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3D PRINTING GUIDE
A complete guide for K-12 Schools
Everything you need to know about 3D printing in SketchUp for Schools
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table of contents
page
9 Intro to SketchUp for Schools
13 Stuff you should know before you 3D print
14 Lessons plans for 3D printing
Hi, I’m Temple
If you are new to 3D modeling or 3D printing, this guide is for you!
I’ll be with you the whole way, giving you tips and tricks for how to model like a pro in SketchUp for Schools.
I can’t wait to see what you create… let’s do this!
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What is 3D printing?
3D printing is a buzzword that we hear in the news and in popular culture. But what really is it and how does it work? If you're uninitiated into the 3D printing world,, this guide is for you.
We all know what 2D printers are. We’ve used them for years in various forms in our homes, at school, and at work to print out faxes, boarding passes, and all sorts of documents.
So what’s a 3D printer? To put it simply: a 3D printer is a 2D printer with a 3rd dimension added. Not only can it print left, right, forward and back to fill a sheet of paper, it can also print layer by layer to build up a 3D model.
The big takeaway here is that 3d printing is additive. Every type of 3D printing involves a computer controlled printer adding material in some way to build up your model.
2D printing vs 3D printing
Intro to 3D printing
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FDM printing
Let’s talk about the most common kind of 3D printing: FDM. This stands for “Fused Deposition Modeling”. Put simply, imagine a hot glue gun on a robotic arm. The arm moves the glue gun around and builds up a model layer by layer. FDM 3D printers work in the same way, except that the glue stick is replaced with a thin plastic filament which is heated and forced through a tiny nozzle that is very similar to a hot glue gun. If you took a hot glue gun and squirted some glue out to build up a shape, you’re a 3d printer!
...so how does it work?
SLA printing
Another form of 3D printing is called Stereolithography or SLA printing. This is a little more complicated, and a little more expensive. These printers work by having a tank of liquid resin. Lasers or projected images are shot into that tank at very specific angle and time. The resin reacts to the laser or image light and cures hard on contact. Models are built layer by layer using this resin process. These printers are more expensive to operate and own, but they produce very detailed models.
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How it all began: RepRap Project
The RepRap project started in 2005 at the University of Bath in England. The main goal of the project was to build a low-cost 3D printing machine that could print its own parts.
*Think: machines making machines! *
At the time, 3D printers were very expensive. Providing a low-cost option would mean more people could own 3D printers to build cool stuff with. Even better, a self-replicating 3D printer would mean people could build 3D printers for their friends, thus, spreading the technology even further!
The RepRap project was licensed with a GNU General Public License., allowing just about anyone to re-use and create derivative works of the original project. This lead the way for many individuals and companies to create 3D printers, which in turn, expanded the market to offer much more affordable 3D printing machines. Below are two early examples of 3D printers that were based on RepRap.
Prusa 3D Printer
Josef Prusa
RepRap Darwin
Charles C
For more information on the RepRap project, check out RepRap.org
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For learning …
3D printing in the classroom is an excellent idea, and the reasons go far beyond just the ability to create fun plastic objects. Just about every object that we use -- our cars, computers, and even the desk you’re sitting at -- had to be designed and built.
Designing for 3D printing, challenges students to think outside the box.
In reality, learning about 3D printing goes far beyond just the creation of some widget.
Challenging students to be the ideators, designers, engineers, testers, and consumers of a 3D printed object can be an incredible learning experience.
Various uses for 3D printing
Image source: Materialise
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… and for building cars …
Designing a car is a huge undertaking. It requires millions of dollars for research and development, as well as a team of engineers, marketers, and product managers to bring a car to life.
There are tons of considerations when designing a car: it needs to fit on the road, it needs to be built to safety standards, it needs to be constructed with readily available material, and it needs to appeal to consumers. But once designed to fit these constraints, building the car is as simple as pressing a button!
