GPU Rendering in SketchUp

Many individuals are keen on utilizing the intensity of the GPU they use for SketchUp to speed up rendering also.

Look at this article on GPU Rendering and SketchUp Plugins which can utilize your GPU.

What is GPU rendering anyway?

GPU rendering implies that there is utilized the intensity of GPU (Graphics card) for rendering, rather than CPU (processor). Regular CPUs (Intel, AMD) didn't gain such emotional ground, as GPUs in most recent 10 years. What is GPU rendering – NVIDIA makes it more clear.

GPU rendering innovation is getting a great deal of consideration right now. You most likely definitely realize that it's incredibly quick, and you may likewise realize that the equipment is undeniably more conservative than an exemplary render ranch. On the off chance that you know nothing else about it yet are consuming to know, at that point read on.

How about we start with customary CPU rendering. Without broadly expounding, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is a universally useful processor that sits in the framework. It runs all the projects on your workstation and controls associations with plates, systems and screens.

A CPU is on a very basic level dependent on a solitary center structure that can be told to perform one assignment on the slightest bit of information at once. As CPUs have grown, more centers have been included, with the goal that now every one of the centers can be independently allocated. A commonplace workstation CPU will have 6-14 centers and run 12-28 concurrent 'strings' of directions. More often than not each string will take a shot at one square of information.

The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) sits on the designs card. Its essential errand is to process information into pictures on the screen. Initially, the GPU was associated with the remainder of the PC by means of AGP which sent information exceptionally quick one way – from the PC to the illustrations card – however scarcely at all in the other. This implied the GPU could render for the screen, however having prepared that information, it couldn't send it back to the PC to be put away.

Around 10 years prior, illustrations cards began to be associated through PCIe. This sends information rapidly both to and from the GPU, empowering it to work as a smaller than usual PC in its own right.



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com
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VBR Piping Pro - SketchUp Extension Review

VBO Piping Pro is a module running in Trimble SketchUp. Its content makes pipes from edges in chosen groups and/or components, likewise adding fittings to vertices. VBO Piping Pro is developed by the KCDA group. Some of the other sketchUp plugins offered by the same devs are VBO Dimensions, VBO Toggle Color by Layer, VBO Grids, and VBO LayOut Splitter.

The Latest version of this extension is: v2.1.3, which you can download from the extension warehouse.

Usage of VBR Piping Pro:

Manufacture Pipes Branch: All inside edges of chosen groups/components will be gone to pipe with alternatives (assortment, size, sort of closure fitting and proceed fitting.) This can be chosen in an information box.

Branches modifier: A device helping to alter fitting. The client can turn, physically supplant fittings, include and supplant lessen bramble, redraw branches. Additionally can name and add shading to any branches.

2D/3D: A speedy exchanging of showing the branches in 2D/3D see, base on turn on/off the layers "8_mep_piping2D" and "8_mep_piping3D".

Double snap: Edit Group/Component to a branch will permit clients to alter the source edges and vertices. The branch will be refreshed to it's "settings" when the client completes the Group/Component altering.

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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com
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SketchUp Extension Review: TrueBend

Arguably the most popular 3D modeling and design software on earth, Trimble SketchUp gathers its immense following and customer base due to the user-friendliness and flexibility of the application. The flexibility comes from the enabling of adding external code, called “extensions” or “plugins”, into SketchUp. These extensions enhance the way SketchUp tools behave, add new tools or new content to enrich and ease your usage of the software.

One of the points to remember while intending to use SketchUp extensions is that only the SketchUp Pro version or above allows the users to import extensions within it. The Free, Make or Shop versions do not have this ability.

Most extensions for SketchUp are found in the Extension Warehouse from Trimble, which has released the 2.0 version of it recently with new and improved features. Other third-party web sites also host SketchUp extensions. One of these Extensions is called TrueBend, and it is that of which we will talk about today.

What is TrueBend

TrueBend from Thom Thom is a quite popular Trimble SketchUp extension found in the Extension Warehouse. When integrated with SketchUp, it enables the user to bend a given object for a certain degree. It will retain the original length of the object instance. The plugin uses the bottom front of the bounding box edge, therefore the user needs to line up the instant axis line up with the bend.

How TrueBend Works

The TrueBend plugin helps the user in bending an object within SketchUp for a given radius. It will also help you to bend the instance while maintaining the length of the object. Let us take an example to understand this better. Consider that the user wishes to bow a shape 60 inches long and the curvature of the bend is 180 degrees. To do this, the user needs to select ‘TrueBend’ in the menus or toolbar, and then click and drag the red bar on the SketchUp design screen to bend the object. Alternatively, you can click the red bar and enter the curvature value in degrees in the VCB for a precise manual curving. After finishing the dragging, or hitting enter after giving the value, you will see that the object instance has bowed to form the expected shape yet it still retains the original length.
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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com
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Some basic native tools in sketchup and their functionalities

Sketchup contains its own native tools which can be used to navigate, generate, and edit a 3D model. Besides, it also contains supplementary plugins and extensions. These plugins can perform a specific task that native tools lack.

Given below, the detail lists of some vital native SketchUp tools :-

Navigation Tools: With the Navigation Tools, the users can move all around the SketchUp viewport. These tools can be managed by the mouse buttons or applying the shortcut keys.

