Start a 3D instruction project from approved manuals, photos and videos. Learn what those sources establish, what is missing and how to scope a first guide.
You can start planning interactive 3D assembly instructions without a CAD file. An approved manual establishes the task, while photos and video can explain visible components and motion. These sources do not automatically establish exact dimensions, hidden geometry or part compatibility.
Viflux works with existing documentation, including manuals and CAD when available. If a project has no CAD, the team can review the other assets for a proposed demo. The workflow below is planning guidance for that possibility, not a claim about a completed no-CAD customer project.
Select a recurring decision such as left-versus-right panel orientation, a hidden connection or the identification of a supplied fitting. Identify what the reader must recognize and the approved completion check. A focused view or labeled diagram may solve the task without a complete model of every interior component. Use 3D where viewpoint or movement adds useful information.
Collect the product model or SKU, applicable manual revision, parts list and photographs of the components relevant to the chosen task. Add the approved video section if available. Record who owns each source and who can resolve conflicting labels. Keep measurements and product facts tied to their source; a plausible visual reconstruction is not proof of a specification.
Include the overall product and the detail that distinguishes similar components. Show the relevant front and back surfaces, connection area and labels where appropriate. Avoid asking someone to dismantle or enter equipment merely to obtain a missing photograph. If existing assets cannot establish the task, ask the responsible product team for an approved reference instead of guessing.
Confirm the product, source revision and difficult user decision.
Resolve source gaps with the accountable product owner and test the task with a representative reader.
Keep the source, published instructions and support route aligned when the product changes.
No. A PDF may establish the procedure while leaving geometry or orientation unclear. Additional approved references can be needed.
Only when the applicable source actually supplies a reliable measurement. Do not infer product-specific dimensions from appearance alone.
No. Model or illustrate what the selected task requires, and scope any missing information with the product owner.
Request a demo for one product and one recurring task using the approved manual, photos or video you already have.
Send the approved manual, diagrams or photos you already have. Request a free guide demo so your team can review one product task before deciding how to expand it.
A visual author can prepare shapes, viewpoints, highlights and animation from the provided references. The product owner approves the actual sequence, prerequisites, part identity and result. Do not treat an animation as a mechanical validation. Any required dimensions, tightening values or safety conditions must come from the applicable approved product documentation, not from an inferred image.
Illustrative project: a retailer supplies a cabinet manual and clear photographs showing the different hole patterns of two side panels. The first guide explains which panel belongs on each side and links to the applicable assembly step. It does not invent concealed geometry or universal fixing requirements. The reviewer confirms labels and orientation before the guide becomes the customer-facing reference.
Ask a representative user to identify the correct component from the finished view, then compare the result with the approved source. Log ambiguous labels, missing context and any loading or access problem on the intended device. Keep readable step text and an appropriate reference alternative alongside the visual. Record who updates the guide if the supplier changes the product or manual.
