Using imported SolidWorks files in a SketchUp model

Hello to all … I’ve used software from SimLab to import some production equipment models from SolidWorks into SketchUp. The software works great, if anyone is looking to do something similar I can highly recommend the software. Unfortunately the SW models are large and detailed, so the imported SU models are equally large and detailed. The goal of the exercise is to create “paper dolls” of each piece of equipment that I can then use to make multiple floor layouts for planning purposes, it’s what I call cartooning. The overall equipment model dimensions are important, but much of the model details are not, especially non-visible interior details which the SW model is full of :wink:

I think I know the answer to my question, but I thought I would ask the community in case someone has traveled this path before.

Is there a simple way to “shell” a detailed SU model, stripping out interior details, saving only select exterior faces, enough to make a recognizable 3D image.

I suspect the answer is no … I’ve been editing each model, opening groups and components, deleting internals that serve no purpose to make recognizable cartoons. It works, but it’s very time consuming… I hope someone has been down this road before and can offer an alternative solution to the brute force method I’ve been using.

Regards,
Jerry

You might try an extension called CleanUp3 but be patient. It could take a while to work it’s magic. My brother occasionally sends me step files to convert to Sketchup for him. They are usually a huge PIA because of the way surfaces are converted into individual components. I charge him extra for my time just because of the annoyance. :smiley:

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