The Unity Industry Viewer Template provides a fast, reliable way for industrial teams to review, explore, and share 3D models of any size together in real time. Whether you’re working with CAD assemblies, architectural BIM data, or manufactured parts, the Industry Viewer Template gives you an optimized foundation for streaming assets from the Asset Manager and enabling collaborative multi-user sessions across various devices, such as desktop, mobile, and XR.
In this tutorial, you’ll create your first cloud-connected collaborative viewer using the Industry Viewer Template. You’ll learn how to set up your project, prepare 3D assets for streaming, load them into a live session, and activate powerful features like annotations, metadata inspection, and sections cut.
By the end, you’ll have a working industrial viewer that you can fully customize for your own workflow.
If you prefer, you can watch the accompanying video for this tutorial.
This tutorial is intended for users who have beginner-to-intermediate knowledge of developing projects in Unity. To complete this tutorial, you’ll need to:
1. Install the following:
- Unity 6.2 or a newer version
- A trial or regular license for Unity Industry
- Unity’s Industry Template Viewer project, available from GitHub
2. Make sure you have the following project and role settings in your organization:
- You must be added to the Project where assets are stored.
- You must have an Asset Manager Project Contributor role or higher assigned to your account to be able to manage and upload assets.
- For more information on user roles, refer to the following articles: Manage access to your Project and Guide to Roles, Seats, and Project Permissions in Unity Asset Manager.
3. The following additional services are required to use the multiplayer functionality of the Industry Viewer Template:
- Lobby
- Vivox
- Relay
4. 3D asset:
Use your own CAD/BIM model, or use the Unity Tower (.rvt and .nwc files) sample model available in Unity Cloud Asset Manager in External Libraries
Note: No additional setup is required for these services. For more information, refer to Unity Cloud.
Estimated time to complete: 30-60 minutes
The Industry Viewer Template is a standalone Unity project that can be downloaded as a .zip file, extracted, and added as a project in the Unity Hub.
Download the Unity Industry Viewer Template from GitHub
1. In GitHub, click the Code button and choose Download ZIP.
2. Extract the ZIP to a short path (e.g., C:\UnityProjects\IndustryViewer Template) to avoid OS path-length issues.
1. Launch Unity Hub > Projects > Add > Add project from disk.
2. Select the project folder you extracted (e.g., Industry Viewer Template).
3. Choose Unity 6.2.9f(or newer) as the Editor version and click Open. On first open, Unity will import packages and assets. This can take several minutes.
✓ Checkpoint: The project loads without errors and appears in the Hub project list.
1. Open the Project Settings.
2. Go to Edit > Project Settings > Services
3. Link this project to your organization:
- Select your organization
- Choose an existing Unity Cloud Project or create a new one
- Close the Project Settings window when your Cloud Project is linked
Note: Your Unity Industry license must be connected to the relevant organization. Multiplayer session can only be joined if both users connect to the same project under the same organization.
Why this matters: Cloud linkage is the backbone for streaming, multiplayer sessions, and collaboration. Without it, you’re limited to local assets and single-user viewing.
✓ Checkpoint: Project shows Connected to your organization and a specific Cloud Project.
1. Open the Main scene under Assets/Scenes in the Project window.
2. Press Play in the Editor.
3. When the Industry Viewer Template UI loads:
- Click Login
- Approve the authentication pop-up in your browser
- Close the web browser and return to the Editor
4. Once redirected back to the Editor:
- Open the Organizations dropdown
You should see all the organizations tied to your Unity account
- Select the organization
You should see a list of all Unity Cloud projects where Unity Asset Manager is enabled
✓ Checkpoint: The Industry Viewer Template UI loads without errors, the Login button opens a browser window for authentication, and your organization and cloud projects appear in the Asset Explorer.
Note: If there are no assets in the Asset Explorer, don’t worry, we’ll work on that next.
Unity Asset Manager converts your model into a streaming-optimized format (3DDS) that loads instantly inside the Viewer Template. The 3D Data Streaming file supports 30+ 3D formats. For more information about supported file formats, check out the Supported file types documentation page.
1. In the Asset Manager web browser version, select your Organization and Cloud Project.
- For more information about how to use Asset Manager, check out our How to use Unity Asset Manager article.
2. Select the publicly available Industry Demos project.
3. Select Unity Tower > Add to Project.
- You can also add it to a Collection. Think of collections as folders.
4. Navigate back to your Cloud Project (not Unity Industry Demo).
- A copy of the Unity Tower asset should now be in your own Cloud Project.
Tip: Collections can help you separate datasets by team, milestone, project, client, etc.
