How to setup custom PPE for SynergyXR Procedure Builder?

Learn how to setup 3D models to be used as Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) in your Procedures.

Disclaimer

Creating custom PPE for SynergyXR requires a solid understanding of 3D modeling and skeletal rigging (bone structure). Familiarity with tools like Blender is required.

General setup

1. Download the SynergyXR Blender file for the Equipment type you’re creating:
   1. PPE FOUNDATION - MAIN AVATAR.blend
   2. PPE FOUNDATION - VEST.blend
   3. PPE FOUNDATION - GLASSES.blend
   4. PPE FOUNDATION - FACE PROTECTION.blend
   5. PPE FOUNDATION - FOOTWEAR.blend
   6. PPE FOUNDATION - HAND.blend
2. Open the file in Blender.

3. Import or create your custom PPE 3D object.

4. Fit the PPE onto the avatar correctly.

   1. If you scale the PPE, apply the scale to avoid transformation issues.

      1. (Ctrl+A → ‘Apply Scale’ in Blender)

5. Create an Empty object (type: Plain Axes).

   1. Position the Empty precisely on the bone where the PPE should attach.

      1. Select the correct bone

      2. Shift+S, “Cursor to Selected”

      3. Shift+A, “Empty”, “Plain Axes”

      4. Select your PPE model, Shift+click the Empty: Should now have both selected, with the Empty being the brighter selection color

      5. Ctrl+P: “Object”

6. Rename the Empty to match the exact name of the chosen bone in the avatar’s rig.

   1. Example: For a hat, place the Empty on the Head bone and name it Head.

7. Parent the PPE to the Empty object. Rename the PPE to the “PPE Name” from the table below.

   1. Example: For a Hat, the PPE should be renamed to hat

8. Select both the Empty and the PPE object and export as .glb.

   1. Only export the Empty and the PPE mesh.

      1. (Toggle the “Selected Objects” option when exporting, to avoid including anything unwanted)
         

   2. Do not include the avatar, other bones, or unwanted geometry.

9. Import the .glb file into your Procedure Builder project in SynergyXR.

10. During the Object Setup open the Misc tab and add the correct Equipment category, so it attaches and behaves properly in SynergyXR.

The following table describes the category to choose, how the PPE model should be named, and how it will behave:

• Equipment Category is the name of the category of equipment that you add in the object setup
• PPE Name is what the PPE model should be named (the mesh part under the parent bone described above)
• Hides. If the avatar already has other components setup, some of them might be hidden by adding the current equipment
• Fade Out on Self. This equipment will only be briefly visible on your own avatar, but you will be able to see it on other users’ avatars.
• Near Cam. Means that equipment on your own avatar will be visible, even if it is very close to the camera.

Advanced setup

Gloves or “Under Gloves” 

Custom gloves follow different rules due to the complexity of the hand rig. Follow these steps carefully:

• Download the PPE FOUNDATION – HAND.blend. It includes the correct bones and mesh.
• The glove is mirrored to the opposite hand in SynergyXR.
  • Avoid asymmetrical text or icons — they will appear flipped on the other hand.
  • Symmetrical designs are safe.

Strong Recommendations

• Do not modify the bone setup.
• Do not move the base mesh vertices.
• You can:
  • Adjust UVs and textures freely.
  • Slightly modify the thickness (fatten/shrink) within reason.
  • Add mesh to the glove, but it must be properly weight-painted to the bones. (At least to work correctly)
  • Extend or add mesh past the wrist without weighting — this area doesn’t animate.

Example Workflow

1. Open the PPE FOUNDATION – HAND.blend
2. Potentially “fatten” the mesh (~2mm) to simulate glove thickness.
3. Export the hand object with bones and mesh together.
4. Adjust textures in your preferred texturing tool.
5. Import into SynergyXR Procedure - set the equipment type as [gloves] during the import/configuration
6. In the Step add an "Equip" Action and drag the object instance to the Equipment parameter

Suits

Suits are a special type of PPE that combines avatar clothing and wrist cuffs. The avatar’s SynergyXR shirt will be hidden, so that the appointed PPE suit may take its place. Suits are more complex PPE due to dual rigging requirements.

Requirements

• Use the downloadable Suit.glb file, which includes:
• A full avatar bone structure with an example suit mesh.
• A separate hand rig with an example cuff mesh.

Rig Setup

• Suit Mesh:
  • Attach the body suit mesh (e.g. vest, shirt) to the avatar bone structure.
  • This rig includes: Hip, Spine, Neck, Head, Eyes, Arms, Hands, Fingers.
• Cuff Mesh (under glove):
  • Attach the cuff mesh to the dedicated hand bone structure included in the file.
  • This rig follows the same format as used for gloves; except you’re not making a hand or glove- the avatar provides this – here you are just making the cuff from the suit.
  • The cuff should visually overlap the avatar’s wrist (the hand is visible underneath — it is not hidden).

If the model contains both body part and a cuff part, when imported in the Procedure Builder, it should have both categories added, so for example, Cloth (shirt) and Under Glove

Footwear

• Boots will not be visible on the user as there is no tracking information on the user’s foot placement. But footwear is available as part of the training even though it will not be visible while equipped.
• Set the Hip bone as parent object — position the footwear so the downside is alignment to the Hip bone, as in the [downloadable example file]. 

Using custom PPE in Procedure Builder

Import your custom PPE into Procedure Builder

1. Go to the Content tab and import your custom PPE model

2. In the Object Setup phase:

   1. Navigate to the Misc tab, and enable the ‘Equipment Categories’ checkbox

   2. Add an Equipment category and choose the type that fits your custom PPE.

Create a step to Equip your Custom PPE

1. Create a new step and give it a title.

2. Choose an operation for the interaction in to equip the PPE; (We recommend ‘Grab and Place’ or ‘Press’)

   1. For ‘Grab and place’ we recommend checking the box for “Release anywhere”

3. Insert the PPE object in the Object slot of the operation

4. Add “Equip” as an ‘Action After’ to equip it when completing the operation.

   1. Insert the PPE object as the Equipment here as well

5. Add “Change Visibility” as an ‘Action After’

   1. Again, insert he PPE in the ‘Object” slot

   2. Set the Style to be “Disable Object’

      1. This ensures the PPE will not remain visible as an object elsewhere in the scene, after the user has equipped it.

Q&A

Q: Why do I need to use an Empty object, and why must it be named after a bone?

A: SynergyXR uses the Empty as a reference point to attach the PPE to the avatar. The name of the Empty must exactly match a bone in the avatar’s rig. This tells SynergyXR where to place the PPE and ensures it moves correctly with the user.

Q: Why so many Equipment categories?

A: Here’s a quick overview:

• Hat, Glasses, Ear protection, Face protection- all attach to the Head Bone, following the head/face. But some take precedence over others:
  • If you have a hat and safety glasses equipped, and then equip a face-mask, the glasses will be hidden in favor of the face-mask, but the hat will remain visible.
    • If you then remove the face protection later, the glasses will again be visible.