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I have written two books on SketchUp, you can learn all about them here. New Tutorials - The latest tutorials sorted by date. Learn how to use LayOut to create construction documents. Back to Top. New Tutorials The latest tutorials, sorted by date. Live Components. Animating Sections and overlaying a model in a video. Load More. How to make raised panel doors in SketchUp.
SketchUp Viewer for Mobile. How to Change Units in SketchUp. Introduction to Quad Modeling. Ultimate guide to SketchUp Collections. Two inputs for the Move tool. Easy Stairs in SketchUp. Working Remotely with SketchUp. LayOut Viewports Shifting. Texture Orientation in SketchUp. Free SketchUp Textures. Quick Document Creation in LayOut. Introduction to the Cricut Maker and paper packaging design in SketchUp.
Design Considerations for 3D printing. MakerFaire And in LayOut, you also have tools for creating custom graphics, importing photos, creating title blocks Note: If you want to learn more about using LayOut to create detailed construction documents, jump to Chapter 6. LayOut is a powerful application in-and-of-itself and we highly recommend that you invest time into learning the fundamentals well.
With the Sandbox tools, you can create 3D terrain from scratch or generate it from imported topography files. But they can also be used to create other organic or undulating surfaces, making them useful to SketchUp users across most industries.
A solid model is commonly described as a watertight model. This sort of thing is important when you want to create a 3D model that can be 3D printed.
Enter the Solid Tools: They help you take existing solids and combine them to create more complicated solid models. Or you can take an object made of several parts and combine them into a single, solid outer shell for 3D printing. In SketchUp, objects that you might use more than once, in the same 3D model or in a future project, are typically turned into Components. The types of objects that become components might even represent real-world products - things like cabinets, fencing or sliding glass doors.
In the real world, those sorts of products usually come in a variety of configurations of color, shape, size, material and more. But SketchUp components can only represent one configuration. At the same time, it can also be programmed to show different color and material options, different door and drawer configurations and even different styles.
You also can program behaviors that tell the doors to swing open or the drawers to open when clicked. And you can add information like the product name, price, description, links to the product website and more. A fence might be programmed so that when someone uses the Scale tool to stretch it across the yard, it automatically adds extra slats and posts rather than warping. And a Dynamic Component of a sliding glass door system might let the user enter a custom width and height that will dynamically change the component to fit the opening in their house model.
Many people and companies have uploaded their Dynamic Component models to the 3D Warehouse. You can download them into SketchUp Pro just like you would with a regular component, then use the Dynamic Component tools to interact with and configure them. These tools allow you to specify the exact camera type you want to look through - say a 35mm digital camera for example.
Then you see black bars that indicate which parts of your model will be in the shot given the position of your camera. And they place a physical camera in your model so you can actually see where the camera would sit. You can take a photo of the existing condition and then use it to help you overlay your 3D model into the context of the environment. You take a picture of the building, then use Match Photo to set-up the photo so you can quickly build a 3D replica.
SketchUp is a tool for creating geometry. We use SketchUp to create geometry that represents real-world stuff. And naturally, we desperately want SketchUp to understand what our 3D models represent! It thinks the dresser is just a bunch of geometry. Then, you can generate a report of the objects in your model and it will include the information you added.
Really, how you use these features will depend heavily on the type of work you do. So long as you input the right kind of information into your model, you can output reports that help you get the job done.
SketchUp comes preloaded with the IFC 2x3 schema. You could create a Furniture schema that allowed you to standardize the tagging of objects. When you've finished adding data to your SketchUp model, you can create a report template and generate a.
It will contain all of the information you added, plus other things SketchUp already knows about your model such as quantity, length, volume and more. If they have the SketchUp Viewer app , they can take the controls and orbit around, walk through or fly over your model anyway they like. Email your model to a client who has the SketchUp Viewer app installed and they can navigate around your design on their own time. If you own the Hololens device , you can purchase the SketchUp Viewer app for Hololens and use them together to step into an Augmented Reality AR version of your SketchUp model and walk through it at scale.
As you can probably tell by now, SketchUp is a very powerful tool that can do a number of amazing things. For starters, you can program SketchUp to automate the kinds of tasks where you find yourself clicking hundreds of times in a fairly repeatable pattern. For example, a project might require you to Push Pull thousands of shapes to various, specific sizes.
A little bit of Ruby code could save a ton of time. For example, an contractor might want to program SketchUp to push bill of materials information into another project management software. Finally, you can write Ruby code to help you produce "computational geometry" or 3D shapes and patterns that are nearly impossible to create by hand.
For example, an Architect might want to create and use mathmatecally derived patterns in their design. Rather than figure out how to create these types of complex patterns by hand, it's far easier to write Ruby code that uses math functions to automatically create perfect patterns.