Some uploads don’t automatically register as “3D Model”. You’ll need to set it explicitly:
1. Select the asset > Edit Files (or Continue Edit).
2. Find the Source dataset > More (...) > Edit.
3. Set Dataset Type to 3D Model > Confirm.
4. Click More(...) > Prepare for 3D Data Streaming.
- This converts your model to a 3DDS asset.
- Complex CAD/BIM can take several minutes.
5. When processing completes, click Save Version.
Learn more about the supported file types from our documentation page.
Note: These steps are essential, otherwise, you will have to convert each 3D file individually.
Why this matters: The 3DDS asset is what the Viewer streams. It preserves hierarchy and metadata while enabling fast loads and consistent performance across devices.
✓ Checkpoint: Your asset shows a 3DDS entry. It’s now ready to stream into the Viewer.
⚠ Warning: If you don’t see Prepare for 3D Data Streaming, your Asset Manager role may not allow it. Ask an Organization Administrator to grant permissions or run the preparation for you.
With your project linked to Unity Cloud and the template running in the Editor, you’re now ready to bring 3D content into the viewer. The Industry Viewer Template is built around streaming your models, not importing them. This approach keeps your project lightweight while supporting large and complex industrial models that preserve metadata and hierarchy. This is especially useful when multiple users reference the same cloud-hosted assets in collaborative sessions.
1. In Unity, open Assets/Scenes/Main.
2. Press Play. The Viewer UI loads.
3. Login if necessary:
- Click Login > Allow Login Request.
- In the Asset Explorer (Game View), select your Organization and Cloud Project (top-left corner of the Viewer).
4. In the Asset Viewer, select your 3DDS asset (e.g., Unity Tower) > Stream.
1. Click on the Asset Viewer button (Folder icon) in the top-left corner of the Unity Industry Viewer Template to open the Asset Viewer.
2. Select any other 3DDS asset (if available) > Add to the Scene
- You can select multiple assets and load them all at the same time.
Note: The first asset that is streamed into a scene (e.g., Unity Tower) is considered the root asset and cannot be deleted from the current streaming session.
Why this matters: Streaming keeps local projects lightweight, ensures everyone sees the authoritative version, and avoids heavy local imports.
✓ Checkpoint: You see your model(s) loading into the scene. Use the File/Folder icon to jump back to the Asset Explorer at any time.
Once your assets are streaming into the Viewer, you can begin exploring the scene just as your end users will. The Industry Viewer Template includes built-in navigation modes, inspection tools, and visualization controls designed for reviewing large industrial models.
Navigation Modes
1. Orbit/Pan: Left mouse (orbit), middle mouse (pan).
2. Flythrough: Switch navigation mode > hold right mouse to look; use W/A/S/D to move.
- Large scenes: set Move Sensitivity to 2 (or higher) in Settings.
3. Walk: Adds a first-person controller
- Use the right mouse to look and use W/A/S/D to move.
4. Change the navigation sensitivity using the in-app settings based on which Navigation Mode is currently active
Click on the Settings (Gear icon) in the top-right corner of the Viewer Template
Orbit Camera
- Orbit Sensitivity
- Pan Sensitivity
- Zoom Sensitivity
Fly Camera
- Move Sensitivity
- Rotation Sensitivity
Walk Camera
- Move Sensitivity
- Camera Height
- Rotation Sensitivity
Why this matters: Different datasets benefit from different navigation methods. Teams often use flythrough for traversing large open spaces, orbit for macro review, and switch to walk for interiors.
Go to Tools > Environment > choose your desired skybox to change reflections/lighting context quickly.
- Some environments, such as indoor studios, may not be suitable for large-scale models.
- The Hierarchy shows all streamed assets and their parts.
- When an asset is selected in the Hierarchy, it can be moved and rotated by selecting the corresponding tool in the Transform menu.
Position and rotation values can be typed in via the Transform menu.
The Grid Size can also be adjusted in the Transform menu.
- In the Hierarchy menu, you can hide and unhide objects.
- You can also delete any secondary assets.
The source assets (first streamed model) can't be deleted in session to help prevent accidental loss of context.
- Select any object to view BIM/CAD metadata.
- Use this during design reviews to confirm part IDs, materials, categories, vendor notes, etc.
The Unity Industry Viewer Template includes built-in review tools that let you capture notes, take accurate measurements, and reveal internal details of your model. These features help teams communicate, validate designs, and collaborate more effectively.
Annotations
- Activate Annotations and click in the scene to place a marker.
- Enter a note; a screenshot/attachment is captured.
- Annotations sync back to Unity Asset Manager under the source asset’s messages/annotations.
Why this matters: Feedback lives with the model and is accessible from both the Viewer and Asset Manager, reducing email/slide sprawl.
