SimLab Android / iPad exporter for SketchUp

Simlab Android / iPad exporter for SketchUp is a useful product for sketchup users through which they can export SketchUp models in *.zim file format. The sketchup users can read these files by applying free application like SimLab CAD Viewer for iPad / iPhone and Android.

The plugin is compatible with SketchUp 2014, SketchUp 2013, and SketchUp 8, on Windows and Mac.

SimLab archive files consist of all the data necessary for viewing the model involving geometries, colors, materials, textures, cameras, scene states, and animations. The users can export SimLab archive files (*.zim) from SimLab Composer as well as other SimLab Andrloid / iPad exporter plugins compatible with SketchUp, Alibre, 3ds Max, Maya, Revit, Solid Edge ,Modo, and PTC Creo.

Once the plugin is downloaded, it will be automatically registered in SketchUp, and there will be a new SimLab Android / iPad Exporter sub menu in the Plugins menu in SketchUp. The user can export models by selecting the menu Plugins -> SimLab Android / iPad Exporter-> Export. Then the Export to Android / iPad window will be visible. Now opt for the name and location of the new Zim file and press Save. It will result in producing a SimLab archive file (*.zim) transferrable toSimLab CAD Viewer.

To access the plugins, the user has to register a license.

Download Now! Free 15 Trials

Download other sketchup plugin

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Published By

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Axis introduces interactive camera visualization tool for sketchup 3D CAD software

With the Axis Camera Extension for the Sketchup 3D CAD software, system designers can conveniently select Axis Network Cameras and insert them into 3D models of buildings. Different mounting positions and view angles can be evaluated through interactive camera views showing the respective camera coverage areas. Users can pan, tilt and zoom the cameras to determine the optimal setup for the best video surveillance coverage.

Axis Communications, the world leader in network video, today introduces the Axis Camera Extension for SketchUp providing interactive 3D models of Axis Network Cameras to aid in the planning and design of video surveillance systems. Users can place cameras directly into CAD building plans and visualize the areas the cameras will cover.

The new SketchUp extension from Axis allows users to see exactly how the cameras fit into the building layout and to easily spot if camera views are obstructed by columns or walls. This effectively reduces the risk of unexpected blind spots when planning and designing video surveillance systems.

Axis Network Cameras can be conveniently selected from the SketchUp toolbar allowing users to compare and evaluate different camera models as well as to determine the optimal camera mounting positions. Users can pan, tilt and zoom the cameras to adjust the field of view and define the optimal camera settings.

“SketchUp is a popular and easy-to-use 3D CAD software for security system design. With the new Axis Camera Extension, system integrators can use SketchUp to place Axis Network Cameras into virtual buildings to precisely plan camera view angles and coverage,” said Peter Friberg, Director of System and Services, Axis Communications. “As SketchUp integrates with Google Maps it makes it easy when working on city surveillance or critical infrastructure projects to get a good overview of the environment where the cameras are placed. The Axis Camera Extension allows system integrators to find the optimal camera model and settings for a given mounting position and significantly streamlines the overall planning and design process for video surveillance systems.”

Axis’ broad portfolio of video surveillance system design tools also includes Axis Coverage Shapes for Microsoft Visio and Axis Camera Families for Autodesk Revit.

The Axis Camera Extension for SketchUp is available today and can be downloaded free of charge from axis.com/tools. The Axis Camera Extension for SketchUp is initially available in English, more languages (French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese and Chinese) will be added in Q2, 2014.

Sketchup is a trademark of Trimble Navigation Limited.

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Published By

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Autodesk launches Cloud-Supported 3D Character Generator

Autodesk adds a new wing to its cloud based application by introducing Character Generator. It is a user-friendly web-based application that facilitates the users to produce customized, improvised and animatable 3D characters virtually.

After completing the design, the users can utilize the characters for a wide array of applications like populating game scenes, mastering animation and modeling, producing models for pre-visualization, design visualization and lots other. Character Generator necessitates five cloud credits per high-resolution character download in favor of clients on Autodesk subscription or rental plans. Students and educators can avail the product at free of cost. Besides, anybody can also avail a lighter version of the application at free of cost for generating low-resolution and crowd characters.

Character Generator was formed following customer’s opinion incorporated during the development, and consists of a powerful library of pre-built male, female and creature characters. In order to produce exceptional characters, the users can apply perceptive slider and selection functions by mixing and morphing the physical characteristics of the pre-built models which range from body traits to facial features, skin color, hair styles, clothing and more. Once completed, the users will be able to leverage cloud credits for exporting their 3D works to leading software like Autodesk Maya, Maya LT and 3ds Max for more customization and animation as well as utilizing in game engines like Unity through Autodesk subscription or rental plans.

