Firstly, a hugely happy New Year to you all. Let’s hope 2025 is a stellar year, hey!
I have been given an STL file derived from a 3D scan of a wall light fitting. the .SKP file is too big to post here, but the Kerkythea renders give an idea (180mm x 66mm x 16mm) of the object. This is a precursor to our using Point Cloud surveys for sites where we produce artistic blacksmithing products such as chandeliers, ornate gates and fencing et al. We’re heading down this route to avoid site anomalies that might be missed in a standard survey as some of our sites are very old where accuracy is key in a survey to catch variances in structure that affects the overall size of a fitment.
I have a fully licensed copy of Sketchup Pro 2024 to include Layout and Style Builder, but have never used Point Cloud surveys before and there seems an awful lot of data regarding the subject to wade through. Can anyone give me any advice as to how to approach this. From what I gather, scanners can produce fantastically detailed imagery, but you require specialist software in order to manipulate the model. Is Sketchup up to this and can one interrogate a PC survey within Sketchup and model within an imported survey model too?
Sorry to pose such basic questions, but I really am starting from scratch here.
Thank you all in advance and have a brilliant 2025!
What exactly do you want to do with the model in the picture if you import it into SketchUp?
The easiest way would be to import it into SketchUp using one of the simplification extensions - Universal Importer, Skimp or Transmutr.
Or you can simplify it in 3ds Max and export it as a DAE file.
essentially, we want to import survey data into Sketchup to interrogate to obtain precise dimensional information of a site. For example, if we are producing gates, we have had instances where the gate columns are anything but true, the distances from the lower section to the upper level can have significant differences, and we need to take this into account when producing the gates in our forge workshops. Point Cloud survey data would certainly ensure we are working to precise measurements which we can factor into our fabrication processes. We have AutoCAD, Sketchup Pro 2024 and Solid Edge, but not 3DS Max.
You can use James’ suggestion and switch to SketchUp Studio, where you will have Scan Essentials and can import certain types of point clouds to measure.
click to see video (I imported a .las file)
Or you can stay with just the version of SketchUp you already have and use other software, like CloudCompare, and transform the point cloud into geometry, which you can import simplified into SketchUp and measure it.
I would have a look at the Undet extension as it allows you to mesh the gate surfaces then take a section through the meshes using ‘create group from slice’. I do this all the time with elevations that are not perpendicular where I need glass panels to fit. In my opinion Undet is far superior to Scan Essentials. You can download a free trial at undet.com
have you got a device for obtaining point cloud data? Like a laser scanner? Might help if we knew what scanner you intend to use and what level of detail you will be working with.
