i materialise sketchup plugin manual 1 0

8/8/2019 i Materialise Sketchup Plugin Manual 1 0

1/20

Manual

Modelmaking made easy

i.materialise Google SketchUp Plugin - V1.0


2/20

2

Introdu

ction

Contents

Introduction - 1

Workow - 6

The Wizard - 9

Instructions or Mac - 14

3D Printing - 15

Tips and Tricks - 17


3/20

3

Introdu

ction

i.materialise

Welcome to i.materialise

i.materialise is an online service that aims to make 3D printing technologies available to everyone.

With 3D printing, its easy to build highly detailed, unique models in attractive colors. The great thing

about this technology is that it is very well suited to create architectural models.

Theres something special about physically holdinga design youve spent so many hours on.

Your own model?

Create a scale model o the new house youve just moved into or the interior youve recently redecorated.The possibilities are endless!

Its useul or architects reviewing their designs or communicating with their customers, or urban

planners creating volume studies... the list goes on.


4/20

4

Introdu

ctionThe Bottom Plate

Located below the building volume is a bottom plate, a necessity or a

successul print. Since the plate is part o the 3D print, its important that

everything is attached securely to it.

The Building Volume

The presented building volume is a portion o the 3D printer. Place your

design in it however you want to.

How does it work?

Its simple.

We oer you a building volume with fxed dimensions at a fxed price, no

matter what kind o design goes in that box.

Nobody likes complex quoting,

thats why theres a fxed price

or an architectural model.


5/20

5

Introdu

ction

Why Google SketchUp?

3D prints always start rom a 3D model. While there are many alternatives or creating 3D models,

we choose Google SketchUp or architectural models.

Why?

Free

Google SketchUp is available to everyone at no cost. Visit sketchup.google.com/download to

install the ree version o SketchUp. Youll be modeling in minutes.

Easy to use and ast

Google SketchUp is a user-riendly package that doesnt require extensive knowledge o 3D

modeling. The simplifed tool set allows you to create the design you want quickly and easily.

Easy to learn

Just start exploring, or check out the tutorials at sketchup.google.com/training/videos.html.

We know youll like Google SketchUp. We like it too!Thats why you can prepare your 3D print model right into SketchUp.
http://sketchup.google.com/downloadhttp://sketchup.google.com/training/videos.htmlhttp://sketchup.google.com/training/videos.htmlhttp://sketchup.google.com/download


6/20

6

Workfow

1 Install Google

SketchUp (ree)

2 Design your

model

3 Install the i.materialise

3D print wizard (ree)

4 Use the wizard to upload

your model

5 Order

The workfow

It only takes a ew steps to turn your design into a real scale model!

Get a 3D model

Install Google sketchUp its ree and easy to design your own

model rom scratch.

I you want a scale model o your house, probably your architect

already made a digital 3D model and can help you out.

The wizard

Once you are happy with your model, the wizard will help you increating a scale model and in preparing it or a 3D print

6 Your scale model


7/20

7

Workfow

Example: Audreys house

1 Audrey designed a house

and would like to have

a real lie scale model o

it. She downloads the

i.materialise plugin.

2 Audrey wants her house on

a scale o 1:100. She uses the

scale ratio command in theplugin to rescale. The house fts

nicely in the building volume.

3 Audrey preers a light color or her base

plate and picks the color white. She also

wants to see the interior o her 3D printed

model, so she uses the plugin tool to hide all

glazing.

4 Once she is happy with the model, she presses

the upload button. Her fle is quite big, so

meanwhile she visits some other websites. The

progress bar keeps her updated on the status.

5 When the model is uploaded on the i.materialise website,

Audrey proceeds through the process and orders her

model.

Audrey receives her 3D printed model via mail. It looks

awesome, exactly like she wanted it!


8/20

8

Workfow

Example: Matthews house

1 Matthew designed

two houses that

share a complex,ingenious roo.

He wants to

communicate this

concept to his client

with a real model.

2 His preerred scale is

1 : 200, but not everything

fts in the given building

volume.

3 Mathew turns on the side planes and uses the

move and rotate tools to place only the house

on the bottom plate, he leaves out the garden.

4 The 3D printed model looks

very nice and Matthews

client is completely sold

on the design.


9/20

9

TheWizard

Installation

First, go to the i.materialise website and download the installer. Run

this fle, press Next, press Install. The wizard is now installed and available

in SketchUp.

NoTe The wizard is available only or Microsot Windows.

We wont bother you with technical details about solids,normals, ... and how to create a fle or 3D Printing. Make

your design and we will print it, without fxing cost.

