A Blender™ add-on for importing, exporting and rendering LDraw™ file format models and parts.
LPub3D Import LDraw imports LEGO® models into Blender, exports models from Blender and renders imported models using the full range of Blender capabilities. This addon is intended to support direct Blender integration with LPub3D.
This addon was designed to provide LPub3D an autonomous addon enabling the integrated import, export and render of LDraw LEGO® models using Blender™. However once installed, this addon's import, export and render modules can be executed directly from the Blender GUI, CLI or your operating system command console just as any other Blender addon.
It supports .mpd, .ldr, .dat and .io file formats.
Users can select from two available import modules:
- LDraw import module adapted from Import LDraw by Toby Nelson (tobymnelson@gmail.com)
- LDraw import MM module adapted from Export LDraw by Matthew Morrison [cuddlyogre] (cuddlyogre@gmail.com)
- Available for Blender 2.82 up to at least Blender 4.3
- Mac, Windows and Linux supported.
- MPD file compatible.
- Render settings configurable from LPub3D user interface.
- Monitor render progress from LPub3D user interface or launch Blender and directly invoke render routine from manu item.
- Render Portable Network Graphics (.png) image files.
- Crop images with transparent background to their opaque bounds
- Specify transparent background from render settings
- Specify blendfile to load additional settings
- Specify exr 'environment' file to load custom backdrop and ground plane
- Available for Blender 2.82 up to at least Blender 4.3
- Mac, Windows and Linux supported.
- MPD file compatible.
- Import settings configurable from LPub3D user interface.
- LeoCAD groups and cameras (both perspective and orthographic) supported.
- LSynth bendable parts supported (synthesized models).
- LDCad generated parts supported.
- Additional LDraw parts paths can be specified.
- LGEO colours, sloped bricks and lighted bricks can be custom configured via parameter (ini) file.
- Import and apply camera settings from LPub3D generated LDraw content
- Import and apply light settings from LPub3D generated LDraw content.
- Pointlignt, Sunlight, Spotlight and Arealight sources available.
- LDraw archive (.zip) or disc library supported. Archive libraries are auto detected when available at the specified LDraw directory path.
- Cycles and Blender Render engines supported. It renders either engine from a single scene.
- Import Photorealistic look, or Instructions look.
- Physically Based Realistic materials - standard brick material, transparent, rubber, chrome, metal, pearlescent, glow-in-the-dark, glitter and speckle.
- Principled Shader supported Uses Blender's 'Principled Shader' where available for optimal look (but still works well when unavailable).
- Accurate colour handling. Correct colour space management is used so that e.g. black parts look black.
- Direct colours supported.
- Back face culling - fully parses all BFC information, for accurate normals.
- Linked duplicates - Parts of the same type and colour can share the same mesh.
- Linked studs - studs can also share the same mesh.
- Studs can include the LEGO logo on them, adding extra geometry.
- Gaps between bricks - Optionally adds a small space between each brick, as in real life.
- Smart face smoothing - Uses Edge-Split Modifier and Sharp Edges derived from Ldraw lines, for smooth curved surfaces and sharp corners.
- Concave walls - Optionally look as if each brick has very slightly concave walls (with the photorealistic renderer), which affects the look of light reflections.
- Light bricks - Bricks that emit light are supported.
- Parenting Minifigs - Optionally make the parts of a minifig parented to each other, so e.g. rotating an arm also moves the hand with it.
- Fast - even large models can be imported in seconds.
LPub3D Render LDraw is licensed under the GPLv2 or any later version.
LEGO® is a registered trademark of the Lego Group
Copyright (c) 2020 - 2025 by Trevor SANDY