Sketchup 3D printing plugin

3D Printing is a process in which objects are generated physically from digital designs. It is useful for architects and product designers.

The google sketchup contains several plugins that generate the scale models of your design and export & sent to 3D printer. Usually, printing SketchUp models includes file conversion, scale conversion and moderate inspection for inexplicable things like "watertightness"

There are also some free programs alias MeshLab and Accutrans3D alongside sketchup which provide perfect .stl file (a file format applied by 3-D applications for 3-D printing or a technique for producing quick prototypes of objects modeled on computers.) files directly from a Google SketchUp model. Meshlab is free and open source and Accutrans is free for 30 days.

Some exclusive sketchup plugins useful for 3D printing :-

i.materialise - It is a plugin for sketchup. Download and install the Google SketchUp plugin for i.materialise. Make your design in Google Sketchup and then open i.materialise plugin in Google sketchup. It is situated right under the plugin file menu of sketchup. Get the open wizard option while hovering over i.materialise 3D print service. The plugin is compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7 & Windows version - 6.1 MB.

Downloadable link

CADspan - This plugin can easily create solid 3-D printable files directly from a Google SketchUp model. CADspan reconstruct a model by 'shrink-wrapping' it with one constant mesh. This leads to formation of a totally solid printable object in STL file format.

The plugin contains various tools which can make the process simple for organizing a model for 3D printing. These tools will include Resurfacer, 3D Print Visualization Style, Layerize tool etc.

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