SketchUp as a Front-end to CAM

Tim Danaher · 19 Feb 2008, 11:28

Hmm -- anyone done this?

I may have a job as part of a team building a physical model of the Burj-al-Arab for display in a company's lobby.

We were discussing using SU to model the thing floor-by-floor, and using a computer-controlled lathe to machine each floor out of MDF, or suchlike, then adding detail by hand.

Has anyone used this approach? I think we'd need .stl files to feed to a CAM lathe/router, but SU doesn't support this format. We'd have to output it to another program that does, like Cheetah.

Anyone gone down this route, got any tips/advice, etc?

jasonh1234 · 19 Feb 2008, 11:36

@tim danaher said:

Anyone gone down this route, got any tips/advice, etc?

I've visited a physical model shop before and observed the process they used. They were working from paper drawings, recreating elements in AutoCAD, then feeding the file to a laser cutter which did most of the work.

Tim Danaher · 19 Feb 2008, 11:43

Which is the process I've already outlined above -- sorry if I wasn't clear enough. I need to get some tips on file formats & transfer. I don't want to have to do the modelling in AutoCAD.

Charlie__V · 19 Feb 2008, 18:42

Tim,
I have looked in to 3d printing,(Zcorp) possibly an option for you depending on the size/complexity.Company software accepts .skp
http://www.zcorp.com/Products/3D-Printers/spage.aspx

Or There is a Ruby here by Didier Bur, I have not tried it.
EDIT: look for.......SU2STL
http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/Ruby/em_fil_page.htm

Charlie

Tim Danaher · 19 Feb 2008, 18:52

Thanks, Charlie. Stl export ruby could be promising...

We'd considered 3D printing...but I've tried 3D printing in the past...hmmm...

Stephen · 19 Feb 2008, 21:44

Hello. I don't know if this will answer your question, but Datacad 12 ( an architectural cad program) will allow you to open skup files in datacad and export to STL format. I think v 11 will do this as well but v12 is supposed to have become more friendly with skup.
Hope this helps

Here's a link to the Datacad forum, I'm sure someone there can answer any questions you may have.
http://forum.datacad.com/

Stephen

Charlie__V · 19 Feb 2008, 22:03

@tim danaher said:

Thanks, Charlie. Stl export ruby could be promising...

We'd considered 3D printing...but I've tried 3D printing in the past...hmmm...

Tim.....I understand....sorry to see your results were......ummm..that's not the Burj I hope. :~)
Guess the 3d printing is still in it's infancy (considering cost/quality).
However, I'm sure it will really wow us at some time in the near future.

Charlie

bcoleman001 · 20 Feb 2008, 16:19

@tim danaher said:

I don't want to have to do the modelling in AutoCAD.

Why not just model in SU then export the model into AutoCAD. Then in AutoCAD export the .stl file?

Tim Danaher · 20 Feb 2008, 17:11

Because I don't have AutoCAD?

alpro · 20 Feb 2008, 17:37

Tim, check out this post http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6603
solo mentions Deep Exploration, it's a bit spendy but they do offer a 30 day demo. I just downloaded it myself and it looks like you can import skp and export stl.

Mike

Tim Danaher · 20 Feb 2008, 17:57

Thanks, Alpro, but if you re-read my original post, you'll see I already have a program that will do this...Cheetah3D .

I just wanted to know if other people have done this two-stage export process, if there are any pitfalls, or if there was a more direct method -- like didier's stl export ruby. Sorry, I should have been clearer in my OP.

alexander · 20 Feb 2008, 20:56

I don't know exactly, but you mentioned cutting out MDF board.
why not export a dxf and import the dxf in your cnc cad program ?

Or maybe if the building is solid, use the ruby slicer, so you've got
the building in thin piece's and export these with ADO ? and import these in the cnc-programming software.

what kind of cnc-machine are you talking about (how many axes ?)