Why view the model in 3D
A plan is an abstraction. It flattens a building into a sheet and asks you to hold the third dimension in your head while you check levels, routing and clearances. Most mistakes in electrical layout are spatial decisions that looked fine on paper and wrong in the room.
Opening the same model in 3D puts those decisions back where they belong. You can see whether a cable tray really clears a beam, whether a board sits at a workable height and whether devices land where people will actually reach them. Because GorkyCAD builds everything from one model, the 3D view is not a separate reconstruction — it is the project as designed.
This guide walks through opening the 3D view, inspecting the installation, and exporting the geometry as GLTF when you need to share it.
What the 3D view lets you check
The value of the 3D view is that it exposes relationships that a flat drawing hides. The most useful checks are quick and visual.
- Mounting heights of boards, sockets and switches against the structure.
- Route continuity from the supply through trays and conduits to the final circuits.
- Clearance between electrical routes and other building services.
- Whether the panel arrangement matches the space actually available.
Nothing here replaces the detailed checks and calculations — the model already carries 70+ calculations and IEC 60364 checks — but the 3D view is where obvious spatial problems become visible before they reach site.
The checks are fast because the geometry is already there. You are not building a special model for review; you are looking at the same project the plans and single-line diagram came from, which means any correction you make carries through to all of them.
Step 1 — Open the 3D view
The 3D view works on the same project you have been drawing, so there is nothing to prepare or convert first.
- Open your project in the GorkyCAD editor in the browser.
- Switch to the 3D view of the model you built from the plans and single-line diagram.
- Let the geometry load, then orient the view to a corner of the building rather than a face, so you can judge depth.
Because the editor runs offline as a PWA, you can open the model on site and rotate it next to the actual installation without a connection.
Step 2 — Navigate and inspect the installation
Navigation is the part that rewards a few minutes of practice. Move around the model deliberately rather than spinning it freely, and check one system at a time.
- Orbit to a view where the elements you are checking overlap in depth.
- Start at the incoming supply and follow the route outward to the final circuits.
- Zoom into each distribution board and confirm the surrounding space.
- Check the highest and lowest points of each run, where clearances are tightest.
If you spot a conflict, fix it in the model rather than noting it for later. Correcting the source keeps the plans, panels, cable schedule and 3D view consistent automatically.
Work through the model in the order a checker would: supply first, then main distribution, then each sub-board and its final circuits. That sequence mirrors how the installation is built, so the 3D review follows the same logic as the site and nothing gets skipped because it sits late in the route.
Step 3 — Export the model as GLTF
When the geometry is right, export it. GLTF is a lightweight 3D format designed for sharing and viewing, which makes it a good fit for reviews and presentations where the recipient does not have design software.
- Confirm you are on the revision you want to publish.
- Choose GLTF as the export format, alongside the other options such as PDF, DXF, XLSX, IFC and BCF.
- Select the scope — the full installation or a single system.
- Name the file with the project and date so revisions stay clear.
Exporting directly from the model means the file you share reflects exactly what you designed, not a redrawn approximation.
Using the exported GLTF file
GLTF opens in many viewers and web tools, which is why it is convenient for people outside your design environment. A client can rotate the installation without installing anything, and a colleague can drop the model into a presentation.
Treat the export as a communication asset, not a controlled drawing. For formal issue you still rely on the PDF document set — specification, cable schedule, estimate and switchboard passport — where the information is laid out for reading and approval. The GLTF file answers the question "what does it look like?"; the PDF set answers "what exactly is specified?".
Used together they cover both halves of a review: the spatial picture and the documented detail.
It is also worth remembering what GLTF is for. It is a viewing format, not a design exchange format, so it carries appearance and geometry rather than the full engineering data. Keep that distinction clear and you avoid the trap of treating a shared visual as a controlled deliverable.
Tips for a useful 3D review
A little method turns the 3D view from a novelty into a checking tool.
- Review one discipline view at a time so the model does not become a tangle.
- Use the same starting viewpoint each time, so changes are easy to spot between revisions.
- Check from the maintenance position a person would actually stand in, not only from above.
- Export early versions too, so stakeholders can follow the design as it develops.
The aim is not a pretty render. It is to catch the spatial problem while it is still cheap to change.
Next steps
Viewing the model in 3D is a small habit with a large payoff: it catches layout problems that drawings conceal, and it gives you a shareable format for everyone else. Because the 3D view and the GLTF export come from the same model as your diagrams and schedules, there is no separate step to maintain.
Open a project in the browser and try the 3D view on your own installation — free to start, with no card required.
See the 3D and export features →
FAQ
Do I need special software to view the model in 3D?
No. The 3D view is part of the browser-based editor, so the same project you draw is shown in three dimensions without a separate application.
What is GLTF used for?
GLTF is a lightweight 3D format for sharing and viewing geometry. It opens in many viewers and web tools, which suits reviews and presentations for people without design software.
Is the exported GLTF the same as the design model?
Yes. It is exported directly from the single project model, so the shared geometry matches the plans, panels and cable schedule.
Can I open the 3D view offline?
Yes. GorkyCAD runs as a PWA in the browser, so you can open the model on site and rotate it even without a connection.
Does a GLTF file replace the PDF document set?
No. Use GLTF to show what the installation looks like. For formal issue use the PDF set with specification, cable schedule, estimate and switchboard passport.