3D model management for e-commerce

This paper contributes to the efficient visualization and management of 3D content for e-commerce purposes. The main objective of this research is to improve the multimedia management of complex 3D models, such as CAD or BIM models, by simply dragging a CAD/BIM file into a web application. Our developments and tests show that it is possible to convert these models into web compatible formats. The platform we present performs this task requiring no extra intervention from the user. This process makes sharing 3D content on the web immediate and simple, offering users an easy way to create rich accessible multiplatform catalogues. Furthermore, the platform enables users to view and interact with the uploaded models on any WebGL compatible browser favouring collaborative environments. Despite not being the main objective of this work, an interface with search engines has also been designed and tested. It shows that users can easily search for 3D products in a catalogue. The platform stores metadata of the models and uses it to narrow the search queries. Therefore, more precise results are obtained.