“Polymaker” designed and built a 3D printed car.
… and houses ...
ICON is a company that is designing and building 3D printed houses. In the image, you can see the huge 3D printer that extrudes concrete instead of plastic. This really is just a supersized version of your desktop printer! The idea is that they can build better houses faster, and for less money, than ever before.
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This Markforged 3D printer can actually print metal parts. Normally metal parts are manufactured in large runs because they need to be moved from machine to machine for each operation to be applied to a part. With this 3D printer, a single metal part can be printed at once. This allows designers and engineers to design and test a part without having to setup a whole assembly line.
… for high-end printing ...
Many of the 3D printers we talk about in this guide, and the ones you’ll use in your classroom, are very inexpensive. Some are as little as $200! While those 3D printers are very capable for use in the classroom, let’s also look at some examples of industrial, high-end 3D printers.
Eventuri, a company that designs custom performance intakes for cars, was able to design and test their intakes in actual cars before producing them in large numbers. 3D printers are not only useful for visualizing what something will look like in real life, but also for actually testing it in real life.
Image source: Fabbaloo
… the list goes on and on!
Intro to SketchUp for Schools
5 minutes
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Saving Files
Getting Access
Before we get started, let’s go through some of the basics together.
1 Go to https://edu.sketchup.com/app
2 Sign in with the Google or Microsoft email address provided by your school.
Note: If you have trouble logging in, check with your administrator that your school or district has installed SketchUp for Schools (Instructions for Google & Microsoft Admins)
Before you build your first model, go to your Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive and create a new folder.
Give your folder a name.
Whenever you start a new model, it’s a good idea to save your file first. Click on the folder icon on the top left, then click ‘Save As.’
Give your model a name, then press ‘OK.’
Next, you’ll be asked to save your model to a folder in your Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Click on the folder you just created, then click ‘Select.’
If you’ve done everything correctly, you’ll see your file name in the top left corner along with a ‘Saved’ message.
A
B
C
D
E
F
PRO TIP #1
Save often!
If you get into the habit of saving your work, you’ll be less likely to lose any progress if class ends and you close your laptop.
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The Scale Figure
Every time you open a new model in SketchUp for Schools, you will see Temple Grandin's scale figure. Temple’s job is to give us a sense of the size of the objects we draw in our model.
For example, Temple is 5’9”. If we draw a 3 foot cube next to her, the cube will be about half her height.
Drawing a Cube
Let’s test it: let’s draw a 3 foot cube next to Temple.
Select the rectangle tool from the menu on the left.
Click once on the ground near Temple’s feet to set one corner of your cube.
Without clicking again, move your mouse anywhere on the screen, then type
“ 3’, 3’ ”, then hit ‘enter’.
Select the push/pull tool from the menu on the left.
Click once on the face you just drew. Without clicking again, move your mouse to make your cube 3D.
Type “ 3’ ”, then hit ‘enter’ to complete your cube.
A
B
C
D
E
F
Click
here
3’
3’
Click this face
3’
3’
3’
Rectangle tool
Push/Pull tool
PRO TIP # 2
Unless otherwise specified, a click in SketchUp is executed as “click and release.”
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Navigation Tools
One of the most important things to learn in 3D modeling is how to move around in your model window. Click the orbit tool from the menu on the left to expand all the navigation tools.
The Zoom Window tool allows you to select an area of your model to view closer. Click on the Zoom Window tool, then left click-hold-drag your mouse to highlight an area of your model.
The Zoom Extents tool allows you to see all the geometry in your model.
Click on the Zoom Extents tool and everything in your model will come into view.
The Pan tool allows you to move your model across your screen.
Click on the Pan tool, then left click-hold-drag your mouse from side to side in the model window.
Mouse shortcut: hold down the scroll wheel, then hold down the shift key at the same time. Move your mouse in any direction to pan.
pan
The Orbit tool allows you to rotate around your model.
