How to work with Components in SketchUp
SketchUp Components make it easy to place 3D items such as furniture, appliances, parts, etc. By creating a library of your components you can use them over and over again in your model, and other models.
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Most people use SketchUp primarily for Architectural Design and Visualization, Interior Design, Renderings and Presentations. However SketchUp can be a great asset in other industries which take advantage of its ability to place attributes and create reports on these attributes. By using predefined Symbols or Components, you can make your own design work easier and more efficient.
Contents
Placement and Manipulation
Components can be moved, rotated, scaled and mirrored into place as you layout your model.
SketchUp makes it easy to:
- Create Components to visualize furniture in 2D or 3D models.
- Spin, Place and edit your components as you layout the furniture.
- Create 3D renderings to make it easy to visualize furniture.
Attributes and Reports
Create Parts Lists and custom Reports - using attributes - such as Manufacturer, Part Number and Cost – for costing and client presentations.
By placing Attributes into your components - either as Dynamic Component attributes, or as SpaceDesign attributes, you can easily create reports, parts list, Bills of Materials, etc. Using just the Component Name and Description, you can often create good reports. Additional attributes, such as cost, part number, manufacturer, etc. can help create more detailed reports.
Special Placement Routines
Taking things even further, in SketchUp you can create special Components with attributes, use special placement and editing routines, customize attributes and reports, and create parts lists and presentations for clients.
SpaceDesign
All of these things can be performed with SketchUp, but it can take quite a bit of time and some essential elements are missing. SpaceDesign , from Render Plus, is a SketchUp add-on the makes this process easier to set-up.
Space Design reports can give you valuable information like total material quantities and costs for your entire model. So, for instance, if your layout includes fluorescent task lighting, your Spac Design report can tell you how many fixtures and bulbs are used and their total line-item cost.
SpaceDesign makes SketchUp a more powerful tool for furniture layout.
- Easier to select and place components
- Easier to define attributes
- Easier to create detailed reports
Check out SketchUp and SpaceDesign and see how you can use the power of these two tools to make your layout work easier and make better client presentations.