The navigation tools are sub-categorized as follow :-

• Zoom: It facilitates the users to be nearer or away from the object to be modeled with the scroll wheel of the mouse by moving it forward or backward. It is effective while viewing a minor detail or a general view in the 3D model. The quick shortcut key is “Z”.
  • Orbit: It allows orbiting the camera view by pressing and retaining the scroll wheel of the mouse. It is effective for analyzing the models from several angles. The quick shortcut key is “O”.
  • Pan: With the panning tool, it is possible to move devoid of losing the earlier perspective. It only arranges a vertical and horizontal movement and it is useful while framing a scene. To avail this tool, just hold the scroll wheel and press Shift simultaneously. For quick accessibility, press “H”.

Drafting Tools: Drafting Tools can be applied to generate something from the beginning. Drafting tools are sub-categorized as follow :-

• Line Tool: While design something in SketchUp, this tool is inevitable. It facilitates the users to produce any 2D surface by relating line segments. The lines are drawn in the X, Y and Z axis by the left click of the mouse. The quick shortcut key is “L“.
• Arc Tool: This tool not only draws a section from one point to another but also assign a third point to identify the arc curvature. The quick shortcut key is “A“.
• Eraser Tool: The main purpose of it is to rub out the unnecessary line segments. To apply it, just click with the left button of the mouse over any line. The quick shortcut key is “E“.

Editing Tools: SketchUp contains the following editing tools:

• Push Pull: It extrudes a 2D surface to transform it into a 3D shape. Just press “P” button to access it and place the cursor over the face according to your choice and then clicking the left button of the mouse for extruding.
• Scale: With this tool, it is possible to create any object selected bigger or smaller by applying a bounding box with some grips. Choose one grip and shift the cursor to scale your object. To make the scaling identical, choose the grips in the corners. The quick shortcut key is “S”.
• Move: Just press the “M” key and choose the object to be moved. The place you click in the object is considered as moving point. This prime objective of the tool is to adapt things in your model.
• Rotate: Just press the “Q” key and then clicking in the object to be rotated. The point you click on your object will be considered as the pivot point.
• Offset: It is used to create an equidistant line of any face. Just press “F” button and place your cursor on the line or surface to be offset. Then shift the cursor outside or inside as per your requirement, and finally provide a selected distance with the numeric pad.
• Follow Me: It extrudes a surface along any specified Path. Just choose the path to be worked with, then from the Edit toolbar, choose the “Follow me” tool. The surface to be extruded should be perpendicular to the selected guideline. By double-clicking to the surface, the extruded shape will be completed that follows the path direction.

Extensions: SketchUp also contains some native extensions which can be activated from the Toolbars available in the View menu.

• Sandbox Tools: This set of tools is suitable for terrain modeling from the beginning or from specified lines, like topographic curves for instance. It can produce a triangulated mesh that can be edited later as per requirements of your project.
• Solid Tools: It is only applicable with solids. They can be groups or components. It applies Boolean operations to integrate, subtract, split, intersect or trim one shape from another. It facilitates the users to generate more complex and cleaner models. It is available in the View menu in the toolbars section.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Shape Bender tool creates Curved Metal Panels in SketchUp

SketchUp is made to create different models and designs, the tools are perfect to help in 3D modeling, similarly Shape Bender is another extension which help to create Curved Metal Panels

In this article, we are again going to discuss about the method of creating and bending a series of linear metal panels into a curving serpentine shape with the SketchUp extension Shape Bender. Justin Geis has explained this tutorial through his video we are just going to give you a detailed written description of the tutorial.

Shape Bender: This extension can create a shape which is made to bend but that must be in group or component. After grouping the shape, users have to select a single horizontal line that can be used as the ground to bend; next select the curve that the shape will bend to match the existing one. After that, the shape will show a grid and preview of the place where the object is going to transform to. Then, press ‘UP’ Arrow key to move the orientation of the bend. Path: Plugins > Chris Fullmer Tools> Shape Bender or select it from a Shape Bender Toolbar.

To create the Curved Metal Panels, two extensions are needed: 1) Shape Bender, 2) Weld.

Note: SketchUp 2019 version doesn’t support Shape Bender extension, so users must do it in SketchUp 2018.

After entering in the SketchUp Home page, users have to create wide and long rectangle and click inward it which will take a shape of metal piece. Next this shape needs to be grouped and given a name. This shape may need to copy many times to give a cured look, users can use move tool and copy the object and paste it multiple time with a distant space. As Shape Bender extension allows to bend any object using a base line and a target line, so users need to fix these two lines first. The base line must be drawn on Red axis, the line is then need to copy and paste the line to make it a target line; it will be known as another base line. Using Arc Tool users can make the half of the line a barrier, using Rotate tool the line can be bended as a curve line. Previously the shapes were copied and pasted which made them look alike a sheet, this sheet need to be in group and shape bender tool will curve this group shit along the curve line.

For full video www.thesketchupessentials.com



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com
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DPLineStyler (1.0.1) for Sketchup

DPLineStyler is the newest sketchup extension that can be used to add styles in lines and curves with dashes, symbols or both.

It is well suited with SketchUp 2016, SketchUp 2017, SketchUp 2018, SketchUp 2019.

It functions locating lines already created and providing the consequent dashes and symbols into a group. While rubbing out or concealing your original lines, just the styled lines are departed.

If you are well experienced with layers, it is possible to track the similar original lines over with several styles (or the similar style at a diverse scale) and retain each style group in its own layer.

DPStyledLines can be fully modified. Apply any dash pattern and line color as per your choice. "Generate" your own symbols just by typing, or "Make" symbols from any group or component.

Your styles and symbols are saved in your Plugins folder, so that these can be applied on all your models.

DPLineStyler is available with some pre-made styles to start with. One can download a SketchUp sampler file of them by clicking on this link. (3dwarehouse.sketchup.com)

For live demonstration, go through the following video tutorial.



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.sketchup4architect.com
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