Click on the Orbit tool, then left click-hold-drag your mouse from side to side in the model window.
Mouse shortcut: hold down the scroll wheel to activate the Orbit tool, then move your mouse in any direction to orbit.
orbit
The Zoom tool allows you to look closer at the details in your model.
Click on the Zoom tool, then left click-hold-drag your mouse up and down in the model window.
Mouse shortcut: use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out.
zoom
zoom window
zoom extents
PRO TIP #3
We recommend using a mouse with a scroll wheel when modeling in SketchUp. Using a trackpad is totally possible, but not as fun.
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The Instructor Panel
Open the ‘Instructor’ from the SketchUp panels for help with understanding how to use any of SketchUp’s tools.
The way it works: click on a tool with the instructor panel open and you will see a description of the tool and a step-by-step guide on how to use it.
Line tool
Instructor
That’s it for the intro.
You’re ready to get started on modeling!
Stuff you should know before you 3D print
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Watch this quick intro video for an overview of the five easy steps you need to follow every time you 3D print a model.
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Lesson plans for 3D printing
Model the SketchUp step box logo and learn the basics of how to build a model for 3D printing.
Who can 3D print the coolest castle? Build on the basics and take a deep dive into SketchUp to make a castle that’s your very own.
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SKETCHUP LOGO
Lesson for beginners • Time to complete: 30 mins
Lesson Plan :
Model the SketchUp step box logo and learn the basics of how to build a model for 3D printing.
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page
outline
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Learning Objectives
In this lesson, students will learn how to use the following SketchUp tools:
At the completion of this lesson, students should feel comfortable with the following on their own:
select
push/pull
Using SketchUp for Schools’ navigation tools to move around the model
Drawing rectangles
Using the push/pull tool to make and edit objects in 3D
paint
rectangle
pan
orbit
zoom
scale
tape measure
Preparing a model for 3D printing
K-12 Standards
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ISTE | Standards for Educators
Learner
Facilitator
Common Core Standards
Geometry
>> Reason with shapes and their attributes
Measurement & Data
>> Describe and compare measurable attributes
Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning.
1
Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students.
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step-by-step tutorial:
SketchUp Logo
Pre-flight checklist
Here’s a breakdown of the steps required to complete this lesson plan:
From the digital world
...to the physical world
You’ve gone through the SketchUp for Schools intro and are super excited to start modeling!
You’re logged in at edu.sketchup.com/app
You’ve setup at least one folder in Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for your SketchUp models
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1
Drawing a box
First things first: save your file!
Now we can start drawing your step box logo! Select the rectangle tool from the menu on the left.
Click (remember: click=click-and-release) on the ground near Temple’s feet to set one corner of your square. Move your mouse across your screen until you see a diagonal line and the word “square.” Click again to set your square.
Note: don’t worry too much about the size. We’ll get to modeling with dimensions later. For now, let’s just have fun!
B
Now for the fun part: let’s make it 3D!
Select the push/pull tool from the menu on the left.
C
D
�Rectangle tool
�first click here
�Then click here
�first, click on this surface
move your mouse up, then click again
Extra credit: to draw a perfect 3 foot cube, check out drawing a cube in the intro.
A
Click anywhere on your square, then move your mouse upwards on the screen to extrude it in 3D. Click again once you “pull” your square upwards enough to look like a box with all equal sides.
Push/Pull tool
Uh Oh!
Did you mess up?
No worries! Just click the undo button on the bottom left of your screen to go back. Command/control +z works, too.
undo
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2
Making the steps
Let’s make the first step!
Orbit to the top of your box, then select the rectangle tool from the menu on the left.
Click on the corner shown in the image, then move your mouse one-third of the way into the top of your box. Click again to create a smaller square.
Click again on the same corner to start the second step. This time, move your mouse about two-thirds of the way into the top of your box before clicking to make another medium-sized square.
B
To make our box, we “pulled” up the first square. Now, to make our steps, we’re going to “push” down the smaller squares.
