What Is USD?#

USD (Universal Scene Description) is a framework for assembling, organizing, and exchanging complex 3D data across industries. It goes beyond a file format - USD provides the foundation for composing simulation-ready scenes from heterogeneous data sources.

Key Benefits#

Unified Data Composition: Aggregate and combine 3D and non-3D data from heterogeneous sources.
Non-Destructive Editing: Apply overrides while preserving original source data.
Custom Schemas: Extend the USD data model to support new industrial behaviors and standards.
Flexible Data Handling: Integrate data regardless of storage method (files, databases, APIs).
OpenExec and Hydra: Reusable pipeline architectures to connect USD scenegraphs to simulation runtimes.

Why USD Matters for Simulation#

USD provides a standardized way to describe complex 3D scenes, making it the foundation for industrial simulations where assets need to be shared across different tools and platforms.