If writing custom Ruby scripts is your kinda thing, be sure to take a look at the SketchUp Ruby API documentation and this list of helpful learning resources. This chapter will give you a clear idea of how rendering in SketchUp works, will help you choose the right rendering extension, and includes some helpful advice about an important step in the rendering process that people often miss. After you watch the video, you'll be ready to give rendering a try but you'll be faced with a challenging decision.
To start, you have 30 different extensions to choose from. But since you're just getting started with rendering, you won't know which features are important. And to top it off, you won't be able to easily evaluate the kinds of factors that will make a big differences to you. Like how easy an extension is to learn So how do you choose?!?
Once you've figured out which extension you're going to use, you'll be ready to give rendering a try. We created a free SketchUp tutorial that you should watch before you start rendering.
We talk specifically about V-Ray for SketchUp in the video but it applies to all rendering extensions. Watch it and you'll learn 5 things to do in this step to avoid getting underwhelming results. As you set out to learn your rendering extension, I want to share what our students say they wished they knew when they first learned how to render:.
Be careful not to make the mistake of heading down the wrong path and trying to learn everything on your own. Watching free tutorials on YouTube and elsewhere will make you feel like you know how to use your extension's tools and features. And you won't find tutorials for every unique issue you run into. Worse, you end up wasting a ton of time watching videos only to find that you are still struggling. You need to take a well-structured class with a curriculum that not only gives you a comprehensive introduction to your extension but also teaches you how to apply that knowledge when you are on a deadline on a real world project.
Good news: For several rendering extensions, we have courses that do exactly that! They are all in our Video Course Library, along with other courses on professional topics. If you need to create design presentations or construction documents, you're going to want to use LayOut.
It has all of the features you need to get the job done and its tight integration with SketchUp will save you A TON of time. This chapter will give you a quick overview of how SketchUp Pro and LayOut work together to make your life easier, and help you figure out if LayOut can do what you need it to do. While still in SketchUp, you set-up the exact views of your model that you need to document, and you save those views as Scenes. You can set-up as many Viewports as you need, making sure to set each to show one of the Scenes you set in SketchUp.
And while you're at it, you set the Scale of your floor plan and elevation Viewports too. Whether you need to produce simple 2D plans and drawings, or a full set of detailed construction documents, LayOut has all the tools you need to get the job done. And, for many of you, there are extensions you can use that will make your workflow even easier. Have a conversation with us. We can also let you know if there are extensions that you may want to take a look at. There are 7 features you need to master in SketchUp first to be successful in LayOut later:.
Once you know the ins and outs of these key features, you'll be ready to take LayOut out for a test-drive. But, also like SketchUp, as soon as you try to use LayOut on a real project you'll discover that doing things the wrong way sends you down a path you'll wish you had avoided. You need to take a well-structured class with a curriculum designed to give you a comprehensive introduction. It's in our Video Course Library, along with a number of other courses on professional topics.
We've just broken it down into bite-sized video tutorials that provide a more convenient and economical way for professionals to take the class. Professionals use SketchUp's reporting tools to create estimates, takeoffs as well as all sorts of other reports.
And we'll also show you some popular extensions that can make your job easier and save you a ton of time. What it has are general purpose reporting tools that you have to know how to use to be able to get what you want.
And it even knows the material that has been applied to the surfaces - plywood in this case. For one, when you make an object a Component you have the option to add a name and open the Advanced Attributes to specify things like price or an associated website URL.
And then you can set-up your own custom report type to generate a new report that pulls all the new information about your sheet of plywood.
SketchUp may not have a Bill of Materials tool, or tools for other specific report types. But often you'll find an extension that will have the more specific tools and features you need.
Have a conversation with us! This chapter will help you figure out if SketchUp is the right tool for the kinds of models you need to 3D print. You'll also gain a high level understanding of how to create 3D printable models in SketchUp. Let's start by saying that SketchUp can be used to successfully create nearly any type of 3D printable model you might need. However, it is not the very best tool to use when you need super precise curvature or perhaps more mechanical, functional real-world objects.
You can use SketchUp to create curvy or organic looking 3D models to be 3D printed. And they can turn out nicely. But if you need mathematical precision and accuracy to those curves, perhaps a tool like Blender, Rhino or 3DS Max would be a better choice. Similarly, you can use SketchUp to design 3D models of more mechanical, functional things to be 3D printed. And they can turn out nicely as well. But if you're an engineer, perhaps a tool like Inventor or SolidWorks would be better for the task.
So long as you're aware of SketchUp's limitations in the more advanced scenarios above, you can be confident that SketchUp is a great choice when you're just getting started with 3D printing. And for many, even as they become experienced 3D printers, SketchUp can continue be the right tool for all of their needs. The key is to learn the fundamentals for how to use SketchUp to create models that can be 3D printed. You'll run into all sorts of trouble later if you don't invest some time learning the right way to use the basic tools and features up front.
And second: You need to make sure you know the design requirements for the 3D printer or 3D printing service you'll be using. With those things covered, there are a few rules to keep in mind for designing a 3D printable model in SketchUp:.