Open the wizard

Open Google SketchUp and look or the new buttons in the menu bar:

Open the i.materialise 3D print wizard

Open the manual

I the buttons are not shown, you can access the plugin through

Menu Plugins i.materialise 3D Print Service Open Wizard

Create your design and open the wizard. It will appear on your screen

and take you immediately to the introduction page. From that point,

ollow the steps weve laid out or you!
http://i.materialise.com/Tool/CreateYourArchitecturalModelhttp://i.materialise.com/Tool/CreateYourArchitecturalModel


10/20

10

TheWizard

Step 1 - Model Size

In this step, the building volume is drawn in your workspace. When the

box representing this volume is created, SketchUp will zoom in to that

box and indicate it, so youll know where its located.

You can keep using your

avorite SketchUp tools

while the wizard is open.

Show boundaries

Anything that lies outside the building volume will not be printed.

The sides o the building volume unction as cut planes and crop o

everything that extends beyond them. For a better view o the points

where the model is going to be cut, enable the boundaries. Youll see the

sides o the building volume in the viewport, allowing easy placement o

your model.

Show boundaries OFF Show boundaries ON

TIP Drag a window to select objects when

the boundaries are enabled.


11/20

11

TheWizard

Scale to ft

The astest way to position your model is by

using the Scale to ft button. It automatically

scales your model and fts it into the building

volume.

Scale ratio

Use this command when a model needs to be

printed at a certain scale. First fll in the scale.

Then press the button.

NoTe The scale command modifes your

model. That means i you frst scale

with a ratio o 1:100 and later apply

1:2, the resulting size compared to

the original one will be 1:200.

Center on plate

This tool will shit your model until it is on the

center o the bottom plate and the bottom o

your model is on top o the bottom plate. This

is particularly handy when youve scaled your

model manually but its in the wrong place.

Step 2 - Position Model

The second step is all about making sure your model is in the right scale and at the right location. You can do this manually with the tools provided by

Google SketchUp or speed up the process with the ollowing automated tools.


12/20

12

TheWizard

Step 3 - Modiy model

The fnal step beore uploading allows you to add a variety o enhancements to your fle.

Color bottom plate

Ater doing some tests, we picked some colors that are ideally suited or the bottom plate.

You are not limited to these colors, though. You can also create geometry on top o the

bottom plate to print your garden, street and more.

G cc

A ully urnished, occupied house looks much nicer than an empty one. Add urniture, people, cars,trees and more to your design. The protocols o 3D printing dictate that these be real three dimensional

objects. In other words, they cant be at. Thats why we created this collection.

Open the collection and browse to fnd the object youre looking or. Theyre available in range o sizes,

pick the one thats closest to your needs.

Hide Glazing

Dont print the glazing i you want to look

inside your 3D printed house. Hide all the

glazing with one click with this tool.

Click on the button and then click on one

glass. Objects that share the same material

are hidden simultaneously.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=9d7be5e425a91fa0bc4dfd5aae811877&scoring=ahttp://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=9d7be5e425a91fa0bc4dfd5aae811877&scoring=a


13/20

13

TheWizard

Remember that you are working on

the real print scale. Thats why the

trees in our collection are so small.

Step 4 - Upload

Ater a fnal check to make sure the completed design matches your

specifcations, press the upload button. It may take a ew minutes to

upload your fle to our servers, so be patient. The i.materialise website will

open when the upload is fnished. At that point you can place your order.

And now, place the order!

Color or white

You can choose a plain white or a multi-color model.

Quantity

I you want more than one model, change the quantity.

Check Out

With the above options selected, youre ready to place your order. Fill in

all the necessary inormation so the fnal price can be calculated. Onceyouve fnished making your payment, construction on your model will

proceed!

white model

multi-color model


14/20

14 Ma

c

Mac-users

This page is intended or Mac-users. I SketchUp or Windows is installed,

please ollow the above instructions and skip this page.

Prepare your modelCurrently, the plugin is not available or Mac. I SketchUp is installed on

your Mac, some manual preparation is required. Follow these steps:

1 Download the zip fle containing two

templates: imperial and metric. Extract

the fle and open the appropriate

template. This is a SketchUp fle,

containing the bottom plate and the

building volume.

D ownload templates

Do not moDifythe i.materialise layer or its contents in this fle.

2 Go to file > import and import your design.

3 Use the SketchUp Scale Tool to scale your

model until it fts in the building volume

6 Do a fnal check: is everything you want to be printed lying inside the

building volume?

7 Go to file > SAVe AS and save your fle locally.

8 Go to the i.materialise website and upload your

fle on the main page.

9 You will be asked or a manual price request.

Please do so and we will get back to you.

- Done !

