Simplify3D User Forum

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

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

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).

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.

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

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.