Measurements
- Two Points mode: Click two points to measure free-form distances; drag markers to refine.
- Orthogonal mode: Click a surface (e.g., floor); the tool measures to the opposing collider (e.g., ceiling).
- Units toggle: Meters/Centimeters/Feet/Inches.
- Save or Clear measurements for audit trails.
Section Cut
- Enable Section Cut > Move/rotate/scale the box gizmo.
- Invert to flip the kept/hidden volume.
- Toggle Box Visual and Gizmos as needed.
- Reset returns the Section Cut Gizmo back to its default settings.
As you assemble multiple streamed assets, you can save your current setup as a reusable layout. Layouts let you preserve loaded assets and scene organization, making it easy to revisit your work or share the exact same view with collaborators.
When you assemble multiple assets (e.g., Unity Tower + Plaza + Park + City Buildings + Building Backdrop), save that state as a Layout:
1. Click Save Layout and name the Layout.
2. Choose Organization > Project > Collection.
3. Click Save.
The Layout is now a first-class asset in Asset Manager and can be loaded instantly by others which is perfect for presentations and milestone reviews.
The Unity Industry Viewer Template supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to explore the same streamed scene together. Whether you’re sending simple invite links or testing multi-user sessions directly in the Editor, these tools help you validate collaborative workflows before deploying your application.
How to enable Multiplayer Mode
1. Go to Tools > Multiplay > Enable Multiplay for all platforms
2. Go to Window > Multiplayer > Multiplayer Play Mode.
3. Enable Player 2 (and Player 3 / 4 if needed).
- Don’t modify packages while the virtual player is being enabled.
4. In each player window, Login and Allow Login Request.
1. Each player should load the same asset or layout.
2. Collaborate and communicate directly in the Unity Industry Viewer Template.
- Relay, Lobby, and Vivox are already configured and ready to use.
Use Invite to generate an access link so that your teammates can join your session.
Why this matters: You can validate multi-user flows (avatars, annotations, section cuts) on a single workstation and no extra devices are required.
For an immersive, true-to-scale viewing experience, the Industry Viewer Template also supports VR (Quest). Using VR enabled scenes, you can step directly inside your model to evaluate spatial layouts, ergonomics, and design intent from a first-person perspective.
How to enable VR Mode
1. Go to Tools > VR > Setup Standalone VR
2. Open Assets/Scenes/Main VR
3. Go to Project Settings > XR Plugin Management > Enable your headset/runtime
- Example: OpenXR, Meta Quest feature group, XR Simulation.
4. Press Play and put on your headset.
5. Use the left stick to fly through the scene
6. Use the right stick for teleport movement
- Teleport range depends on scene scale
Why this matters: True-scale review reveals spatial and ergonomic issues that are hard to catch on a 2D monitor.
The Viewer’s interface is fully customizable, allowing you to tailor the look and feel to match your brand or workflow needs. From swapping background visuals to modifying menus and layout elements, you can adapt the UI to create a polished, purpose-built experience for your users.
1. In the Project Window, select Assets/UI/Background (UXML).
2. Double-click Background to open it in the UI Builder.
3. In the UI Builder Hierarchy, select Background.uxml
4. In the UI Builder Inspector, enable Match Game View to design for your target resolution (e.g., 1920 x 1080).
5. In the UI Builder Hierarchy, select the VisualElement
6. In the UI Builder Inspector, expand the Background menu and replace the default background image with your own background image.
7. In the UI Builder Viewport, select File > Save.
1. In the Project Window, select Assets/Features/UI/Identity(UXML).
2. In the UI Builder Hierarchy, select VisualElement > Logo.
3. In the UI Builder Inspector, expand the Background menu and replace the Unity logo with your custom logo.
- Adjust the size of the image as needed.
1. In the Project Window, select Assets/Features/UI/Identity(UXML).
2. In the UI Builder Hierarchy, select VisualElement> Text.
3. In the UI Builder Inspector, find the Attributes section at the top and right-click on Text > Edit Binding
4. Replace the default message (Unity Industry Viewer Template) with your own message.
5. Press Close.
- Feel free to change the color and outline color of the text as needed.
6. In the Viewport, press File > Save.
Why this matters: You get your own production branding without foregoing core logic, simplifying maintenance as the template evolves.
You now have the core knowledge to build and deploy collaborative 3D review experiences using the Unity Industry Viewer Template.
Whether you’re working with large industrial models, multi-format engineering data, or immersive design reviews, this workflow provides a fast, scalable foundation for real-time visualization.
With cloud-streamed assets, cross-device viewing, and built-in collaboration tools, you’re ready to create powerful review applications that accelerate decisions and elevate your industrial workflows.