Character Generator contains the following exclusive features:

• A wide-ranging collection of male, female and fantasy characters, by which users will get the ability to merge two dissimilar sources to form an original design
• Select from indefinite virtually collection of skin, eye, hair, clothing and shoes
• Targeted blending options to filter characters for each feature basis
• Any characters can be saved in the cloud and altered in the future as required
• Autodesk subscription and rental customers can get access to a body, bone and blend-shape facial rig collection that is well versed with Autodesk HumanIK middleware to facilitate keyframe, motion-capture or facial animation in Autodesk software
• FBX and Maya publishing options for clients on Autodesk subscription or rental plans

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Published By

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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SEFAIRA integrates daylighting analysis into Sefaira for sketchup plugin for effective daylighting visualization

Sefaira, the leading provider of high performance building design software, recently declared that it involves daylighting analysis feature with its performance based design platform.

Benefits of Architects

With the inclusion of daylighting, Sefaira integrates two significant design metrics in the same tool. It will empower the architects to generate elegant and superior building designs by providing balance trade-offs connecting energy and daylighting instantly and efficiently.

The architects will be able to bring meaningful, intuitive performance analysis into their native design environments.

The architect can also undertake best feasible design decisions from the conceptual phases. Authoritative daylighting visualizations will allow the architects to take data-oriented design decisions and convey evidently and efficiently with their clients.

Sefaira gives provides a superior platform to comprehend this complicated interdependent correlation at initial design phases by exploring various window to wall ratios, shading possibilities, glazing systems, and orientation.

Starting this month, daylighting analysis will be accessible in Sefaira for SketchUp, a plugin that facilitates the architects to have real-time energy analysis devoid of leaving their native design environment. Sefaira can now produce solid real-time daylighting and energy metrics inside a single platform by incorporating industry leading and largely accepted daylighting engines, Radiance and DAYSIM, into this plugin. Later on, Sefaira will include daylighting analysis to other design platforms.

Sefaira Daylighting comes up with key metrics which range from Spatial Daylight Autonomy (an indicator of the amount of daylight a space receives), and Annual Sunlight Exposure (a measure of direct sunlight, and an indicator of potential glare and comfort issues).

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published by

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Attend the RapidPro conference and learn how to boost your business with 3D printing through i.materialize

i.materialize is participating in the RapidPro conference in Veldhoven, the Netherlands. There will be gathering of 3,000 designers, artists and young entrepreneurs interested in the most up-to-date improvements around 3D printing.

Visit the booth 131 on Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th of February, to have a live discussion with the team of imaterialize and gather knowledge on their online 3d printing service as well as lots of interesting information about 3d printing.

Discover ‘Forgotten tools’ by Dutch Design company Droog, a compilation of titanium cutlery, and Thomas Cornelis’ Cowboxes, finalist of previous year’s big Andy Warhol challenge.

Wim Verstraeten, the Business Process Manager of i.materialize, will conduct a workshop on “How to boost your business with the i.materialise APIs”. i-materialize has developed various APIs that facilitate applications/websites to connect to their and customize their ordering process as well upload 3D model files directly to their server for 3D printing.

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Published By
Tuhin Maity
www.sketchup4architect.com
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Model the Model Initiative – an exclusive sketchup challenge

The Model the Model Initiative is set off for employing SketchUp modelers like research participants who have to opt for a building, site, or object in Google Earth that is presently represented as a photogrammetry mesh model and to digitally create the low accuracy representation by hand as it were a genuine building, then to distribute the digital file to Trimble 3D Warehouse providing the tag "ModeltheModel".

This program is aimed at discovering how this modeling procedure might be dissimilar or identical to the development of modeling real buildings or sites, and what knowledge can be gathered from modeling an algorithmically produced model "by hand."

The effort is a summation of friendly SketchUp challenge, research work out, digital documentation, and an assessment of Google's verdict to eliminate all of the user–generated models from Google Earth step by step.

If any sketchup professionals like to contribute to the project, they can contact withianbesler@gmail.com.

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Published By

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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RoomSketcher – A useful online digital drawing tool for 3d modelers

RoomSketcher is a digital paint program as well as an online digital drawing tool for sketching your dream home with the help of some mouse clicks.

With RoomSketcher the users can easily plan their room size, place furniture, windows and half wall in any rooms. Besides, the users can generate superior quality 2D floor plans, 3D floor plans, home plans and 3D view.

