Process of Easy Creation of Stunning Laser-cut 3D forms!

Creating a 3D model in SketchUp is a great as well as easy enough than any other complicated 3D designing tool. Everyday more and more plug ins are launched to lower the barrier to people creating their own great designs in SketchUp. It allows you to build models from a simple scratch or you have the freedom to download your required model from the 3D Warehouse. But a 3D model is not enough for this cutting edge technology age. You can have a laser cut 3D models with the help of a wonderful plug in named SliceModeler.

Sliceform modeling is a technique which lies happily on the borders between art and mathematics. The models are made from intersecting sets of parallel panels made of paper, cardboard, wood, Plexiglas or MDF which slot together to generate interesting 3-dimensional surfaces or objects.

Slicemodeler allows you to take a 3D model form and slice it up into interlocking pieces through a series of simple steps. You enter the distance apart that you want the sections, the material thickness, choose which axes the slices are on, and the software calculates the intersections. Once you have all the slices, in this time the SVG outline plugin comes in. Select the sections you want (that have been conveniently laid out by Slicemodeler) and hit Export to SVG file.

Now you have a file (or files) you can open in Inkscape or Illustrator to arrange for laser cutting. The SVG export plugin also lets you label the different parts so you can keep track of things.

If you're new to SketchUp and have familiarity with other modeling programs, no problem - simply model your designs in your preferred program and then import them into SketchUp. You can then take advantage of the various plugins, including those mentioned here.

The process goes something like this:

• Create the form in SketchUp (If you are using a different modelling program, you'll then need to export a .3ds file and import it into SketchUp )
• Run SliceModeler (see above)
• Export SVG files from SketchUp
• Open in Illustrator (or similar), label and laser cutting

It sounds like a lot of steps but it is actually a simple process compared to imagining how these pieces interlock and drawing the sections in 2D in Illustrator and free 3d models.

Previously, this style of form creation has been possible with premium 3D modeling software like Rhino, but the great thing about SketchUp and its plugins is that they are free 3d models.

This significantly lowers the barriers that stop people making things. And the plugins are either free or for a small donation which is totally worth it to support the great independent software creators that add huge value to these bigger software packages.