, description, project reference, and SKU flow from plugin to viewer to social sharing
  • Auto-generated thumbnails — 1200×630 preview images created from your SketchUp viewport during export
  • Social sharing previews — Facebook, LinkedIn, and other platforms show your model's name, description, and thumbnail
  • Dashboard thumbnail display — project cards show your model's thumbnail image
  • Thumbnail upload — replace or add thumbnails from your dashboard

🔧 SketchUp Plugin v1.4.0

  • Metadata dialog always shown — set display name, description, project reference, and SKU on every export
  • Automatic thumbnail generation from your current SketchUp view
  • Manifest v1.1 format with all metadata fields included in 3DF package
  • Removed face orientation detection (was a false positive from texture placeholders)

🔧 Improvements

  • Dashboard edit modal — update display name, description, project reference, SKU, and thumbnail
  • Gallery cards show display name with smart fallback to formatted project name
  • Viewer title and description populated from your metadata
  • Admin metadata sync utility for backfilling existing projects
v1.3.0 January 2026

✨ New Features

  • Direct GLB upload — upload GLB files from any 3D software, no plugin required
  • Mobile-first viewer redesign — model fills 80% of viewport on mobile devices
  • Bottom sheet controls — swipe-up settings panel with touch-optimized controls
  • PBR material presets — Product Studio, Glossy Plastic, Matte Finish, Brushed Metal, and more
  • Environment lighting — choose between Neutral, Legacy, or custom HDR environments
  • Tone mapping controls — Commerce, Neutral, or ACES Film modes
  • Save PBR settings — your lighting preferences persist per project

🔧 Improvements

  • Touch-optimized 48px tap targets throughout mobile interface
  • Collapsible Advanced Settings section for exposure and shadow controls
  • Dashboard PBR modal with same controls as viewer
  • Admin utility for regenerating viewer templates across all projects
v1.2.0 January 2026

✨ New Features

  • QR code generation — download print-ready QR codes for your models
  • Update model — swap your 3D file without losing your share links or embed codes
  • Edit project details — update category and description from your dashboard
  • New 3DF™ package (.m3df) — streamlined ModelLink 3D format for faster uploads

🔒 Security

  • Signed URLs — cryptographic protection for your 3D model files
  • Enhanced hotlink protection — prevents unauthorized embedding of your models
  • Improved server configuration — sensitive files secured outside web root

🔧 SketchUp Plugin v1.2.0

  • Updated to export 3DF™ (.m3df)
  • Metadata dialog — add category and description during export
  • Settings option to show/hide metadata prompt
  • Category and description auto-populate on upload
v1.0.0 December 2025 Launch

✨ Features

  • Upload 3D models and get instant shareable AR links
  • AR viewing on iOS (Safari) and Android (Chrome) — no app required
  • Personal gallery page for each user
  • Embed codes for websites
  • SketchUp plugin for direct export to ModelLink 3D
  • Subscription tiers: Free Trial, Professional, Studio, Business
  • Stripe integration for payments and billing

🔧 Platform

  • Email verification for new accounts
  • Password reset functionality
  • User dashboard for model management
  • Secure file upload with validation

🚀 Coming Soon

Mobile Slideshow Gallery Museum-quality full-screen model presentations
Universal DAE → AR Convert any DAE file to AR-ready format
Cabinet Vision Support Direct workflow for Cabinet Vision users
VR Support View room scenes in virtual reality
Team Collaboration Share galleries with team members
Wireframe Mode Toggle wireframe view in the AR viewer
Other Plugins Contact us to discuss integrations