Creating an exploded axon

baz88 · 6 Oct 2012, 11:58

How can i create an exploded axonometric? I think that's what it's called, but basically i want to pull the building apart so it's kind of showing all the pieces in a spread out view.

TIG · 6 Oct 2012, 12:03

There are a couple of plugins...
On SCF > Plugins Index look for Pilou's 'Eclate Deplace' [free].
On Smustard,com there's Explode - I think that one is $...
Remember to work on a copy SKP as your model could get messed up !

olishea · 6 Oct 2012, 14:14

Also change perspective to parallel projection then iso camera view. Pretty sure this is axonometric format.

I would group building components separately to facilitate the exploding. Group the roof, walls, floors etc.

Purging your sketchup file would be a good idea before any relatively complex plugin action. Search for purge plugin if you don't already have it.

Dave R · 6 Oct 2012, 15:44

I prefer to make exploded views manually because I have better control over where the parts wind up than I do with either of the plugins. The plugins work great for others, though so take your pick. No matter which way you do it, your model first needs to be drawn so that the individual parts are components or groups so they don't stick to each other.

Instead of working in a separate file for the exploded view, my practice is to make a copy of the model off to one side of the assembled model and pull that copy apart. I use only components so that if I need to edit the model after creating the exploded and other views, the editing carries through. Some people prefer to make groups of those parts of the model for which there is only one copy such as a table top. If you work that way and make a copy to explode, you need to remember to edit both copies when you need to make a change.

sonder · 6 Oct 2012, 16:54

Excellent method Dave!

Dave R · 6 Oct 2012, 17:18

Thank you, my friend.

I'm just finishing up editing a project in which there were some fairly substantial changes to the model. I had already created two different plan documents for it. Even though the changes were significant, it was dead simple to edit the model knowing that my changes would be carried throughout. Never once did I need to worry about making sure the changes showed up everywhere. And since the plans were created in LayOut, the updates to the model were automatically shown in the document.

pilou · 6 Oct 2012, 19:06

Component is the key!