Select the push/pull tool from the menu on the left. Click on the smallest square, then “push” two-thirds of the way down the box before clicking again.
C
D
�first, click on this corner
�then click here
�first, click on this surface
move your mouse down, then click again
Nice job!
You just made a 3D object! It wasn’t that hard now, was it? We’ve got more modeling to do, but first, check out this page for info on how to look around your model.
With the push/pull tool still active, click on the smaller hexagon at the top of your box. “Push” about one-third of the way down the box, then click again to complete the step.
�first, click on this corner
�then click here
A
�first, click on this surface
move your mouse down, then click again
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Add colors
The materials panel will automatically open on the right side and a few default colors will appear. Select SketchUp red.
For custom colors: click the magnifying glass to browse the material library, then click on ‘Colors’.
Paint tool
Select the paint tool from the menu on the left.
A
B
To apply color, simply click on a face. You’ll want to click on all the faces except the ones at the top of your step box. Leave those white.
Tip: make sure to orbit around your model to get the faces on the back and bottom, too. Check out this page for more info on orbiting.
C
Keep going! This lesson continues
Keep in mind: this section is just for fun and is not necessary for 3D printing.
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4
Making your model 3D-printable
First, let’s check that your step box is a solid. Click the select tool from the menu on the left, then select your entire step box: click-and-hold at the top left of your box, then drag your mouse to the bottom right before releasing the click. You’ll know your entire step box is selected when all the lines and surfaces are blue.
With your mouse on the selected box, right-click, then click ‘Make Group.’
B
Click on the Entity Info panel (the first icon) on the right side of your screen.
If you see “Solid Group”, great! Your model is ready for 3D printing! Skip to step F.
If you see “Group”, then your model may have a hole or another issue that needs to be fixed before printing.
C
D
�then drag your mouse this way
�click-and-hold here
If your model is not solid, Solid Inspector can help you fix it! Find the Solid Inspector panel (the last icon) on the right side of your screen.
Select your step box group, then click ‘Run Inspector.’
A
Your model is complete! Now let’s make sure it’s ready to send to the 3D printer.
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If your model has any holes or issues, Solid Inspector will provide instructions for how to fix them. Most errors can be fixed automatically, but some of them require manual fixes.
If you have a lot of errors, click the ‘Show Errors’ button to get a closer look at what is preventing your model from being a solid.
The last thing to check before 3D printing is your model’s size: can it fit in your 3D printer? Remember, Temple is 5’9”, so you’ll have to scale your model down until it is small enough to fit in the 3D printer bed.
Click the move tool from the menu on the left to expand all the tools in the flyout. Then, select the scale tool.
F
E
Click on one of the green corner grips to scale your model in all directions. Click again to set your model’s size once it is about as tall as Temple’s shoe.
Note: If you click a non-corner grip, your model will only scale in one or two directions. Although we are changing our model’s size, we still want to keep the overall proportions the same.
G
Scale tool
Move tool
H
You’re almost there! Select the tape measure from the menu on the left.
Tape Measure tool
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Click on one of the bottom corners of your step box, then click on the next closest corner on the bottom. Since you’ve made a box, your model should be about the same height, width, and length. Check the size of your 3D printer bed and make sure your step box measurement is less than the smallest dimension of the printer bed.
You’re ready to 3D print!
Delete Temple’s scale figure from your model, then click the File Operations menu at the top left -> Export -> STL to grab your print-ready file!
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I
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Lesson Plan :
NAME TAG
Intermediate lesson • Time to complete: 60 mins
Give your backpack some personality with a custom 3D printed name tag.
