Sketchup is, by far, the easiest tool for modeling.
Also, if we're making obvious mistakes or you think there are better ways to do any of this, also feel free to contact us.Most of the paid plugins offer a free trial period so you can see if the plugin is going to work for you before purchasing. If you get stuck on any of these steps, feel free to contact us. Of course, the next step is actually taking an STL file exported from SketchUp, and seeing if it can be printed, or used in other manufacturing processes such as laser cutting or CNC milling. If it opens on FreeCAD (top) without incident, I'm hoping that it will be able to print just as easily. While importing STL files didn't work well, exporting them did. Since this can be done easily and successfully with the new STL export feature made possible by the STL plugin, perhaps for now it doesn't matter that I can't import complex models made in other programs. If I were using SketchUp to make models for printing, this is how I would do it - by exporting them as STL files. And I think that is the most important feature gained out of this. What I can do, however, is export models I make in SketchUp as STL files and open them in FreeCAD. The same SpaceX Dragon capsule that wouldn't open in SketchUp, opened in FreeCAD in seconds, with perfect features. SketchUp doesn't do well with any complex, imported geometry, say from ZBrush or 3DS - at least not on my computer, so maybe that is the issue. Could this be the result of not properly installing the script? I don't know. Other, more complex models, ( like this SpaceX Dragon capsule) don't open at all. Upon closer inspection, there are holes in the geometry, random lines and other irregularities that don't show up in FreeCAD. I've been able to import simple models ( such as GalataTower-Istanbul) into SketchUp using this plugin, but it is slow, and there is a process the plugin seems to be doing called "repairing geometry" which leaves the model's surfaces with all sorts of gaps and irregularities.Īn imported STL file from Thingiverse - Galata Tower, Istanbul. Then, start up SketchUp and check under "File" to see if you now have STL file options.
zip folder, these are the two files you need to select and drag over to your SketchUp Plugin folder. This is where you drag new ruby scripts (.rb files) and any accompanying folders required. Here's where your SketchUp plugins should be - Program Files>Google>Google SketchUp8>Plugins.
zip file for the STL plugin into ( download here).
I opened up my Plugins folder by going to Program Files>Google>Google SketchUp8>Plugins.So what I did instead was what you normally do with all ruby script s - drop them right into SketchUp's plugin folder manually.
Since I have an older version of SketchUp 8, I have no such button called Install Extensions. Then you navigate to where you downloaded your. You simply go to Window>Preferences>Extensions and then click on Install Extensions. If you have the latest version of SketchUp 8, all you have to do is follow the easy instructions on SketchUp's blog to install the new plugin. STL files are what you would use in 3D printing, and so having the ability to import STL files into SketchUp, or convert models you've made in SketchUp into STL files, allows you to add SketchUp into your 3D printing workflow. stl plugin announced on SketchUp's official blog. EDUtutorial :: I have an older version of SketchUp 8, but I really wanted to try the new.