I know Vertex Tools has been around for a little while but I only recently downloaded the trial version and I just have to say that this plugin finally fills in such a huge hole that Sketchup has been missing in advanced modelling tools and techniques. I only wish I had noticed it before. I was especially STOKED with the scale tool implementation that not only aligns vertices to a single axis, but that we can finally get rid of artifact lines by scaling a plane to absolute zero. Ya-freakin-hoo, it's about time.

Also love the extrude edge and merge vertex options. Beautiful man.

This an update showing a comparison of the old and new forearm section (new is on top). The piece that fits into the forearm connects with a neodymium magnet that insets into the back of it (another inset being inside the forearm to fit the second magnet). This detachment is used to fit different weapons using the same magnet idea.

I wasn't happy with the rear portion of the original forearm being fairly simple and looking somewhat toy like with the big red button on the back. Once I got the back finished up I then felt like I needed the bottom portion to have similar style to balance it out. I might still modify the bottom portion a bit, or perhaps just change the color.

@cotty said:

The topic is now in the WIP section...

Thanks!

I just realized that there is a section specifically for works in progress which this is definitely a work in progress. Somehow I missed that. I'll post my next update in that section.

@cotty said:

So you have some parts printed already? Do you have some pictures from the real parts? Whats the size of the assembled robot?

Height is roughly 21.5 cm.

Here are some printed prototype parts that I did in a low resolution, inexpensive FDM (fused deposition modelling) material that I used for testing balance, weight, joint strength and overall appearance and scale being correct.

I won't print the final pieces in a high resolution material until I am certain that I am satisfied with the 3D model. Making changes on a figure like this often means making changes to other contingent pieces so I don't want to do a final print until everything is ready to go.

@dukejazz said:

What type of 3d printer did you use?
When did you start the project?
and what is your process?

This is the best 3d modeling, I seen, made by sketchup so far reported on the forum

Sorry some how I missed the top part of your post.
For printing I use imaterialize.com. as a printing service. Specifically I use their "primer gray" material. Prices are the best I've seen for high resolution prints other than owning your own printer. If I was going to buy a printer though I would buy a Form1. I don't know what kind of printers imaterialise uses. I would guess they might use Objet Connex printers for this kind of small stuff?

This project has gone throuh phases and has often been on the backburner. I first drew the character about three years ago.

My process is that I have my main working model but I print each piece separately because its an articulated figure with roughly 30 articulation points. I designed the joint system to be able to hold the weight of the figure with correct tension and maximum wearability by using nylon locknuts inset into the joints. The head and hands use ball joints. The hands are also replacable with other weapons. The wings fold and are also removable.

Once I finish a piece I export it as an .stl file. I then use a program called Netfab to check and fix bugs. Roughly 20% of the time when Sketchup says something is solid it still has issues and Netfab is a program made specifically to make printer ready files.

When I receive my parts I sand them and then make silicone molds for resin casting multiples if I plan to sell the parts or figure. If I just need one then I only print it.

@dukejazz said:

What type of 3d printer did you use?
When did you start the project?
and what is your process?

This is the best 3d modeling, I seen, made by sketchup so far reported on the forum

Thanks!

This is an original robot design of mine that I've been working as a 3D printed project. He's mostly finished other than some minor cosmetic changes. Sketchup has been great for something like this because it's been fairly easy to overhaul parts as I go along.

The Thea HDRI pack sounds like an awesome addition for product rendering. The HDRI pack combined with the Presto GPU and all combined with a very reasonable price point, Thea seems to be the best rendering software for your dollar available.

@tomasz said:

You could try Thea Presto GPU engine when it will be available publicly.

The Rolex and diamond ring animations look excellent. I haven't committed myself to anything yet so Thea Presto GPU looks like a really good option.

@burkhard said:

Seems you like it...

That would be an affirmative. Keyframe is so much more powerful than I expected.

As far as Thea goes, I guess I don't really know what is considered to be fast when dealing with renderings for Sketchup, but with the low polygon counts that are typical in my Sketchup models, a rendering in any typical animation program might take a minute or two at most for a good biased rendering. But I do understand that animation programs are in a whole different class and price point.

I have to recant on the previous post where I stated that Keyshot doesn't allow for oxidized, weathered or aged material. This is incorrect. Keyshot has a label tool system that allows you to import your own graphics into the material library that is typically used for branding graphics but can also be used to make layered, oxidized or weathered effects with typical reflectivity and depth adjustment controls.