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page
outline
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Learning Objectives
In this lesson, students will learn how to use the following SketchUp tools:
select
push/pull
At the completion of this lesson, students should feel comfortable with the following on their own:
Using SketchUp for Schools’ navigation tools to move around the model
Drawing rectangles, arcs, and 3D text
Using the push/pull tool to make and edit objects in 3D
rectangle
pan
orbit
zoom
scale
tape measure
3D text
2 point arc
offset
circle
outer shell
eraser
Preparing a model for 3D printing
K-12 Standards
29
ISTE | Standards for Educators
Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning.
1
Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students.
Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.
4
6
Learner
Collaborator
Facilitator
Common Core Standards
Geometry
>> Apply geometric concepts in modeling situations
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step-by-step tutorial:
Name Tag
Pre-flight checklist
Here’s a breakdown of the steps required to complete this lesson plan:
You’re logged in at edu.sketchup.com/app
You’ve gone through the SketchUp for Schools intro and feel comfortable navigating around in the model window.
You’ve setup at least one folder in Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for your SketchUp models
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1
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Create the name tag shape
First things first: save your file!
Now we can start drawing your name tag! Click the rectangle tool from the menu on the left.
A
�Rectangle tool
B
Select the push/pull tool from the menu on the left.
C
Uh Oh!
Did you mess up?
No worries! Just click the undo button on the bottom left of your screen to go back. Command/control +z works, too.
undo
Click (remember: click=click-and-release) on the ground near Temple’s feet to set one corner of your rectangle. Move your mouse across your screen to start the shape of your name tag. You want to create a long and thin rectangle -- the longer your name, the longer your rectangle. Click again to set the shape.
�first click here
�Then click here
Push/Pull tool
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Click anywhere on your rectangle, then “pull” your mouse upwards to make your name tag 3D. Click again to set the thickness of your name tag.
Don’t worry too much about exactly how thick your name tag is, just make it look close to the image on the left.
D
E
Zoom in to one of the corners.
To create your arc, you will click three times. The first click will start your arc. Make sure you see “On Edge” when you click.
F
In the next few steps, we’re going to add rounded corners to our name tag.
Click the arc tool from the menu on the left to expand all the drawing tools. Then, select the 2 point arc tool.
2 point arc tool
arc tool
�first, click on this surface
move your mouse up, then click again
G
The second click will set the end of your arc. Make sure you see a magenta line and the words “Tangent to Edge” before you click. This ensures that your name tag will smoothly transition from the flat edge to the rounded edge.
click here
then click here
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The last click will set the bulge of the arc. Once again, make sure you see the magenta line and the words “Tangent to Edge” before you click.
H
I
Repeat steps F-I for the other three corners.
J
Select the push/pull tool again and click on the corner surface that we want to remove. “Push” down until you reach the bottom of your name tag. When you see “On Edge”, click again to complete the push/pull. The excess corner should disappear.
then click here
Keep going! This lesson continues
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2
Draw a border and a key ring hole
Now let’s add a border to our name tag.
Click the push/pull tool from the menu on the left to expand all the drawing tools. Then, select the offset tool.
A
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B
Select the push/pull tool again and “pull” up the border just a tiny bit.
C
Click anywhere on the outer edge of your name tag to start the offset. Move your mouse a little inwards, then click again to set the border thickness.
D
If you want to clip your name tag to your backpack or keys, you’ll need a hole for the key ring.
Click the rectangle tool from the menu on the left to expand all the drawing tools. Then, select the circle tool.
Push/Pull tool
Offset tool
�first click anywhere on the outer edge
�then click to set the border thickness
Circle
tool
�Rectangle tool
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E
F
G
H
Find a spot near one end or corner of your name tag. You want to leave room for your name, so don’t put your key ring hole right in the middle.
Click once to start your circle, then click again to set your circle.
Orbit to a view where you can see the underside of your name tag. You should be able to see all the way through to the SketchUp sky above.
Next, we’re going to “drill” a hole in our name tag.
Select the push/pull tool, then click on the circle surface. “Push” down on the surface until your mouse is on the bottom edge of your name tag. When you see the words “On Edge”, click to complete the push/pull.
