How to use A23D PBR Textures in Substance 3D Sampler

This guide explains how to import A23D PBR texture maps into Adobe Substance 3D Sampler as channel inputs. Sampler lets you adjust, blend, and enhance existing texture sets - you can load A23D maps directly to create variations, fix individual channels, adjust tiling, or combine them with other scanned or generated layers.

1. Download the Texture Set

  1. Sign in to your A23D account.
  2. Browse to the texture you want to use.
  3. In the Software dropdown on the asset page, select Substance 3D. A23D automatically delivers the PBR texture set in the format best suited to Substance 3D Sampler (PNG maps) - no manual format selection required.
  4. Click Download, save the .zip, and extract (unzip) the archive. You will find:
  • A23DTEX_Albedo.png - Base color
  • A23DTEX_Normal.png - Tangent-space normal map
  • A23DTEX_Roughness.png - Surface roughness
  • A23DTEX_Metalness.png - Metallic values
  • A23DTEX_AmbientOcclusion.png - Ambient occlusion
  • A23DTEX_Height.png - Height / displacement

2. Create a New Project in Sampler

  1. Open Adobe Substance 3D Sampler.
  2. Click Create new on the Home screen and choose a Material project type.
  3. Set your output Resolution (4096 for maximum quality, 2048 for general use).

3. Import A23D Maps as Multi-Channel Input

The most efficient way to bring in the full A23D texture set is via the Multi-Channel Input layer:

  1. In the Layers panel, click Add Layer and choose Multi-Channel Input.
  2. In the layer properties panel on the right, you'll see individual slots for each PBR channel. Click the folder icon next to each slot and browse to the corresponding A23D PNG file:
Sampler ChannelA23D Map to UseNotes
Base ColorA23DTEX_Albedo.pngLoad as the color input.
NormalA23DTEX_Normal.pngSampler uses tangent-space normals - A23D maps match this convention.
RoughnessA23DTEX_Roughness.pngWhite = rough, Black = smooth.
MetallicA23DTEX_Metalness.pngWhite = metal, Black = dielectric.
Ambient OcclusionA23DTEX_AmbientOcclusion.pngLoaded into the AO slot for contact shadow information.
HeightA23DTEX_Height.pngSampler uses this to compute micro-surface geometry for lighting passes.
  1. Once all channels are populated, the 3D Preview in the Sampler viewport shows the A23D material applied to a sphere or custom mesh.

4. Add Adjustment Layers

With the A23D texture set loaded, use Sampler's adjustment layers to refine the result:

  • Color Layer - tint or shift the Base Color hue/saturation.
  • Roughness Adjustment - globally increase or decrease surface roughness.
  • Roughness Variation - add grunge or noise to break up uniform roughness.
  • Normal Adjustment - adjust the strength of the normal map.
  • Height to Normal - generate an additional normal contribution from the Height map for extra micro-detail.

5. Export the Enhanced Texture Set

When satisfied with the result:

  1. Go to File > Export (or click the Export button in the toolbar).
  2. Choose the output format:
  • PNG - for use in any 3D application.
  • SBSAR - to create a parametric material for Stager, Painter, or Sampler with adjustable sliders.
  • EXR - for high dynamic range maps (useful for Height and Displacement).
  1. Select your channels for export and confirm the output resolution.
  2. Click Export and save to your project folder.

Additional Resources

Substance 3D Sampler - Adobe Standard Material
Substance 3D Sampler - Export
Substance 3D Sampler - Export Window

Need some help?

Contact our team at support@a23d.co