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Smart Collapse

Collapse By Utility is a 3ds Max optimization tool designed to reduce scene complexity by merging multiple objects into fewer optimized meshes. Boost viewport performance and organize geometry in seconds.

 

01. SOURCE

Collapse By

Defines the rule used to group objects before collapsing them:

Layer: Collapses based on current layers.

WireColor: Groups objects sharing the same wireframe color.

Selection: Only the current selection.

Material: Groups by assigned material.

BIM (Category/Family/Type): Uses BIM metadata for grouping.

Overlap: Detects and collapses overlapping geometry.

Match (Object/Material Name): Searches for specific text patterns.

Target object

Defines which objects are included: Geometry, Selection, or Visible.

Match Pattern & [#] Button

Used with Match modes to search for text patterns. The [#] button helps analyze the scene for repeated patterns.

02. DESTINATION

Layer Management

Layer Group: Defines where results are placed (Existing, AutoMagically, or Custom).
Layer Name: Specific target layer for the collapsed mesh.

Naming Convention (Name From)

Collapse Type: Uses the grouping rule as a base.
Layer (Source/Target): Uses layer names.
Object (Parent/Root): Follows hierarchy names.

03. OPTIONS

Collapse Presets

Quickly adjust settings for: Generic (FBX), Revit, Rhino, Sketchup, and more.

 

Mesh & Geometry

Smoothing Method: Apply AutoSmooth (30/60) or None.
Preserve Mat IDs: Keep specific IDs during collapse.
Delete Original: Removes source objects or non-collapsed shapes.
Pivot Control: Center pivot or move to base.

Advanced Settings

Enable Undo: Warns about performance on heavy scenes.
Disable Autosave: Prevents interruptions during the process.
Modifier ID Remapping: Advanced reorganization logic.
Process Time: Prints duration to the Max Listener.

In Simple Terms

This tool helps users optimize heavy 3ds Max scenes by automatically combining many small imported objects into cleaner, lighter mesh objects. It is especially useful for Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and FBX imports, where scenes often contain thousands of separated parts.