If you ended up with something like this, don’t worry -- it just means you missed the bottom edge in step F. Click undo in the bottom left corner (ctrl/command z will work, too), and try again.
Circle
tool
�first click here
�then click here
�first click here
�then click here
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3
Model your name
Click the select tool from the menu on the left, then select your entire name tag: click-and-hold at the top left of your model then drag your mouse to the bottom right before releasing the click. You’ll know your entire name tag is selected when all the lines and surfaces are blue.
A
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B
C
D
In the dialog box that pops up, type your name in the top field.
You can change the font if you’d like, but keep the other settings as they are for now, then click Ok.
�then drag your mouse this way
�click-and-hold here
Did you know?
A ‘Group’ is just one way to organize your model in SketchUp. Groups are an important feature to understand, and very powerful when you’re working with larger models.
With your mouse on the selected name tag, right-click, then click ‘Make Group.’
Click the rectangle tool from the menu on the left to expand all the drawing tools. Then, select the 3D text tool.
Circle
tool
�Rectangle tool
�Your name
�Font
�Other settings
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After clicking Ok, your name will be attached to your mouse pointer. Find a good spot on the name tag, and when you see the words “On Face”, click to place your name.
E
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F
G
Did your name come out too big or too small? If so, click the undo button and repeat steps C & D, but this time try adjusting the height and text extrusion dimensions.
A ‘Really Long Name’ now fits on the name tag with a 6” text height and 3” text extrusion.
6” height & 3” text extrusion
12” height & 6” text extrusion
H
Alternatively, you could go back to the beginning of the lesson plan and adjust the size of your name tag
-OR-
You could use the scale tool to resize your name tag. Note: your key ring hole may no longer be a perfect circle after scaling and may need to be redrawn.
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4
Click the outer shell tool from the menu on the left to expand all the Solid tools, then select the outer shell tool at the top.
Outer shell will combine overlapping solids and leave only the outer (3D-printable) faces.
A
B
C
D
Click on your name first, then click on your grouped name tag. You will know the outer shell tool worked when you see the words “Solid Group” on the screen and your entire name tag highlighted in blue.
Outer Shell
Making your model 3D-printable
Your model is complete! Now let’s make sure it’s ready to send to the 3D printer.
Next, let’s check that your model is solid. Click on the Entity Info panel (the first icon) on the right side of your screen. If you see “Solid Group”, great! Your model is ready for 3D printing! Skip to step F.
If you see “Group”, then your model may have a hole or another issue that needs to be fixed before printing.
If your model is not solid, Solid Inspector can help you fix it! Find the Solid Inspector panel (the last icon) on the right side of your screen.
Select your name tag, then click ‘Run Inspector.’
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If your model has any holes or issues, Solid Inspector will provide instructions for how to fix them. Most errors can be fixed automatically, but some of them require manual fixes.
If you have a lot of errors, click the ‘Show Errors’ button to get a closer look at what is preventing your model from being a solid.
The last thing to check before 3D printing is your model’s size: can it fit in your 3D printer? Remember, Temple is 5’9”, so you’ll have to scale your model down until it is small enough to fit in the 3D printer bed.
Click the move tool from the menu on the left to expand all the tools in the flyout. Then, select the scale tool.
Click on one of the green corner grips to scale your model in all directions. Click again to set your model’s size once it is about as small as Temple’s shoe.
Note: If you click a non-corner grip, your model will only scale in one or two directions. Although we are changing our model’s size, we still want to keep the overall proportions the same.
You’re almost there! Select the tape measure from the menu on the left.
F
E
G
H
Scale tool
Move tool
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Click on the short side of your name tag, then click on the opposite edge to get the total length. Check the size of your 3D printer bed and make sure your name tag is less than the smallest dimension of the printer bed.
You’re ready to 3D print!
Delete Temple’s scale figure from the model, then click the File Operations menu at the top left -> Export -> STL to grab your print-ready file!
