topic Re: SketchUp import issues in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:37:24 GMT

All,

Something has changed with the conversion of SketchUp files.

Previously my components would come in as a series of surfaces, whcih could be converted to breps and then stitched together to create an editable body.

Now a series of Meshbodys are created which are not editable in any way. I can't merge them or do any sort of other manipulation.

I have a file that I previously successfully imported which now exhibits this behavior.

Any thoughts on what's going on, or how to use the meshbodies?

Also some time back I started getting a lot of errors when attempting to convert from mesh to brep surfaces.

So obviously, something has changed and not in a good way.

Thanks

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

masa.minohara — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 07:49:28 GMT

Hi Chris,

Thank you for posting! Personally I am not sure about the change regarding the conversion of SketchUp files but I was able to edit a body that was imported from SketchUp. Could you try the steps in the screencast below?

1. Go to Mesh environment, and select "Merge Bodies"

2. Select mesh bodies to combine

3. Go to Model environment and right click the merged body in the browser

4. Select "Mesh to Brep"

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 21:09:00 GMT

Masa,

Thank you for the feedback. That did the trick, sort of.

In the past, once the bodies were created, the tessellated faces in the meshbody were consumed in the conversion to brep. Now they don't as shown in your video. To eliminate the faces you unstitch the body and then stitch the faces back together in patch mode. Previously the tessellated faces were imported as faces, not bodies so when stitched together the seams were eliminated as much as possible.

Another complication is now the meshbodies import helter skelter where in the past they were import in the same orientation/position as they were in SketchUp. This made then easy to join together after the conversion to bodies.

Is there any way to resolve that?

thanks again,

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 23:21:50 GMT

Anyone else having SketchUp import issues?

Re: SketchUp import issues

Mike.Grau — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 08:39:22 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Thank you so much for pointing to this.

I see what you are saying. Could you might share your SketchUp design with me via A360 download link.

You can send me a private message to mike.grau@autodesk.com if you would like too.

I would really like to test a couple things with import and export options.

Thank you for your help,

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 20:55:43 GMT

Mike,

Thanks.

I sent you an e-mail with links.

cheers,

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

Mike.Grau — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 14:56:10 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Thank you for sharing the two files. This was really helpful.

I could see that the bodies of the imported design have been moved out of his original position.

Have you tried to import your file with different default units?

It would be great If you could share the original sketchup file with us through A360?

I hope this helps. Please, keep us updated.

Thanks,

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:00:34 GMT

Sure

http://a360.co/2cfz1hr

Failing that, you can download it from my here:

http://www.dubea.com/fotos/toolbox/toolbox_Rev_1.skp

cheers,

Chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

Mike.Grau — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 15:47:17 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Thank you for sharing the original sketchup file.

I have exported the file multiple times into different formats and it seemed to be

that certain formats show the issue you have described.

I was able convert an obj mesh into a BREP but the units which

I have exported should have matched the units in the import session.

I will reach out to the development team to find out what causes the problem.

I have invited you to the project where I have saved all the test files, please feel free to use it.

I hope this information helps.

Thanks,

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:03:03 GMT

Mike,

I have no need of another model of the toolbox. I have one that I imported previously as described and was able to build a good F360 assembly out of it. I've jointed it all together.

If it would help the effort, I can provide a link to that model. There have been some additional features added.

Thanks for all the assistance. If you need any other files, let me know. I've got plenty!

Looking forward to seeing what the response is.

cheers,

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 14:45:19 GMT

In working through some models for transition, I'm realizing how poorly structured SketchUp models are. Arg....

Complex surfaces are guaranteed to have gaps that will drive other CAD apps batty and are virtually impossible to find and stitch together.

Traditionally, I've used SketchUp to assemble models of home woodworking projects. A lot of the models have fairly complex edge treatments (router profiles) which are the source of a LOT (most) of the problems.

So, I'll have to drastically simplify a lot of the models and then apply edge treatments in F360.

I've found an IGES exporter for SketchUp that works well, if the models are well behaved (the components are labelled as "Solid" in SketchUp). When it works, it brings in the names of the components and drastically reduces the amount of cleanup required in F360.

