.DWG 3d export problems

tristan1 · January 11, 2021, 10:03am

I’m sure this has been done to death but I’m at my wits end.

I’ve created a model to send to a manufacturer. I go in to the model, select Export>DWG>3D select all options and AutoCAD 2013 from the drop down compatibility menu.

File gets exported, I download it and it’s only in 2d.

I’ve also tried the same options in .dxf but experience the same issues.

Searched a few help forums and found some unnecessary geometry so I started cleaning up the model. Still the same problem.

There’s a lot of curves in the model if that helps any.

I’m starting to think it’s something I’ve done during the construction that’s stopping me from exporting in 3d but I can’t figure out what.

Has anyone got any hints as to why this is only exporting in 2d before I have a rage fit and smash up the office?plastic block prototype.skp (485.3 KB)

mihai.s · January 11, 2021, 10:19am

Model exported from SketchUp Shop (web):

CAD view

Exported as DWG 2010 from SketchUp 2021 (desktop)

tristan1 · January 11, 2021, 10:31am

Thank you Mihai. I don’t have a CAD programme so I have been using 3dvieweronline.com which is only showing 2d.

I will send to manufacturer and see if they can read ok.

tristan1 · January 11, 2021, 10:43am

So I am trying the same but I get “export failed”.

Please would you be kind to upload .dwg you have created?

john_mcclenahan · January 11, 2021, 11:46am

I get a report of success:

And here’s the DWG file that resulted.
plastic block prototype.dwg (1.4 MB)

That appears to be 3D when viewed in eDrawings.

And it imports back into SU2021 ok.
Original on the left, imported DWG on the right.

You should correct the reversed faces (showing grey-blue in the Monochrome image above)* - they will cause problems for either rendering or 3D printing.

I did that in Shop, re-exported from Shop, and got the third object on the right when re-imported into SU 2021.

I’ve no idea why your export appears to be 2D. Have you tried re-importing it into Shop? That too works for me.

I don’t want to sign up for 3Dvieweronline to see if the viewer is what’s misleading you, but since you can check your export by re-importing into Shop, why would I need to?

Try the export again in Shop, download the result to your computer, and upload the result here. And check it yourself in Shop - use the Insert menu and follow the instructions to import the DWG file from your computer.

*To get the faces correctly oriented is a one-click job. R-click on any white face, then choose Orient faces.