Using sketchup to model from CAD?

[BVI]

Excuse this question if its sounds stupid, but how would you tackle a model when supplied with working drawings? I use Sketchup to build models off of concept sketches or simpler sites that I can extrapolate off of a plan. However, a complicated building seems damn near impossible to model. Importing the DWG's makes the program very slow and cumbersome. Im using a fairly beefy pc and it slows to a crawl when navigating the view port.

 

The solution I found was to print the plans and then use a scale-rule to rebuild the model in 3D - but this seems like a backwards way to do things.

[cellophane]

Are they 3D or 2D CAD files?

 

Break your CAD files down into pieces. I frequently will make several files of various parts and combine once in SU instead of trying to do everything in SU. If you are doing an exterior rendering you don't need all the information inside of the building.

Make blocks out of EVERYTHING possible - they will turn into components once in SU.

Purge / Audit your drawing getting rid of everything possible that you don't need.

If you can, run Overkill and Flatten (run this before you make blocks) to remove extra lines and clean things up even more.

 

If you have 3D CAD files things get a little more complicated but the same basics apply.

[Brodie Geers]

I always clean stuff up in CAD before importing to SU. That means, getting rid of all the dimensions, hatches, basically anything but walls, and whatever else you really need. Also, put everything on the same layer and purge. You can do all that in SU but it's much harder. It's also easier to make sure all your lines are connected in CAD and make sure they're all at 0 elevation. Another tip I've been using is to import the .dwg, then export it as a 2 image in .dwg format, and reimport it. It sounds complicated but it makes sure everything is completely flat in SU and gives you a good starting point. You don't want to have to worry about some line that isn't closing because it's at .0001 elevation or something, which happens a lot. Finally select all and run the Make Faces ruby which will fill in all of your closed lines.

 

-Brodie