4 Use the SketchUp Move Tool to place

your model on the bottom plate. Make

sure everything is attached to the

bottom plate.

5 Read the tips at the end o this manual to make sure your model isready or 3D Print, pay special attention to.

Windows: i you want to look inside,

remove the glass.

Flat objects: replace at trees with

real 3D objects, you can fnd those in

our collection on the 3D Warehouse.
http://www.i.materialise.com/downloads/iMaterialiseTemplates.ziphttp://i.materialise.com/http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=9d7be5e425a91fa0bc4dfd5aae811877http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=9d7be5e425a91fa0bc4dfd5aae811877http://i.materialise.com/http://www.i.materialise.com/downloads/iMaterialiseTemplates.zip


15/20

15

3DPrinting

How Z Corporation technology works

Z Corporation technology works by creating a 3D physical model directly rom digital data, layer by layer, turning concepts and ideas into real, physical

3D models that you can hold, examine and evaluate.

3D printing technology by

1 A 3D CAD fle is imported

into the system sotware.

The sotware slices the fle

into thin cross-sectional

slices, which are ed to the

3D printer.2 The printer creates the

model one layer at atime by spreading a layer

of powder and inkjet

printing a binder in the

crosssection of the part.

3 The process is repeated

until every layer is printed

and the part is complete

and ready to be removed.


16/20

16

3DPrinting

1 When the user clicks 3D print, the

ZPrinter warms up, flls the buildchamber with build material, and, i

necessary, automatically realigns its

print heads.

2 The ZPrinter begins

creating the model,depositing a layer o

powder.

3 The print carriage moves across that

layer depositing binder (and inks or a

color model) in the pattern o the frst

slice. Steps 2 and 3 will be repeated

until the model is complete.

The binder solidifes the

powder in the cross-section

o the model, leaving the

rest o the powder dry or

recycling.

1 Ater each layer, the piston

below the build chamberlowers the powder bed,

preparing or the next layer.

2 The cycle

continues until

the model is

complete.

3 When fnished, the model issuspended in powder to cure. At

the end o curing time, the machine

automatically vacuums most o the

powder rom around the model and

recycles it or use in subsequent builds.

The build chamberThe 3D printing cycle

3D printing technology by


17/20

17

Tips&Tricks

Tips and tricks

Decorate the model

Add urniture to your rooms,

insert people, plant trees... Itwill make your model look

much more attractive.

Depth

Accentuate details by creating

relie.

Open or closed?

I you want an open model,use the Remove glazing tool

to make it possible to look

inside. We recommend that

you retain raming, it provides

a nice eect.

Leave the windows in place

or a closed model. Remember

that transparent materialscannot be printed so they will

be converted to an opaque

material.

Open

Closed

Minimum thickness

Minimal wall thickness or asuccessul print is 1 mm. You can

choose to work with walls that are

already thick or use zero-thickness

walls (only planes representing a

wall.)

Whats the dierence?

I everything is already the

correct thickness: It will be

printed as designed.

I not, we will modiy the

model until its printable.

Thick walls

Planes


18/20

18

Tips&Tricks

Real 3D objects

On a 3D print, its advisable to

use real 3D objects instead o atrepresentations. We oer a library

that contains trees, people, cars

and more.

Doors

The same restrictions that apply

to windows are true or doors.Its recommended that you

remove the doors or a clearer

model.

We print what we get

Make sure to double checkyour fle. Misplaced objects

are printed the way you

deliver them.

2-sides planes

Its no problem to use theSketchUp unctionality and color

both sides o a plane.

Colors and textures

When you order a multi-color

3D print, all colors and texturesare printed along!

We advice to use pastel colors

or a sot look.

Flat people

The at people available in

SketchUp look fne on the fnalprint. Leave them in i youd

preer.

Hidden geometry

Hidden objects are not printed.

Use this to defne which objectsare to be printed.


19/20

19

Tips&Tricks

Building Volume

Make optimum use o the given

space. You can easily crop ounnecessary geometry by placing

it outside the box.

Cutting o a large garden allows

you to print a bigger version

o your house in the building

volume youre allowed.

Text

The ollowing settings result in a

good, readable text.

Font: Arial Black

Style: Bold

Height:

3 mm minimum,

4 mm optimal

Thickness:

0.5 mmColor:

sides: white

text: black.

The Bottom plate

I youve drawn a plane that

is coplanar with the bottomplate, then the coloring

inormation rom yours will be

used.

Transparent textures

Fences are oten drawn withtransparent textures. When

thats the case, see-trough areas

will be changed to white and

printed in a flled manner.


20/20

Enjoy your 3D printed model!

i materialise sketchup plugin manual 1 0

Documents