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Lesson Plan :
CUSTOM CASTLE
Advanced lesson • Time to complete: 90 mins
Build on the basics and take a deep dive into SketchUp to make a castle that’s your very own.
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page
outline
43
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, students will learn how to use the following SketchUp tools:
At the completion of this lesson, students should feel comfortable with the following on their own:
Using SketchUp for Schools’ navigation tools to move around the model
Drawing cubes, cylinders, and pyramids
Working with groups and components in large models with repeating elements
Preparing a model for 3D printing
select
push/pull
rectangle
pan
orbit
zoom
scale
tape measure
offset
circle
outer shell
eraser
move
line
K-12 Standards
44
ISTE | Standards for Educators
Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning.
1
Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students.
Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.
4
6
Learner
Collaborator
Facilitator
Common Core Standards
Geometry
>> Apply geometric concepts in modeling situations
45
step-by-step tutorial:
Custom Castle
Pre-flight checklist
Here’s a breakdown of the steps required to complete this lesson plan:
You’re logged in at edu.sketchup.com/app
You’ve gone through the SketchUp for Schools intro and feel comfortable navigating around in the model window.
You’ve setup at least one folder in Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for your SketchUp models
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1
Your kit of parts
You will design your castle one part at a time, and then you’ll bring everything in your kit together to make one 3D print. With the parts above, you can create as many custom configurations of your castle as your imagination and 3D printer bed will allow.
=
Before you start...
In this lesson, we assume you already know where most of the tools are, and know how to navigate comfortably in your model.
We’ll be much lighter with directions, so visit the previous tutorials if you need help finding tools. Strap in, we’ll be modeling fast!
Tower
Building
Wall
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2
Drawing the walls
Next, let’s extrude the square to the height of your castle’s walls.
Select the push/pull tool from the menu on the left. Click on your square, “pull” your mouse up the screen, then click again to set the height of the walls.
B
C
D
�Tiny Temple
Select the push/pull tool again and “push” the inner square down. You want the base of your model to have a thickness, so be careful not to push down so far that you reach or go past the bottom surface of your model.
First things first: save your file!
Now we can start drawing your castle! Select the rectangle tool from the menu on the left. Click once by Temple’s feet to start your square, then zoom way out before clicking again to set the square. We want to make the castle proportional in comparison with Temple.
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Big square
Now let’s give the walls thickness.
Select the offset tool from the menu on the left, then click once on the top of your box to start the offset. Move your mouse until the offset lines are slightly inside the original, then click again to set the offset.
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Select the push/pull tool and “push” down on the rectangle until your see “On Face” or “On Edge.” Click again to set your push/pull so that it is flush with the ground surface.
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first click
Next, you will create an entrance to your castle.
Select the rectangle tool, then click on an edge on the top surface of your walls. Move your mouse to the opposite edge of the same wall, then click again to set your rectangle.
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second click
Select all your walls by triple-clicking on your model. You can also window-select, but be sure not to include Temple in your selection.
Tip: hold the shift key down to add or subtract to your selection.
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Right click and make your walls a group.
Groups
A ‘Group’ is just one way to organize your model in SketchUp. Groups are an important feature to understand, and very powerful when you’re working with larger models.
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Drawing the towers
Orbit back to a top view of your model, then select the push/pull tool. “Pull” your circle up to create a cylinder that’s a bit taller than your walls.
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Right click, and this time make your cylinder a component.
Orbit to a view where you can see the bottom of your walls, then select the circle tool from the menu on the left. With your mouse hovering on one of the bottom corners, hit the up (↑) arrow to lock your circle to the blue (Z) plane. Click on the corner to start your circle, move along an adjacent edge, then click again to set your circle.
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Select your cylinder. The image shows a window-selection, but you can also triple click on the cylinder to select it.
first click
second click
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Components
Components are another way to organize geometry in SketchUp. Components are special because you can make copies of your geometry, and then edit all the copies simultaneously. Components save a ton of time in models with lots of repeating elements.
