How to Use Twinmotion with BricsCAD

Quick answer: Twinmotion, a Windows-only feature in BricsCAD, offers real-time, immersive 3D architectural visualization built on Unreal Engine from Epic Games. Your model exports via the Unreal Engine file format (.udatasmith), using EXPORT or synchronized with DATASMITHSYNC. You’ll need the Epic Games Launcher, Twinmotion itself, and either a UDATASMITH export or a direct live link between the two applications.

Installing Twinmotion

1. Go to Epic Games’ Twinmotion page on unrealengine.com.
2. Click Get Started Now (sign up for an Epic Games account first if you don’t have one).
3. Click Log In Now.
4. Once logged in, click Download the Epic Games Launcher.
5. Once downloaded, click the Unreal Engine tab on the left; a Twinmotion tab appears at the top right.
6. Click Install.
7. Choose a file location, the default is strongly recommended.

Exporting Your Model

1. Open your model in BricsCAD BIM.
2. Launch DATASMITHEXPORT; the Export drawing to dialog opens, with Save as type set to Unreal Engine (.udatasmith).
3. Type a name, or accept the default, and click Save; the exported file can now be imported into Twinmotion.

Site Location, Project Location, Survey Location, and geographic coordinates can all be exported to Datasmith via EXPORT or DATASMITHEXPORT too (worth noting: the source material’s own reference for more detail on this points back to this same article rather than a separate one, likely a leftover cross-reference).

Importing Your Model in Twinmotion

Requires BricsCAD V21 or later with a Pro, BIM, Mechanical, or Ultimate licence, Twinmotion 2020 or later, and optionally Unreal Engine 4.24 or later.

1. Launch Twinmotion.
2. Click +Import, or press Ctrl+I.
3. With the GEOMETRY tab selected, click Open and select your .udatasmith file.
4. Click Options and set Collapse to Keep Hierarchy (structures the model the same way as your BricsCAD layers), or Collapse by material (merges elements sharing the same material into one object).
5. Click Import.

Creating a Direct Link with Twinmotion

Requires BricsCAD V22 or later with a Pro, BIM, Mechanical, or Ultimate licence, Twinmotion 2021 or later (direct link doesn’t work with Twinmotion 2020), and optionally Unreal Engine 4.26 or later.

1. Install Twinmotion 2021 or later.
2. In BricsCAD, run DATASMITHCONNECT, or click its icon on the View ribbon tab, to connect to Twinmotion; the model synchronizes automatically the first time.
3. In Twinmotion’s Import panel, click +Import.
4. Go to the DIRECT LINK tab.
5. Your BricsCAD model should appear in the source list.
6. Choose Collapse > Keep hierarchy, or Collapse by material.
7. Click Import.
8. To update the model later, run DATASMITHSYNC in BricsCAD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Twinmotion integration available on Mac or Linux? No, it’s a Windows-only feature.

What license level do I need to use Twinmotion with BricsCAD? Pro, BIM, Mechanical, or Ultimate.

Can I use a direct link with Twinmotion 2020? No, direct link requires Twinmotion 2021 or later; import via a UDATASMITH file works with Twinmotion 2020, though.

How do I update a linked model in Twinmotion after making changes in BricsCAD? Run DATASMITHSYNC in BricsCAD to push those changes across.