diff --git a/05_animate_using_vdb.py b/05_animate_using_vdb.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51fcbd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/05_animate_using_vdb.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+Created on Tue Jun 20 15:47:22 2023
+
+@author: fische_r
+"""
+
+import bpy
+import os
+
+baseFolder="/mpc/homes/fische_r/NAS/DASCOELY/processing/04_membrane_ML/3II/crack_vdb/" #for vdb
+outfolder="/mpc/homes/fische_r/NAS/DASCOELY/processing/04_membrane_ML/3II/crack_cathode_camera_png_test/" #for png
+
+material = 'crack' #'Crack'
+
+
+if not os.path.exists(outfolder):
+    os.mkdir(outfolder)
+    
+#delete old reference object
+name = 'reference'
+bpy.ops.object.select_all(action='DESELECT')
+bpy.data.objects[name].select_set(True)
+bpy.ops.object.delete(confirm=False)
+
+mat = bpy.data.materials[material]
+
+def load_and_render_stl(filename, baseFolder=baseFolder, mat=mat, outfolder=outfolder):
+    name = filename[:-4]
+    outfile = os.path.join(outfolder, ''.join([name,'.png']))
+    if not os.path.exists(outfile):
+
+        bpy.ops.import_mesh.stl(filepath=os.path.join(baseFolder, filename), axis_up='-Z')
+        
+        bpy.ops.object.volume_import(filepath="/mpc/homes/fische_r/NAS/DASCOELY/processing/04_membrane_ML/3II/crack_vdb/"+name+".vdb",
+                                     directory="/mpc/homes/fische_r/NAS/DASCOELY/processing/04_membrane_ML/3II/crack_vdb/",
+                                     files=[],
+                                     align='WORLD', location=(0, 0, 0), scale=(1, 1, 1))
+
+        
+        bpy.data.objects[name].data.materials.append(mat)
+        bpy.context.scene.render.filepath = outfile
+        bpy.ops.render.render(write_still=True)
+
+        #clean up
+        bpy.ops.object.select_all(action='DESELECT')
+        bpy.data.objects[name].select_set(True)
+        bpy.ops.object.delete(confirm=False)
+	
+filenames = os.listdir(baseFolder)
+
+for filename in filenames:
+	if filename[-3:]=='stl':
+		load_and_render_stl(filename)
\ No newline at end of file