FBX Exporter 3D Node

FBX Exporter 3D behaves like a Saver: you plug the output of a 3D scene into its input, set the export options, and click Render in the toolbar to generate the file.

Each node in the Fusion scene is exported as a separate object: meshes keep the name of the node that created them, and so do cameras and lights. That makes it easy to find your way around in Blender or Maya after import.

Two modes: a single file for the whole animation, or one file per frame (useful for pipelines that expect a sequential "point cache").

• Effects Library: Tools > 3D > FBX Exporter 3D
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > 3D > FBX Exporter 3D

• Input (orange) - the only input. Plug in the output of the 3D scene to export (typically the output of a Merge 3D).

1. Build your 3D scene as usual (Merge 3D with geometry, cameras, lights).
2. Add an FBX Exporter 3D and plug the final output into it.
3. In the Inspector, set the Filename, the Format and the Version.
4. Click the Render button in the toolbar to run the export over the defined frame range.

In the Preferences (Fusion > Preferences > Global > General), the Auto Clip Browse option automatically opens a file browser when you add the node.

Filename

Path and name of the output file. The Browse button opens a file browser.

Format (default: FBX)

Output format:

• FBX - main format, several versions available
• .3ds - 3D Studio
• .dae - Collada
• .dxf - AutoCAD
• .obj - Wavefront / Alias (no animation)

Version (default: FBX2011)

Dynamic list of the versions available for the selected format. If your target software is recent (Blender 4.x, Maya 2024), choose a newer version (2019, 2020) for fewer surprises.

Frame Rate

Frame rate stored in the FBX file. It must match the fps of your Fusion project to avoid retiming on the receiving end.

Scale Units By (default: 1.0)

Multiplier applied to units on export. Essential because 3D applications use different unit conventions (cm vs m). Blender defaults to m, Maya defaults to cm. Adjust it for your target.

Geometry / Lights / Cameras (all checked by default)

Three checkboxes that filter what gets exported. For example, to get only the tracking camera, check only Cameras.

Render Range

When enabled, the frame range (Render Range) is stored in the file, which helps the target software position its timeline.

Reduce Constant Keys

Removes redundant keyframes (values identical to their neighbors). Lighter file, and cleaner animation to edit in the target software.

File Per Frame (No Animation)

Exports one numbered file per frame; the animation is not stored in a single FBX. Useful for point cache or for transferring to engines that don't handle FBX animation.

Sequence Start Frame

Start number of the sequence in File Per Frame mode. Lets you start at 100 instead of 1 to match a specific shot.

FBX (.fbx)

The most complete: geometry, cameras, lights, animation, hierarchies. The recommended format for 95% of workflows.

OBJ (.obj)

Static geometry only (no animation). Ideal for sending a single model to a sculpting tool (ZBrush) or a 3D printer.

Collada (.dae)

Open standard alternative to FBX. Good compatibility with game engines (Godot, some versions of Unity).

3D Studio (.3ds)

Old format - limits on object names (8 characters), vertex count and textures. Avoid it unless you have a very specific need.

AutoCAD (.dxf)

CAD format. Rarely useful in motion design, but handy for exporting simple geometry to an engineering tool.

• Fusion ↔ Blender round trip - build a 3D scene in Fusion, export it as FBX, refine it in Blender, then bring it back in with FBX Mesh 3D.
• Exporting a tracking camera - once the Camera Tracker is solved, export only the camera solve to reuse it in external 3D software.
• Sharing with a collaborator - send the 3D scene you built in Fusion for review in Maya or Cinema 4D.
• Point cache (OBJ sequence) - export an animation as a sequence of OBJ files so an external engine can consume it frame by frame.
• Archiving - freeze the state of a 3D scene in a format that doesn't depend on Fusion.

• Not every feature is exported - the content of a custom node (fuse, Custom Vertex 3D) or an advanced shader doesn't always have an FBX equivalent. Remember to "bake" (do an intermediate render of) the deformations before exporting.
• Fusion's procedural materials don't carry over as is: the target software will at best receive the diffuse textures, not complex shader trees.
• FBX version: if you have import issues in a recent application, try FBX 2019 or 2020 instead of 2011.
• For a clean import into Blender, set Scale Units By = 0.01 if your Blender scene is in cm - otherwise everything comes in at 100x scale.
• OBJ and animation: the OBJ format never contains animation. If you pick OBJ while your scene is animated, only the current frame is exported.
• File Per Frame quickly generates a lot of files - plan a dedicated folder and only enable it when you have a real reason to.

The Settings tab has the controls shared by most 3D nodes.