SketchUP model giving huge problems

[veisfeld]

Hej team,

I'm new to 3D printing, started last week with my Prusa i3 and Cura. After experiencing problems with cura and a home-made design I decided to give Simplify3D a go. But so far it seems to be even more problematic than Cura.

My model look like this in main window:


In preview it looks like this:


The model file is this one:
SketchUP file:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n90w493ux18yl ... 3.skb?dl=0

The exported STL file:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4uxfyyf22b341 ... 4.stl?dl=0

In Cura the model look much more printable:


Can someone please guide me to what I'm doing wrong?

rgs Morten

[CompoundCarl]

I'm guessing your sketchup file model isn't a true 3D solid. It's probably just a bunch of 2D sheets that happen to intersect at random locations. You need to make sure the final model is a true water-tight solid with correctly facing normals (that's another problem in sketchup).

There's some sketchup plugins that will actually check for this so that you can make sure you have a good valid model before making an STL. I don't have the link handy, but I'm sure you can find it if you search

[mroek]

The plugin you need is this one: https://extensions.sketchup.com/en/cont ... ctor%C2%B2

However, I'd strongly recommend that you just abandon Sketchup for designs you want to 3D-print. For mechanical design (as you are trying to create here), there are infinitely better alternatives. Personally, I am using Onshape (cloud based, runs in your browser), but you could also try Fusion 360 or even Tinkercad (which is a different approach, but you can usually get where you want).

[jimc]

Have to agree with what these guys said. Sketchup is a terrible modelling program for any kind of 3d printing. Even with that plugin you will be fighting bad models your whole 3d printg career. Just ditch it now.

[Akentut]

Beg to differ, because SketchUp worked for me. I did had issues until I loaded the extension Solid Inspector². Which solve my "not a 3D solid" problem. There was an issue with the bottom of an open top box not slicing, and it kept placing another layer at the top, as if it was a box with a lid, instead of the bottom layer. But all is ok now. Thanks for that info.

Al

[mroek]

No one said that it isn't possible to have Sketchup generate printable model files, just that it isn't a good choice of software for doing so. You can differ all you want, but that is still a fact. I have been using Sketchup a lot myself, so I am very familiar with it's strengths and weaknesses.