Visualize your dream home with RoomSketcher 3D view and walk around the room to view the furnishing prior to it comes into reality. The users can snap a image of the room and see how it looks if any changes are taken place like changing the colors of the furnitures, changing the position of the sofa or bed, set up a staircase, split a wall or move around the furniture with drag-and-drop technology.

The free version facilitates the users to sketch the plan's, select from more than 5,000 products and materials - all from IKEA for furniture classics - and take "snapshots" 3D images. By upgrading to the VIP version, the users will be able to "walk" around the floor plan in a 3D view, much like a computer game.

Room sketcher is available in diversified versions which range from - RoomSketcher Free,RoomSketcher VIP, RoomSketcher Pro, RoomSketcher Advantage, RoomSketcher Enterprise,RoomSketcher 3D Storefront.

Downloadable link

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published by

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Participate in the BEST Kitchen Design Contest and showcase your woodworking project

Woodworking Network is going to organize an exclusive content on BEST Kitchen Design. The Timber Products Company will sponsor the competition. By participating in this content, the kitchen designers will be able to present their premier kitchen handiwork from the previous 14 months.

In order to take part, everybody has to provide a photo and some of the project details. The winning project will receive a $500 Visa gift card plus a custom-made award.

For submitting an entry, visit the registration page for rules and entry requirements and to present your project. Before sending any entries, it should be kept in mind that all entries must contain wood- or wood product-based cabinets. All entries must reach within Feb. 12, 2014 and March 1, 2014.

Participate today and submit your project in the BEST Kitchen Design Contest.

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published by

Tuhin maity

SketchUp User

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Flatten Faces Plugin for Sketchup

Alexschreyer is the developer of Flatten Faces Plugin for Sketchup. The plugin is compatible with SketchUp 8, SketchUp 2013.

With Flatten Faces Plugin for Sketchup, the users will be able to place randomly-oriented faces flat on the ground. This plugin is very useful for generating cutouts, like CNC-prep etc. The sketchup users can apply it with any solo face as well several, coplanar faces. It is also compatible with an unfold tool to flatten shapes.

How to apply it:-

In order to obtain the flatten faces menu, opt for one or more coplanar faces in your model and just right-click on them. Under this method, all the chosen faces will be grouped. But remember one thing, the original geometry should not be grouped.

The sketchup users can avail Flatten Faces Plugin for Sketchup from Trimble’s Extension Warehouse.

In order to set up it smoothly, surf it from inside SketchUp (2013 or newer) and install it directly. For getting more updates, visit http://www.alexschreyer.net This plugin can be also accessed from GitHub

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published by
Tuhin Maity
sketchUp User
www.sketchup4architect.com
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BuildEdge PLAN v3.1.274 for sketchup

BuildEdge PLAN is an intuitive 3d modeling gizmo that can be applied to sketch the entire structures involving walls, roofs, floors, doors, and windows instantly. BuildEdge plan facilitates parametric modeling. If any building element is moved, the other elements will move accordingly. The tool can alter these building elements incessantly. BuildEdge PLAN is compatible with concept to 3d model.

The sketchup users can apply BuildEdge Plan for producing structures in sketchup. If the users sketch a line in sketchup, they will be able to input walls with BuildEdge Plan. With its industry leading roof creation engine, BuildEdge plan can produce complex roof geometry depending on easy input.

The latest version of BuildEdge Plan is version 3.0. With this latest version, the users will get the ability to draw parametrically connected models of buildings along with Version 3.0 Now Available.

Draws parametrically connected models of buildings with each wall, floor, roof door and window opening.

BuildEdge Plan is compatible with Sketchup 8 and Sketchup 2013 as well as Windows & Mac Version and costs at $29.00.

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published by
Tuhin Maity
Sketchup Architect
www.sketchup4architect.com
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Some useful methods for generating your first 3D printable model

Follow these useful tips for newbie as well as advanced sketchup users for producing their first printable model.

Utilize the mouse to steer in 3D: With the help of 3-button, scroll-wheel mouse, the sketchup users can access the leading features in SketchUp which range from Orbit, Pan and Zoom. Just scroll the the center wheel forward and back to apply Zoom and then press and grasp the center mouse wheel and then shift the mouse to Orbit, and suppress the Shift key from keyboard as Orbiting to Pan.

The perfect and incorrect method to apply your mouse with SketchUp: The best and proper way to utilize your mouse in sketchup is to opt for Click-Move-Click method. While utilizing a tool, this method facilitates the sketchup users to click and let the mouse button go for starting the application of the tool. After that move the mouse (as for example, draw an edge with the Pencil Tool), and click a second time to finish the operation. It is a common practice that the sketchup users click and drag the mouse and release the mouse button towards the end of the operation. But it is a wrong process and identified as Click-Drag.

