Ortho2D›3D model → editable 2D CAD
3D to 2D CAD — an editable CAD file, with layers and dimensions
When you search for 3D to 2D CAD you usually need one thing: a drawing file somebody can open in AutoCAD and keep working on. Ortho2D projects your 3D model into orthographic views, removes hidden lines, re-fits true circles and arcs, places the dimensions and writes it all out as clean CAD entities on named layers. Then you can finish it in AutoCAD — or in Ortho2D’s own 2D CAD editor, in the same browser tab.
✓ No installation✓ Your model stays in your browser✓ Free to build — $2 to download
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Watch it run — model in, dimensioned sheet out.
Why most “3D to 2D” output is not really CAD
Plenty of tools give you a flattened image, a PDF print of the viewport, or a single polyline outline. None of that is CAD: you cannot snap to it, you cannot re-dimension it, and every arc is hundreds of tiny segments. Turning that into a usable drawing is often slower than drafting it from scratch.
What a usable 2D CAD file looks like
Lines, arcs and circles as real entities. Visible and hidden edges on separate layers with the right linetypes. Dimensions as dimensions, not exploded text. Centre lines on holes, hatch in the section, a sheet border and a title block on their own layers. That is what Ortho2D writes, so the file behaves like one a drafter made.
Side by side
| Viewport export / PDF print | Ortho2D | |
|---|---|---|
| Entities | Image, or thousands of short segments | Lines, arcs, circles, polylines, hatch, text |
| Arcs and holes | Faceted polylines | Re-fitted true arcs and circles |
| Layers | One layer, or none | VISIBLE, HIDDEN, CENTER, DIM, HATCH, TEXT, FRAME |
| Hidden lines | Missing or all drawn solid | Removed by ray testing, optional dashed hidden layer |
| Dimensions | None | Placed automatically without overlaps |
| Editing afterwards | Redraw it | Open in AutoCAD, or edit in the Ortho2D 2D CAD editor |
| Install | A CAD seat on every machine | Nothing — runs in the browser, the model stays on your computer |
How to do it
- Open your 3D modelSTEP, IGES, STL, OBJ, GLB/glTF, FBX, 3DM, 3MF or PLY. Drag it onto the page; it is read in your browser, not uploaded.
- Generate the viewsFront, top, side, isometric and section views are projected and aligned on one sheet. Turn on curve detection so holes come back as true circles.
- Check the drawingEvery view, dimension and layer is visible on screen before you pay anything. Drag views, change the scale or the sheet size.
- Export to CAD — or keep draftingDownload DXF (R2000 or R12) for AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD or LibreCAD, plus PDF and SVG. Or open the drawing in Ortho2D CAD to add notes, dimensions and details.
From triangles to CAD entities
Most 3D formats store surfaces as triangles. A CAD drawing needs edges: the outline of each face as seen from a direction, split into the parts you can see and the parts that are hidden. Ortho2D finds the feature edges (where two faces meet at an angle, and the silhouette) and ray-tests each piece for visibility from the view direction.
Then it cleans up. Collinear pieces are joined into single lines, tessellated curves are measured and re-fitted as true arcs and circles, and duplicate line work is removed, so one line on paper is one entity in the file. That last step matters more than it sounds: stacked duplicate lines are the most common reason an exported drawing is miserable to edit.
Layers you can rely on
Each kind of line work goes to its own layer with a matching linetype and lineweight, following ISO 128 line groups: continuous for visible edges, dashed for hidden, chain for centre lines, thin for dimensions and hatch. Switch a layer off in AutoCAD and exactly the thing you expect disappears.
- VISIBLE — outlines and visible edges
- HIDDEN — dashed hidden edges (optional)
- CENTER — centre lines and centre marks on holes
- DIM — dimensions and leaders
- HATCH — section hatching by material
- TEXT and FRAME — notes, border and title block
Finishing the drawing without leaving the browser
A generated drawing gets you most of the way; the rest is judgement — a note about a finish, an extra dimension the inspector wants, a detail of a weld. Ortho2D includes a full 2D CAD editor (lines, arcs, offsets, trims, dimensions, layers, blocks, plotting to PDF) so you can do that last step in the same tab, then export the final DXF.
What goes into the CAD file
| Item | How it is written |
|---|---|
| Format | DXF R2000 (default) or R12, plus PDF and SVG |
| Units | Millimetres or inches, set before export and written into the header |
| Curves | True ARC and CIRCLE entities where the geometry supports them |
| Dimensions | Linear, radius and diameter, placed against an occupancy map |
| Hatching | Section faces hatched per material |
| Sheet | ISO / ANSI sizes, first- or third-angle projection, title block |
Questions
How do I convert a 3D model to a 2D CAD drawing?
Open the model in Ortho2D in your browser, pick the views and sections you want, and export DXF. The DXF opens in AutoCAD and any other 2D CAD program with its layers, linetypes and dimensions intact.
Can I get a DWG file?
Ortho2D writes DXF, which every DWG-based program opens directly; in AutoCAD, Save As DWG takes one step. Ortho2D’s own 2D CAD editor can also open DWG files you already have.
Does it work for both mechanical parts and buildings?
Yes. The mechanical template gives ISO/ANSI sheets and tolerance notes; the architectural template gives plans, elevations and sections with grid bubbles and level datums.
Do I need AutoCAD or SolidWorks?
No. The drawing is built in the browser, and Ortho2D includes a 2D CAD editor for finishing it. You only need a desktop CAD program if you want to keep working there.
Is it free?
Building and checking the drawing is free and unlimited, with no sign-up. Downloading the CAD file is $2 for a single export, or a monthly plan for regular work.
Is my model uploaded anywhere?
No. The 3D-to-2D conversion runs on your own computer inside the browser tab; the model file is never sent to a server.
Other conversions
Load a model and see the sheet
Nothing to install and no account needed to try it. Bring your own file, or open the built-in demo part.
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