Smart way to model small details !
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As you know, SketchUp can't create faces if the edges are too small (less than 1mm). And it's very difficult to model something small, or if you make intersections that create so small faces, because you will end with lots of gaps in model.
Well, I work inside a component from the beginning. I make a prism or whatever is my general shape of the object I want to represent. Then, make an instance of that component and scale that instance x10-100 and work on that bigger copy. You will see that everything you do in there will reflect on the original object. After you finish, just delete the big one.
Do NOT start with 2D component because the modifications applied to it will not reflect proportionally to you original, instead you will see a 1:1 representation. See attached images.
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I used the same method of a recent product design project. Lots of rounded edges. (and mine included an DVI plug, as oppose to your USB
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Though I for some reason found myself making the x100 version and then make an instance that was x0.001 smaller. I did that because it seemed that I still had problems creating the small faces, even though the instance was scaled up x100, which is why I scaled the definition instead. But maybe it was another problem... -
When you say 2D and 3D, do you mean 3D is component scaled uniformly and 2D is non-uniformly? A bit confusing, since 2D = 2Dimmensional, as in a flat object.
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@thomthom said:
I used the same method of a recent product design project. Lots of rounded edges. (and mine included an DVI plug, as oppose to your USB
)
Though I for some reason found myself making the x100 version and then make an instance that was x0.001 smaller. I did that because it seemed that I still had problems creating the small faces, even though the instance was scaled up x100, which is why I scaled the definition instead. But maybe it was another problem...Leave the original on desired dimension and scale just the working-with instance. Use 10x 100x 1000x. The point is to have lines big enough to can create faces. If you round an edge with r=1mm and use 6 segments for 1/4circle arc, you will have each segment smaller than 0,3mm ! In this case 10x is ok. But are lots of situations when durring intersection you can't get faces because the distance between two lines is too small. In this case you will need 100x-1000x scalling.
I used up to 1.000.000x scalling
Don't be shy to scale... it's free!
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