Understand and generate fundamental 3D shapes: With SketchUp, the users either use an Edge or a Face for producing a 3D model. Edges and faces are accumulated together to generate Polygons (or geometry) for characterizing the shape for any 3D models. While sketching a cube manually, the sketchup user can apply the pencil tool or apply the rectangle and push/pull tools for sketching the identical cube. But in each case the users rarely apply diverse procedures to sketch a set of edges and faces to form a cube. Once the users realize this basic concept, they can quickly gather knowledge on how to generate 3D shapes through various strategies and tools.

Pencil, Rectangle, Circle, Polygon, Arc and Freehand Tools are the standard drawing tools which can be applied to produce geometry in sketchup. Follow the appropriate method to apply the mouse. For dealing with any 2D face, attempt to utilize Push/Pull to push or pull that face into a 3D object.

Transform your 3D shape into a 3D printable Solid: Finally the users have to ensure that the created model is “manifold” or “watertight” or is a Solid (in sketchup term).

Follow these steps to turn your 3D shape into solid:

• Choose Select tool and triple click on the shape to get it selected. Right click on the selected shape and opt for the option for creating Group.
• Right click on the shape and choose Entity Info. If you drew the shape without having holes then it should show “Solid Group” in the Entity Info window.
• If it shows “Solid Group”, then it is ok. If it only shows “Group”, then there exists a hole or opening that should be filled in.

Note: If the users are placing 2 or more solid groups collectively to create one bigger object, they should select the Outer Shell command obtainable in SketchUp’s Solids Tools to drag the solids simultaneously into one solid model that will be 3D printable from SketchUp.

Last Step: How to export a .stl file

With the SketchUp STL extension set up:

• Visit File >> Export STL
• For Export Unit, choose the identical unit type that is selected for your Template. As for instance: SketchUp’s default is Inches, so while leaving your template alone you must opt for Inches
• For File format, it is suggested to opt for Binary for smaller file size.
• Name your .stl file and select the folder to save it… then click Save.

Now the users get a .stl file that is 3D printable.

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published by 

Tuhin Maity

Sketchup User

www.sketchup4architect.com
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TSWFA Scrapbooks [V.1] for sketchup professionals

Brightman Tal has presented an exclusive video focusing on how to download and apply various scrapbooks to enhance the LayOut Portion of the TSWFA method by including TSWFA plan scrapbook and relinking any design model.

Scrapbooks will facilitate the sketchup users to get rid of the problems like stacking viewports and dealing with all of the different settings ranging from fine-tune line weights in LayOut, allocate scenes in LayOut, assign a drawing scale etc. The sketchup users will be able to organize model efficiently for generating construction documents in Sketchup Pro and LayOut.

Download the TSWFA Plans Scrapbook - http://www.suexch.com/TSWFA-Scrapbooks

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published by

Tuhin Maity

Sketchup User

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Perform a superior rendering by combining sketchup and blender

The SketchUp is an outstanding tool for 3d modeling work. But the main problem arises while rendering any images with sketchup as the tool is not intended particularly for viewing. In order to produce photo-realistic images with sketchup, one has to apply several plugins and 3rd party renders like V-ray or Maxwell render. But for availing these softwares, the users have to purchase a license which may not be always affordable for users.

The users can utilize Blender, a free and open-source 3D computer graphics software suite useful for a series of 3d work like modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking as well as editing and game formation, together with Sketchup for creating realistic images without buying any licence.

The sketchup professionals can create a 3d model and export it to DXF format model that is supported by both the free version of the software like SketchUp Pro. After exporting the model to DXF format, apply Autodesk FBX Converter to convert 3d model twice. Now the first and second FBX will be converted to OBJ format.

Once the geometry is appropriately imported into Blender, the users have to work on the settings attached Cycles own, that would be the materials and textures in conjunction with the lighting of the scene.

For getting the best result, try to build the most of the materials and textures of the selected settings for creating the images renderer as it solves the problems of mapping and makes sure the pragmatism of the surfaces in the image. It is recommended that all the setup procedure of the textures should be performed in Blender.

There are some useful courses on rendering with Blender:-

• Course about modeling for architecture with SketchUp
• Course on advanced rendering with Blender Cycles
• Course on advanced materials with Blender Cycles

Go through the following video that focuses on how to export a scene from sketchup to blender and the fundamentals of the of the cycles render engine.

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published by

Tuhin Maity

Sketchup User

www.sketchup4architect.com
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