Most objects you design to be 3D printed will be somewhat small, as most printers have a limit to how large an object they can print. In SketchUp, when you design small things, it can be easy to create issues that prevent your model from being 3D printable. Simply create your model at a larger scale - say x or x the size it should be - and then scale it down by the same factor at the end.
To continue with the example, once you've built your watertight cube, you should make it into a Group or Component. It's now a 3D printable solid model. You can be sure by checking the Entity Info dialog for "Solid". Of course, your model may need to have a hole or opening in it. Along the way, make sure that all of your white surfaces are facing out and your blue surfaces are facing in.
There are a number of extensions that can help you either create the shape you want, or help you turn that shape into a 3D printable solid. If you need help finding the right extension for your specific situation, let us know and we'll gladly help. Once you've created a 3D printable solid model in SketchUp, you can either print it on your own printer or use a 3rd party 3D printing service.
In this chapter, we'll show you how SketchUp fits into your existing CNC fabrication workflow, including how to export to a file format you can use to create your router's toolpaths. This will allow you to build an accurate, organized SketchUp model that will make or break your success later. Also, it may be necessary to add extensions that help you design and prepare your model specifically with CNC fabrication in mind.
Once you have a sound SketchUp model, you'll need to export a file that can be imported into your CAM program. If you need a. Then of course, you'll bring the exported file into your CAM program, clean-up or tweak things as needed, generate your CNC control program and ultimately use it to run your machine. Of course, the details of the entire process depend quite a bit on what you want to make and the types of CAM software and CNC router you are using.
From how SketchUp works, to specific tools and features that are perfectly suited to woodworkers, this chapter will show you why SketchUp and woodworking are a match made in heaven. SketchUp is a fantastic planning tool for woodworkers. It can save you time, materials and money by letting you test your designs before you even make your first cut. In SketchUp, you model in a way that is similar to how you work with wood in your shop:. You can use the Tape Measure, Protractor and Drawing tools to draw a piece of wood, take measurements and make marks.
You can model precisely how everything fits together, right down to the half blind dovetail joints. If you have SketchUp Pro, you can add extensions that help you draw more complex details. In this chapter, we provide a quick overview of what it means to experience your SketchUp model in virtual reality VR and how that differs from experiencing it in augmented reality AR.
When you look at your SketchUp model on your computer screen, you are essentially viewing a 3D model on a flat 2D plane the screen. With Virtual Reality VR , you wear a headset that blocks out the real-world around you and replaces it with your SketchUp model. Rather than orbit or zoom, you turn your head or walk to see different parts of the design.
This can be powerful when you want to preview what a design would look like within the context of a real-world place. Of course, you'll also need a VR headset. There are a few options, but which one is best? There are a bunch of 3rd party SketchUp extensions and web services that convert SketchUp models to be viewed on a VR headset, and the list is growing quickly.
Here are a few notable options:. Note: Unlike immersive VR experiences, a degree panorama shows you the model from a fixed point. Same as VR, you'll need to start by creating an accurate, well organized model in SketchUp. At the moment, the only supported headset is the Hololens. Then, through the Hololens headset, you can see your SketchUp model overlayed on your surrounding environment at either full scale or as a scaled down tabletop model.
Special thanks to all our friends in the SketchUp community who gave us feedback on this guide. Table of Contents. Part 1 Everything you need to know to get started.
Chapter 8 Creating Models for 3D Printing. SketchUp is used by over 38 million people to create 3D models of their design ideas. That makes it the most popular 3D design tool in the world. But is it the right tool for you?
This chapter will help you figure that out. Read on to find out if professionals are using SketchUp to do what you need to do.
If you're a professional in any of the following fields Landscape Architecture. Photorealistic Renderings. Let's dive in. As a professional, do you need SketchUp Pro?
Or can you still get the job done using SketchUp Free? In this chapter, we'll show you why SketchUp Pro is the right choice for professionals by highlighting the key features you'll need to use on the job. By the end of the chapter, you'll know for sure if you need SketchUp Pro. If you're not sure you need Pro, just check out the video below. Super easy. SketchUp Pro Costs. SketchUp Pro Hardware Recommendations. CPU: 2. Make sure it's 3D class and supports: hardware acceleration OpenGL 3.
What about SketchUp Shop? SketchUp Shop Costs. SketchUp Shop Hardware Requirements. Minimum Recommended 2. What about SketchUp Free? For a professional, that would be a mistake. What about SketchUp Make? Still not sure which version is right for you? Chapter 3. Want to avoid struggling needlessly? Unfortunately, this is an exaggeration. This chapter will help you invest wisely. Watch This First! Watch it, and your future self will thank you.
Now, let's talk about how to master the fundamentals. Before we do that, we want to share a story that one of our former students, a Residential Architect named Tom, told us before he took a class with us: Everybody told me that SketchUp was easy to learn.
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