V-Ray for Sketchup

This plug-in provides assistance to sketchup users to work within the SketchUp environment and visualize their models with the supreme quality and pragmatism.
The plug-in is enriched with Global illumination feature that greatly benefits sketchup users to set up the lighting for complete scene effortlessly. This will save a lot of time for adjusting lighting location and brightness.
It also supports High Dynamic Range values, also known as HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image). The user can enjoy the benefit to get the full scene image as his render light source. The plug-in can also be utilized for background rendering.
V-Ray for SketchUp runs on Windows XP, Vista, or Mac OS.
V-Ray for SketchUp System Requirements
Windows XP, Minimum Hardware
600 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM, 128 MB of available hard-disk space, 3D class Video Card with 128 MB of memory or higher. The video card driver must supports OpenGL version 1.5 or higher and up to date.

Windows Vista and Windows 7, Minimum Hardware
1 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB of total hard-disk space, 3D class Video Card with 256 MB
of memory or higher.

Mac OS X, Minimum Hardware
1 GHz PowerPC™ G4, 512 MB RAM, 160 MB of available hard-disk space, 3D class Video Card with 128 MB of memory or higher. The video card driver must support OpenGL version 1.5 or higher and up to date, 3 button, scroll-wheel mouse.z

Rajib Dey

Global Associates

SketchUp Exporter Version 3.1 Released

A new version of SU2KT (SketchUp exporter) has just been released by Tomasz Marek.
So here is the list of new features:
- faster full mesh export of big models (The Church model 2.6M Triangles - previously ca. 45 min, now 9 minutes!) by Stefan Jaensch - photo-match works now inside groups and components by SJ - Fix for material export/import: Materials are now coloredSJ.
- components exported as instances in Instanced mode (The Church exported in 1 minute!) - ability to create a proxy object of a component.
- Scenes export by Tim Crandall- it allows to render SU Animate animations - Animation export with FULL model per frame (supports proper_animation plugin, haven't tested it with Sketchy Physics).
- Fix for wrong EMITTER values - Support for transparency in PNGs and TIFs (Textures).
- Rendering method selection for Animation & Scenes export (custom methods can be coppied to 'Plugins/su2kt' folder + both animation methods export all necessary data and render straight out of SU.

for free download.
http://www.kerkythea.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=42&func=fileinfo&id=112

Rajib Dey
Global Associates

Sketchup Dimensions

SketchUp dimension entities are predetermined lines carrying length information which provide assistance to swiftly and successfully communicate key dimensions of your model. If any changes occur with your model then the dimensions automatically will be moved and updated. There is built-in Dimension Tool with the help of which dimensions are drawn. The link between geometry and dimensions is unidirectional: if you change the value of a SketchUp dimension, the model is not updated. So SketchUp dimensions are only used to retrieve length information from your model.
Rajib Dey
Global Associates

Alibre brings power of KeyShot rendering solution to its customers

Irvine, California - Luxion, a developer of advanced rendering and lighting technology, and Alibre, developer of feature-rich and low cost CAD/CAM software, announced that starting immediately KeyShot technology will be bundled with Alibre Design Expert and Professional. For under $500 customers can get powerful 3D modeling and 2D drafting, and enjoy stunningly realistic product visualization.

KeyShot is an interactive raytracing and global illumination program developed by Luxion for both PC and Mac that breaks down the complexity of creating photographic images from 3D models. KeyShot is the new name for the successful HyperShot software, the first interactive raytracing and global illumination program. Combined with its ease of use KeyShot gives anybody involved with 3D data the ability to create photographic images in a matter of minutes, independent of the size of the digital model. KeyShot supports many native file formats, including SolidWorks, Rhino, SketchUp, Obj, IGES and STEP.

Rajib Dey
Global Associates

Sketchup Dynamic Component

Dynamic Components are SketchUp components to which attributes have been assigned. Attributes are simple pieces that contain information like Part Number, Cost and Weight. Attributes may also include spatial relationships (like how two parts are positioned relative to each other), and behaviors (like animation and smart scaling). Some Dynamic Components are very simple (a pipe elbow with a part number attached), and some are very complex (a door whose trim doesn't stretch when you scale it, which can be configured into thousands of different permutations, and which swings open and closed when you click on it).

Rajib Dey
Sketchup4architect

Geometric Releases eDrawings Pro for NX v7.1

eDrawings is the first e-mail enabled collaboration tool designed to ease the sharing and interpretation of 2D and 3D product design data. eDrawings Publishers are available on Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA V5, NX, Autodesk Inventor Series, SolidEdge, Google SketchUp, as well as for STEP/IGES/STL & DWG/DXF file formats.

Features of eDrawings:-

• Generate ultra compact eDrawings (up to 95% compressed) for sharing over e-mail
  Share and receive feedback on product designs with review-enabled eDrawings and collaborate with unlimited number of recipients.
• Manage, track, and merge comments from different team members.
• Measure part, assembly and drawing geometry.
• Dynamic cross sectioning and Hide/Show/Move components for understanding assembly structure.
• Visualize drawings effectively with 3D Data, Layouts and 3D Pointer tool.
  Insert Stamps, password protect and disable measurement for protecting sensitive design data.

Rajib Dey
Sketchup4architect