Beyond USD: The Rise of Open Standards in 3D Pipelines
The 3D industry is going through a massive shift as open standards make it easier for different tools to work together, improving efficiency and scalability across pipelines. I recently wrote about USD (Universal Scene Descriptor) and how it's quickly becoming the go-to format for managing complex 3D scenes.
But while USD helps organize scenes, it cannot achieve total interoperability alone. Other emerging standards like MaterialX and OpenPBR are joining the party and changing how materials and shading models work across platforms, making it easier for artists to move between different tools without losing quality or consistency.
Why Open Standards Matter in 3D
For years, the lack of universal formats and material standards has made working across different software a pain. Studios and artists have had to rely on clunky file conversions that often messed up materials, lighting, or even basic geometry. Every now and then, a new format like FBX or Alembic (.abc) would show up, promising to fix everything. I'd get excited, thinking this is it—finally, a seamless workflow! But in reality, they never quite delivered, and I’d end up back in the same frustrating loop of workarounds and fixes.
Now, with open standards like USD, MaterialX, and OpenPBR, we’re finally starting to see real solutions. These formats are built to bridge the gaps between different tools and renderers, making workflows smoother and more predictable. Instead of constantly troubleshooting mismatched materials or broken shading models, artists are starting to sniff a world where they can focus on creating—and that’s a game-changer.
USD: The Foundation of Interoperability
As I wrote in my other article, USD, developed by Pixar, has become the gold standard for scene representation in modern 3D pipelines. Its modular and extensible nature allows studios to manage complex assets while maintaining flexibility. Animators, Modelers, Lighters, and Material artists can all update scenes simultaneously without interfering with one another.
And USD’s growing adoption in industries beyond entertainment—including automotive, architecture, and industrial design—demonstrates its potential as an even wider universal scene framework.
However, while USD is exceptional at handling scene structure, it does not inherently standardize material and shading definitions. This is where MaterialX and OpenPBR step in.
MaterialX: A Standardized Approach to Material Definitions
MaterialX, originally developed by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), was created to solve a problem artists have been dealing with for years—keeping materials looking the same across different software and render engines. Every tool has its own shading system, which means moving assets between programs can be a nightmare. MaterialX fixes that by providing an open-source, flexible way to define and share materials, so they stay consistent no matter where you use them.
What makes MaterialX so powerful is how it handles layered shaders, procedural textures, and advanced surface details in a way that's both readable and easy to transfer between applications. Instead of constantly tweaking materials to get them to match in different renderers, artists can use MaterialX to ensure assets look right from the start. It's already being adopted in VFX, animation, and real-time applications, and with its integration into tools like Omniverse, Houdini, and Substance 3D, it's quickly becoming an industry standard.
OpenPBR: The Next Step in Physically Based Rendering
OpenPBR is an emerging open standard designed to streamline Physically Based Rendering (PBR) workflows by establishing a universal shading model that eliminates inconsistencies between different render engines. Right now, if you’re working in Unreal Engine, Unity, V-Ray, Arnold, or any other renderer, you’ve probably run into issues where your PBR materials don’t quite match from one engine to another. OpenPBR is here to change that by creating a standardized shading model that keeps materials looking consistent, no matter where they’re used.
The idea is simple: instead of constantly tweaking materials to match different rendering systems, OpenPBR provides a universal, artist-friendly approach. It supports all the major PBR workflows—metallic-roughness, specular-glossiness, subsurface scattering, anisotropy, and clearcoat layers—so artists don’t have to spend time reconfiguring materials for different platforms. This makes it a huge time-saver, especially for studios handling large-scale productions where assets need to move seamlessly between real-time engines and offline renderers.
With the rise of real-time applications, virtual production, and metaverse experiences, having a reliable, standardized shading system is more important than ever. OpenPBR has the potential to become a core part of next-gen 3D workflows, cutting down on technical issues so artists can focus on making great work instead of troubleshooting material mismatches.
MaterialX vs. OpenPBR: What’s the Difference?
While both MaterialX and OpenPBR are open standards aimed at improving 3D workflows, they serve different purposes and address distinct challenges in the industry.
MaterialX is all about material definitions and structure. It provides a standardized way to describe how materials are built, including shader networks, textures, and procedural elements. Think of it as a blueprint for materials—it ensures that materials remain visually consistent across different tools by defining their components in a universal way.
OpenPBR, on the other hand, focuses on shading models and rendering consistency. It defines a universal Physically Based Rendering (PBR) material model so that assets look the same across different render engines. Instead of providing a detailed material graph like MaterialX, OpenPBR establishes a common set of material properties that every engine can interpret in the same way.
To put it simply:
MaterialX tells software how to build a material, including which textures, shaders, and procedural layers to use.
OpenPBR ensures that the material looks the same across different renderers by standardizing how PBR materials behave in lighting calculations.
Both are complementary. In fact, MaterialX can work alongside OpenPBR by defining materials in a way that aligns with OpenPBR’s universal shading model. As these standards gain traction, they’re making cross-platform 3D workflows much more seamless, allowing artists to spend less time troubleshooting and more time creating.
Each of these open standards serves a distinct role in the evolving 3D pipeline:
USD structures and organizes scenes, making asset management more efficient.
MaterialX ensures that materials retain their properties across various platforms.
OpenPBR unifies shading models, reducing discrepancies between render engines.
Together, they create an ecosystem where artists, studios, and software developers can ideally collaborate more efficiently, reducing redundant work and streamlining the production process.
The Reality of Open Standards Today
While the vision of a fully interoperable 3D pipeline is compelling, the reality today is that the process is still far from seamless. Despite their promise, USD, MaterialX, and OpenPBR are still evolving, and there are gaps in standardization, implementation inconsistencies, occasional compatibility issues between different tools, and, of course, the occasional cryptic “Fatal Error” crash with no additional explanation.
Many studios and artists still face frustrating challenges when transitioning assets across software, dealing with missing features, and troubleshooting unexpected behavior in complex scenes.
Additionally, while adoption is growing, not all 3D applications fully support these standards, leading to workflow friction. Open standards rely on industry-wide collaboration, and while companies like NVIDIA, Autodesk, and Adobe are pushing their adoption, some proprietary software still lags in seamless integration.
Despite these hurdles, the progress being made is undeniable. The industry is moving toward a future where 3D pipelines are more flexible, artist-friendly, and scalable, but there is still work to be done to smooth out the rough edges.
But I’m feeling optimistic…
The 3D Artist Community Updates
This week, we are thrilled to welcome in Paige Dommels for an AMA!
A Forward-thinking and strategic innovator with a deep passion for 3D design and development, Paige Horner Dommels is a seasoned expert in the complete apparel product creation process. With extensive experience across design, development, and digital transformation, she continuously seeks opportunities to integrate cutting-edge technology to streamline workflows, enhance creativity, and improve business practices.
Her expertise lies in leveraging 3D tools to revolutionize traditional design methodologies, reduce inefficiencies, and drive sustainable solutions within the fashion and apparel industries. Always at the forefront of innovation, Paige collaborates with cross-functional teams to implement digital strategies that enhance speed-to-market and product visualization.
A strong advocate for the power of technology in fashion, she has played a key role in promoting and educating others on the benefits of digital design solutions. Her ability to balance creativity with practical business insights makes her an asset to any organization looking to future-proof its product development processes.
Paige’s approach is not only about adopting new tools but also about fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. She is committed to staying ahead of industry trends and identifying emerging opportunities where technology can drive meaningful change.
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Hello! Michael Tanzillo here. I am the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D Growth team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, I am the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging. I also created The 3D Artist Community on Skool and this newsletter.
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