USDZ file losing Model Parts when opened in Reality Composer

Question

In the USDZ 3d model format, my model has multiple parts that can be selected and edited. However, when the model is opened in Reality Composer, the model seems to lose the multiple parts, which makes the animations that I want to do impossible.

Below is an example of a simple model with multiple independent parts in a USDZ file that gets combined into one part in the .reality file in Reality Composer

How can a model be transferred from a USDZ format into Reality Composer while retaining the separate model components?

Answer 1

When imported into Reality Composer, .usdz models are still retaining the separate model parts (of course, if model's parts are really separate), but they are grouped together. Use contextual menu to expand scene's hierarchy.

macOS Reality Composer

In macOS version of Reality Composer 1.5, you have to use Hierarchy Select contextual menu to get access to independent parts of your .usdz model. I created this test model in Maya 2022.

Then press a required object, in my case it's a pSphere1, and choose Expand pSphere1.

Now you are free to move it, rotate, and scale.

iOS/iPadOS Reality Composer

In iOS/iPadOS version of Reality Composer 1.5, use a Long-Press gesture to get access to Hierarchy Select contextual menu:

and then to Expand pSphere1 menu:

I'm running macOS 12.4 and iPadOS 15.5.