I’m really new to Sketchup, but I am trying to learn. I found a 3D model on the 3D warehouse that I would like to 3D print (for myself only, I am not going to be producing anything for sale):
However I can’t seem to get it to slice properly. With Sketchup I’ve been able to separate the file to isolate only the drive cage and not the caddies, but when I export to stl and slice it in Cura 4.4 much of the model doesn’t get sliced.
I’ve played around with the model in Fusion 360, Sketchup, Netfabb and Meshmixer however I can’t seem to fix it. I think it might have to do with the faces not having thickness.
True.
A single face has no thickness.
To be printable, a model must have thickness that creates a closed volume, aka a Solid.
A Solid in SketchUp is a single Group or Component whose geometry meets certain conditions.
When those conditions are met, Entity Info indicates the model is a Solid Group or Solid Component.
Also notice Entity Info indicates the Volume of a selected Solid.
• The geometry must form a single* airtight vessel.
Like a perfect soap bubble … •No gaps •No holes •No leaks
• No extraneous Faces** inside or outside the vessel.
All Faces must serve to enclose the singular volume of the vessel.
• No stray Edges.
All Edges must serve to support a Face that in turn serves to enclose the airtight vessel.
Thus, each Edge supports two Faces … no more, no less.
• No nested Groups or Components.
*A Solid Group or Solid Component may contain one or more separate airtight vessels.
**Best that all Faces are oriented Front Side (white) facing out.
Understanding Solid Objects in SketchUp — Aidan Chopra
When you have gone through Geo’s suggestions, and have something in SketchUp that shows a volume (that is, it’s a watertight solid), export the model as STL and use either Cura or Meshmixer to prepare it for printing. Those programs can scale the model to the right size, make it be really solid or have thin walls that you can specify, and create supports for overhanging areas. Basically, a lot of things that SketchUp doesn’t do.