I also noticed that they have now implemented procedural textures for creating random texture materials such as granite, wood, oxidized metal, marble, and leather.

And their large drag and drop material library just keeps growing. They now have all the Pantone color library, internal lighting, caustic materials, Mold-tech textures, among others...

I felt like maybe I should add to my last post concerning Keyshot:

I said that Keyshot is "not versatile", but that's not a fair claim because you have to understand how this program works in order to understand what you are dealing with. Keyshot uses a unique process where you import your model into a predefined 32 bit high definition environment where the lighting is actually based upon the conditions of this environment in a real world sense. What that means is that you don't set up your lights or set up your lighting parameters as you would in standard rendering software. Instead you drag and drop the environment you want along with a huge range of editable materials right into your rendering or onto your model, which you can then adjust the intensity of the lighting, the position of the model, and the hue and coarseness of the material placed upon your model. The results update in real time. It's quite stunning the first time you see it in action.

Ok, so back to why I mentioned versatility specifically. At first I couldn't see how this would work for interior design or outdoor modeled environments, but now I've realized that you can import your own backdrop images. So even though Keyshot is not CURRENTLY supplying a library of organic materials such as foliage or skin (plenty of fabric though) you could bring in these elements as a 2D backdrop image or use it in conjunction with Photoshop, but using Keyshot for the objects you really want the focus on. This might sound like it's more work, but I tried a couple of experiments of dropping a basic Sketchup building and a basic interior into Keyshot and then using backdrop images from the internet. The results were surprisingly good.

I highly recommend you try this out, if only for the eye opening experience. You will know whether this is something that interests you within about fifteen minutes. It's that easy.

To make this plugin useful there needs to be a way to choose the axes inference lines before doing the operation. As it is, it seems useful on simpler shapes where there is only one inference line per vertex, but otherwise it usually doesn't get the result I would hope for.

I've tried making multi-hinge chained objects with dynamic tools but they don't work correctly when trying to connect them in a hierarchy, like an arm. At least I haven't found a way to make them work. I thought by doing successive grouping would isolate each section of the chain as it grows, but for some reason that didn't work as you would expect.

Most of the bigger modellers can do these two operations. You can't really do animation without having "anchored hinges".

As for scaling, I know in Maya you can select a line and as I attempted to describe, it anchors the end points to the "bottom" of the bounding box plane you are scaling, then arcs, with the center of the selection being the center of fall off.

I probably wasn't clear enough in my explanation, but it was late when I posted...

What I meant by setting the rotation point: Think of being able to attach a permanent hinge pivot axis to a group. There should be a way to specify a coordinate and a plane for setting a rotation axis within a group which will then lock where that object rotates from everytime you rotate without having to keep going through the same operations over and over.

If that's not clear, here's a basic visual: Just think of a standard two piece hinge. That hinge is always going to pivot on the same axis... so being able to specify this "permanent" axis makes it so that you don't have to keep going into the group, finding the center and rotation plane, etc.

In most animation programs setting a locked pivot point is a standard action becasuse skeletons, joints, gears, hinges... all rotate or swivel at a permanently set location. Hopefully this makes more sense.

I would wish for two things:

1. Having the scale tool allow for the scaling of a segmented (divided) line which would then create an arc. By using the end vertices of a selection as the planar locking points and then have the scaling fall off leading to the averaged center of the selection as the point of least resistance.

2. Being able to specify multi-hinged chained objects with anchored axis points. When grouping, Sketchup already sets two rotation points per plane upon the selected group bounding box, but should be user defined rotation points... or have some kind of other grouping tool that will allow the user to set rotation points. For mechanical design this is an absolute must, but for figure design, particularly when doing varieties of poses, this would also be immensely helpful and time saving.

Here's are two really handy tips for using this plugin, especially on complex models:

1. Set the solid inspector as a shortcut key so you don't have to keep using the drop down menu. You can waste half your life away using drop down menus to access frequently used tools.

and combined with this...

2. Use Jim's "Custom Toolbar" plugin and then go to the VIEW drop down menu, then go to TOOLBARS and choose "Options". Having these buttons (or setting shortcut keys) for "Show Hidden Geometry" and for "Hide Rest of Model" is indispensable for fixing complex models into solids. It will save you A LOT of time.

I've been trying out Thea for a couple of days and been happy with it so far. It's a lot of program for the price and the interface is good. It has most of the major features of a high end renderer with similar results. Not super speedy though.