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Synctools Pro For Rhino

by blenderVfxMaster·Workflow

Images © blenderVfxMaster. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

SyncTools Pro for Rhino earns its place as the Rhino entry in a ten-plugin SyncTools family, all sharing one FBX-based exchange protocol so assets move between Rhino, Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini and more from a single copy-and-paste action. The developers also dedicate a portion of monthly revenue to the Blender Foundation.

What is Synctools Pro For Rhino?

SyncTools Pro for Rhino acts as a clipboard for Rhino, transferring selected objects between Rhino documents or out to Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini and other applications through a single copy-and-paste action. It uses a unified FBX-based exchange protocol and registers as a floating window inside Rhino, so it does not disrupt the modeling viewport.

The transfer is bidirectional, moving assets from Rhino to Blender, Maya or 3ds Max and back from the same shortcut. Selective transfer lets you toggle which elements come along: meshes, materials, lights, cameras and baked animations. Transferred assets can include polygon and NURBS meshes, PBR materials, baked keyframes, light and camera transforms, and hierarchy groups and layers. Smart scaling matches units automatically across DCC conventions, and an optional Octane material sync mode preserves Octane material properties. Default copy and paste shortcuts are Ctrl + Shift + C and V, fully remappable per app.

It runs on Windows and macOS and forms part of the wider SyncTools series, whose plugins for Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini, Cinema 4D, Marvelous Designer and more share the same protocol and are available together in the DCC Integration Suite.

Who is Synctools Pro For Rhino best for?

Synctools Pro For Rhino is best for product designers, architects, and visualizers who switch between Rhino for modeling and Blender or Maya for rendering or animation.

How much does Synctools Pro For Rhino cost?

Synctools Pro For Rhino is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Bidirectional sync between Rhino and Blender, Maya or 3ds Max from the same shortcut
  • Selective transfer to toggle meshes, materials, lights, cameras and baked animations
  • Smart scaling with automatic unit matching across DCC unit conventions
  • Optional Octane material sync mode that preserves Octane material properties
  • Remappable custom shortcuts, defaulting to Ctrl + Shift + C and V
  • Floating window UI inside Rhino that keeps the modeling viewport clear
  • NURBS-aware export that preserves Rhino's NURBS data where receivers support it

Tags

#rhino#blender#pipeline#dcc#sync#copy-paste#fbx#nurbs

Frequently asked questions

Which Rhino and Blender versions does SyncTools Pro for Rhino support?

SyncTools Pro for Rhino works with Rhino 7 and newer, and supports cross-DCC transfer with Blender 3.0 and up. On the operating system side, it runs on Windows 10 and 11, and macOS 13 or later. The plugin registers as a floating window inside Rhino, and the same copy-and-paste protocol connects out to other DCC applications, so pairing it with a compatible Blender version keeps geometry, materials and hierarchies moving between the two.

How do I install SyncTools Pro for Rhino?

SyncTools Pro for Rhino installs from a single Python file, SyncTools_Rhino.py, which is included in the package. Copy that file into the standard Rhino Python scripts directory, then run the script inside Rhino. It auto-registers and opens a floating Sync Tools window. From there you click Copy in the source application, switch to the target app, and click Paste to bring your selection across. The default copy and paste shortcuts are Ctrl + Shift + C and Ctrl + Shift + V, and both are fully remappable per app.

Does SyncTools Pro for Rhino sync Octane materials?

SyncTools Pro for Rhino includes an optional Octane material sync mode that preserves Octane material properties when transferring assets. Alongside that renderer sync, the plugin moves PBR materials, meshes covering both polygon and NURBS geometry, baked keyframe animations, light and camera transforms, and hierarchy data such as groups and layers. Selective transfer then lets you toggle which elements come along—meshes, materials, lights, cameras or baked animations—so each can be included or left out as needed for a given copy action.

Does SyncTools Pro for Rhino preserve NURBS geometry?

SyncTools Pro for Rhino is NURBS-aware, and its geometry export preserves Rhino's NURBS data where the receiving application supports it. Meshes transfer as both polygon and NURBS, and smart scaling handles automatic unit matching across the differing unit conventions between DCC applications. That means a model copied out of Rhino keeps its geometry and hierarchy intact on the other side, provided the target app can read NURBS, and it arrives at the correct scale without managing FBX export presets.

Is SyncTools Pro for Rhino free?

SyncTools Pro for Rhino is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing terms and any purchase options, check the developer's page directly. The plugin is also part of the wider SyncTools family, which spans Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini, Cinema 4D, Marvelous Designer and more, available together in the DCC Integration Suite. Support comes through email and ticket handling via the Superhive inbox, a community chat for real-time help, and free lifetime updates within the current major version.

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