I am trying to check .skp files for SOLID in preparation for 3D printing and have been unsuccessful. Help!!
Entity info will list if your geometry is a solid in the upper left, if it is a group or component, raw geometry cannot be “solid”. Attach you model for more specific advice. Solid Inspector is an extension that can help as well.
Ah… now I see. I believe there is some confusion here about what a “solid” is. A solid is a single group or component containing only raw geometry. The raw geometry must completely enclose a volume of space without any gaps and without extra geometry. Every edge in a solid must be formed by the intersection of only 2 surfaces. This is sometimes referred to as manifold or watertight. Imagine a cube, the area inside is completely inclosed, and every edge is shared by two surfaces, no more, no less. This is a solid. Put one stray line across the a face of it, it is no longer a solid.
Your model is a complicated collection of overlapping shapes and stray lines. This will not be a solid as is and is probably not worth the work to try to make it one. It would be easier to start over.
Are you planning on printing these yourself or having a freind do it? If the printer operator was very savvy at using their slicing software and was willing to work with you for a while (bring your computer and a 6pack) perhaps you could print this just as a reference, but there are a lot of errors which will manifest in the print.
If you start over just concentrate on the outer shell, forget stain-glass windows and interior details as they can’t be printed anyway.
This is the result of the “start over” attempt, and I am attempting to do this properly. I made the mistake of sending the wrong file. What I sent was not intended for printing and I wasn’t attempting a solid model, but a visual DRAFT. I am going to try to send the file that I believe may be watertight.SML East (Front) Wall.skp (225.9 KB)
Solid Inspector shows multiple faults that make your latest upload not solid. And the window subcomponents aren’t solid either.
Have you installed the (free) Solid Inspector 2 extension?
It works in Make. Download and install it, to help diagnose and locate elements in your model that are preventing it from being a solid.
OK . This one is closer. First step is to work at a larger scale, I have made a component of your wall and scaled that up by 1000x, the original is still near the axis but work on the larger version. Next step is to explode everything inside as a “solid” cannot have nested groups or components, all raw geometry. There was still a lot of stray edges inside the piece and some double walled entities in the windows. I’ve cleaned it up about %90, hide the back wall and go inside to find the extra geometry. Unfortunately your back wall is not square, there and some holes in the mesh down near the base and the edges do not meet. I don’t have time right now to go any further but this is close. Take a look at the two scenes I have made to highlight the walls not meeting squarely. Perhaps someone else can help some more and I’ll try to check in later.
And get yourself Solid Inspector 2, ASAP.
SML East (Front) Wall 2.skp (207.6 KB)
In modeling for 3D Printing in Sketchup, I am modeling hand-railing that circumscribes the house model.
Is it ok to model the railing in separate segments in one file, or do I have to have separate files for each rail segment?
You can do that. Just make sure that every segment is a solid group or component…
And select them all before exporting as STL.
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SML Porch - Coin Box Base- work in progress-.skp (91.4 KB)
I am having trouble achieving a SOLID geometry in this file. This view shows the Geometry as I’d like it, but when I run the SOLID INSPECTOR and “fix” the error, a portion of the geometry disappears. I’ve attempted to find my error, but have been unsuccessful. I’m hoping that you can locate my error.
