Working with Imported 3D Solid Models
- Set your default SketchUp template units to inch or cm before working in MAKE.
- Don't change the units in a SketchUp model after creating MAKE operations.
The following process is useful when you need to import CAD models provided by a hardware supplier, or when you need to import 3D models created in SolidWorks, Inventor, Pro Engineer, Solid Edge and other programs that export STEP data. The quality and structure of the imported data is critical to success. Contact Skooter support if you have any questions about imported data.
Dependencies:
Conversion: For best results we recommend using Autodesk Fusion 360 for the conversion. There are other conversion programs out there but we've found that Fusion does the best job overall. Rhino and MoI are also good options for getting clean geometry conversion, however you'll lose the component names and assembly hierarchy in the conversion process. For hardware conversion this isn't usually a problem but if you're converting assemblies it saves a lot of time to use Fusion. And it's available as a monthly subscription so if you just need to do a one-time conversion process it is the least expensive tool to do it.
Geometry Clean Up: There is a free SketchUp extension called "CleanUp3" that does a nice job of cleaning up imported geometry. From within SketchUp , go to Window -> Extension Warehouse, and install the TTlib and CleanUp3 extensions.
Polygon Reduction: For imported hardware models we recommend simplifying intricate geometry unless it's required for detailed visualization. For example screws with detailed threads can contain more geometry than the rest of the entire model. If you need to do polygon reduction and/or have to do organic modeling there are a number of good SketchUp extensions out there. We use Artisan for SketchUp.
Procedure:
From the MCAD modeler, export the model you want to work with in either STEP AP203 or STEP AP214 format.
Start Fusion 360 and select New Design From File and then select the STEP model to work with.
Save the model in Fusion and in the Data Panel (grid button left side of nav bar) upload it to your Fusion MyHub account.
In a browser go to your MyHub and find the uploaded file in the Activity pane on the right side of the screen.
Select the file and it will open in a details page.
On the right side of the page click the download button and select SketchUp from the dropdown list of available file formats.
The server will start the conversion and email a link when the converted file is ready.
Download the SketchUp file and open it in SketchUp.
In SketchUp go to Extensions -> CleanUp3 and run the Merge Faces command.
If you're importing hardware the basic conversion process is finished and you are ready to add operations to it.
If you're importing an assembly of orthogonal parts, the following additional steps help you convert it into a MAKE assembly.
First make sure that parts you're working with are grouped as an assembly. This will make it easier to get all of the parts into the proper orientation later on. If they are not yet grouped, select all and right-click on them and click Make Component...
In some MCAD modelers the Y and Z axes are swapped to those in SketchUp. If so you will need to perform the next two steps. Some MCAD modelers have an option to swap Y and Z axes on export.
Select the assembly and use the Move tool to rotate the assembly 90 degrees around the X axis. The height of the assembly should follow the Z (blue) axis in SketchUp.
You may also need to rotate the assembly around the Z axis at this point. (it depends on the orientation used in the MCAD model). If needed, rotate the model so that the front of the assembly is in the X-Z plane, i.e. the width of the assembly is along the X axis. When you're done you should have an assembly in upright position with the width of the assembly along the X (red) axis, the depth of the assembly along the Y (green) axis and the height of the assembly along the Z (blue) axis, like the example below:
Now you can create panel components from the imported geometry.
First, explode the assembly component so you can select each part without having to "drill down". You'll group all the panels into an assembly when you're finished creating the panels.
Select the first part you want to convert to a panel component, then select MAKE -> Create Panel from Component and give the part a unique and descriptive name. Choose the orientation to match the component's orientation. There are six cardinal orientations. The orientation determines which face will be "up" when you export to CNC later on. Usually the inside face is the up face. Choose Left orientation for a left side panel, Right orientation for a right side panel and so forth. You don't need to worry about setting the axes of the parts as the Create Panel from Component function does that for you.
At this point you can scan each part to automatically add drilling using MAKE -> Add Drilling from Component
After you've used Create Panel from Component on each part, select all and right-click Make Component... to group the parts into an assembly.
Now add the standard attributes to the assembly. Click MAKE -> Add Standard Attributes add the basic position, size and rotation attributes, then add a custom attribute called type and set its value to assembly. ('assembly' must be lower case)