In any event, I greatly appreciate AutoDesk making F360 available as it's a real modeler and not a toy....

cheers

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

cekuhnen — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 17:18:00 GMT

@Anonymous Instead of SketchUp you could also use Blender.

The advantage over SketchUp is that Blender brings into Fusion a much cleaner mesh often just plain quad.

While the UI requires some learning the object based approach to models and the general

modeling tools are very powerful. With modifiers you can also preview the design like

with features in Fusion.

I use it professional in my work and currently also teach it in my industrial design and furniture design course.

If you are interested to look in Blender check out my ID course online it starts with installing set-up and then

modeling a basic wooden lounge chair made out of a wood pallet in Blender and then when done we send

the data to Fusion to continue working there to finish the design.

I found this being a fantastic combo.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO-CARrxyXozzG7mKj3dGWvobD_S6Z_nW

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 17:29:14 GMT

Thanks,

I'll have a look at your tutorials. In all honesty I've played with Blender and it hurt my engineers head.

If it provides a smoother transition to F360 than I've been currently experienced, I'm game 🙂

cheers

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

cekuhnen — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 17:34:11 GMT

@Anonymous

I am quite honest Blender is not as easy to learn as SketchUp - specifically when you are new to it and try to learn it alone.

Some say the UI is terrible. I would rather say the app is just very massive like Maya and thus needs time to learn.

Once you understand the concept you can work incredibly fast in it.

The videos provide a good introduction. The playlist is actually my course channel so over this semester more videos will be uploaded.

With each project we do a Blender Fusion 360 combo. Sometimes we start in Blender to do the concept modeling and then finish in Fusion

or we start in Fusion and do an organic detail in Blender and bring it back.

Not to rip on SketchUp but I feel for design work Blender and Fusion beats the SketchUp Fusion combo by a long shot.

Nice added bonus: Blender is free

There are also add-ons that can do cad work like 2D drafting extend fillet trim like in AutoCad or adding dimensions to volumes and driving like in Fusion

the volume with such dimensions.

Re: SketchUp import issues

Mike.Grau — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 16:54:57 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Thank you for sharing the information about the SketchUp IGES exporter.

I think that might be a great work around for now.

Could you may share the download link for the IGES exporter.

I would like to try on my site as well.

Thanks,

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 22:42:55 GMT

Well, it works some of the time. Again I think it's amore an issue of the model in SketchUp than the converter. Anyway, you can download it from here:

http://www.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugin_details.php?id=966

Cheers

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:35:11 GMT

Nirvana!

Autodesk itself comes to the rescue with a FBX Converter: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=22694909

Save as a dae file in SketchUp. Convert to an FBX file in the converter. Bring it into F360 well behaved bodies!

Ba da bing

chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

Anonymous — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 15:48:08 GMT

Sigh.

Or not. FBX import is occasionally successful.

This has been an interesting process.

I've managed to identify some tools (all authored by ThomThom) which allow you to find the offending surfaces in SketchUp models and clean them up so they become "Solid Components" in SketchUp parlance. This is evidently a big issue for 3d printing as slicers don't deal with the detritus of loose faces any better than F360, or any other "real" modeler. I use parenthesis on real because while SketchUp may market itself as a modeler, it really isn't one. I'm looking forward to being done with SketchUp.....

I've tried three venues for importing models:

Direct SketchUp file import into F360.
Export via the IGES converter mentioned above and import into F360
Export to dae and then conversion to FBX with AutoDesk FBX converter and import into F360

At this juncture, the most reliable method is direct SketchUp file import. With my new found ability to clean up the models, they are better behaved (can be converted into solids) but they are still geographically out of place. That's not a show stopper as the parts are easily moved with the align command. It's just another step.

In any event, thanks to all and special thanks to the Fusion 360 team for being proactive on this. And thanks to Autodesk for making Fusion 360 available to us enthusiasts at no cost.

cheers,

Chris

Re: SketchUp import issues

Mike.Grau — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 08:36:57 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Thank you for the great feedback and sharing your experience with us.

Please, keep on posting great content. 😉

Thanks,