# Importing CAD files into Isaac Sim and editing properties

**URL:** <https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/importing-cad-files-into-isaac-sim-and-editing-properties/345949>\
**Category:** Isaac Sim\
**Tags:** mesh, isaac-sim-v5-0-0, material\
**Created:** [September 24, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/importing-cad-files-into-isaac-sim-and-editing-properties/345949 "2025-09-24T14:50:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ricardo.tovar.1](https://developer.download.nvidia.com/images/forums/profile-default-devtalk-84.png) [@ricardo.tovar.1](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/ricardo.tovar.1)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/importing-cad-files-into-isaac-sim-and-editing-properties/345949/1 "2025-09-24T14:50:45Z")

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Hello,

Currently I’m working on a digital twin for my surface inspection system. I’m importing cyilinders made in CAD (step files) and selecting UV projection generation when doing so. I noticed that the surfaces look different when applying the same material (Brushed aluminum - Medium, in my case) and I can’t get the same level of fine detail as with the surface obtained by creating a cylinder mesh directly from the GUI. Here is an image for reference (imported cylinder on the left and generated mesh in GUI on the right). I know I can go into the looks folder and select the material to change the appearance properties but I can’t quite get a similar look to the cylinder on the right. Could you point me in the right direction/documentation for CAD imports and getting the best quality surfaces please?

 ![Screenshot from 2025-09-24 10-39-25](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/original/4X/d/a/5/da511ef228e99901427a1cd14290cfb27e09a366.jpeg)

### Isaac Sim Version

5.0.0

### Operating System

Ubuntu 20.04

### GPU Information

- Model: RTX2000 ADA
- Driver Version: 535

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**Author:** ![Simplychenable](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/user_avatar/forums.developer.nvidia.com/simplychenable/32/271930_2.png) [@Simplychenable](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/Simplychenable)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 6:27pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/importing-cad-files-into-isaac-sim-and-editing-properties/345949/2 "2025-09-24T18:27:56Z")

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@ricardo.tovar.1 as another user, i suspect the UV projection generation result differs from the UV used on the default Cylinder prim. if you need one to match the other, you may need to establish the same UV to get the same tiling and texture orientation. for example, below is the UV for the default cylinder prim:

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/original/4X/a/3/6/a364e04aabf2fe6037151d5328f242e5310d87ef.png)

the cylinder side faces stretches from 0-1 on the U and V; so does the top and bottom faces. i can’t speak to the setting UV generation produces since i don’t use it specifically for my needs, but you could potentially have a copy of the material with modified `Transform` settings to get it close if modifying the UV isn’t feasible on your end (in your case, you could try to rotate it by 90 degrees and lower the scaling to mimic the look):

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/original/4X/2/5/5/2551c9cf39461fd923dd935b246dedca4c269460.png)

do note that different materials could have different UV-related params.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ricardo.tovar.1](https://developer.download.nvidia.com/images/forums/profile-default-devtalk-84.png) [@ricardo.tovar.1](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/ricardo.tovar.1)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/importing-cad-files-into-isaac-sim-and-editing-properties/345949/4 "2025-09-24T18:42:17Z")

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Yes, scaling it from the GUI definetely is the easiest way to mimic the look. Thank you for the explanation on the UV generation :)

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**Author:** ![system](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/nvidia/user_avatar/forums.developer.nvidia.com/system/32/68080_2.png) [@system](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/importing-cad-files-into-isaac-sim-and-editing-properties/345949/5 "2025-10-08T18:42:23Z")

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Closed on October 8, 2025, 6:42pm UTC

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