Orbit to a view where you can see the bottom of your model, then select your tower component.
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Repeat step G with the remaining two corners.
In the ‘Make a Component’ dialog box, give your component a name. Leave the rest of the default settings as they are, then hit ‘Ok.’
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Select the move tool from the menu on the left. Click the center of your cylinder’s bottom circle, which also happens to be where the corner of your wall intersects. Tap option (Mac/ Chromebook) or ctrl (PC) to activate the copy tool (the + symbol indicates you are in copy mode), then “paste” a copy of the tower on another corner.
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second click
+
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Next, you’ll experience the magic of components.
Select the offset tool, then click on the circle’s edge at the top of your tower. Click again inside the circle to set your offset. Notice how all the other towers also have the offset!
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With your four towers in place, orbit back to a top view. Click the select tool, then double click on any of the towers to edit the component.
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Select the push/pull tool and “push” the middle of your tower down a bit to create the tower walls. Watch in awe as all your towers update simultaneously!
Keep going! This lesson continues
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4
Drawing the building
Use the push/pull tool to “pull” your building up to the height of your walls.
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Select the move tool and click on the intersection of the two lines. Tap the up (↑) arrow key to lock translation to the blue (Z) axis, then click again to set the height of your pyramid roof.
To complete your building, make it a group.
Select the rectangle tool and draw a square inside your walls.
Extra credit: Use your offset skills to create a building that is precisely the same distance on all sides from your walls.
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Select the line tool from the menu on the left and draw an “X” on the top of your building.
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5
Customizing your model
You now have all the parts in your kit! Use the drawing skills you learned in this lesson to create your own castle. You can copy, stretch, push, pull, and redraw to your heart’s content.
Here are just some examples for inspiration.
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If your model is not solid, Solid Inspector can help you fix it! Find the Solid Inspector panel on the right side of your screen.
Select your castle, then click ‘Run Inspector.’
Next, let’s check that your model is solid. Click on the Entity Info panel on the right side of your screen. If you see “Solid Group”, great! Your model is ready for 3D printing! Skip to step F.
If you see “Group”, then your model may have a hole or another issue that needs to be fixed before printing.
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Since you built your model out of groups and components, the same steps for 3D printing prep should apply regardless of how you customized your castle.
Shift+select and click on all of the components and groups that make up your castle. Do not select Temple.
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Making your model 3D-printable
Click the outer shell tool from the menu on the left. Outer shell will combine overlapping solids and leave only the outer (3D-printable) faces.
You will know the outer shell tool worked when you see the words “Solid Group” on the screen and your entire castle highlighted in blue.
Your model is complete! Now let’s make sure it’s ready to send to the 3D printer.
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If your model has any holes or issues, Solid Inspector will provide instructions for how to fix them. Most errors can be fixed automatically, but some of them require manual fixes.
If you have a lot of errors, click the ‘Show Errors’ button to get a closer look at what is preventing your model from being a solid.
The last thing to check before 3D printing is your model’s size: can it fit in your 3D printer? Remember, Temple is 5’9”, so you’ll have to scale your model down until it is small enough to fit in the 3D printer bed.
Select the scale tool and shrink your life-sized model down to about the size of Temple’s shoe.
You’re almost there! Select the tape measure from the menu on the left and measure the longest dimension of your model. Check the size of your 3D printer bed and make sure your model fits. If it’s too big, continue to scale your model down.
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You’re ready to 3D print!
Delete Temple’s scale figure from the model, then click the File Operations menu at the top left -> Export -> STL to grab your print-ready file!
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Congratulations, you’re done!
Thanks for checking out the SketchUp for Schools 3D printing guide. Your brand new 3D prints are proof of your top-notch SketchUp skills.
Happy Modeling!
-Dr. Temple Grandin