Sketchup Unfold

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TheSketchup unfold tool is a great way to turn your digital models into paper versions that can be used for presentations, visualizing, or just for fun! This is just one of the many tools you can use to speed up and simplify using Sketchup.

We would love to know what kind of shapes you are unfolding, let us know in the comments below! Still want to learn more? Check out all of Sketchup our tutorials here. You can find something for every level from beginning to advanced.

Not sure if this would do the job but Pepakura Designer might help. I use it for papercrafts but people use it for building suits like Iron Man and so on for unfolding. Little different than wood.Worth checking out. I love the software. You have to pay for the app if u want to save the files(.pdo).

-en/

There is still a need for 3d > 2d unfolding to create flat patterns. I have tried to create a low polygon model in Fusion 360, export it as .obj, import it into Mesh Mixer, and "unwrap" to create patterns. The workflow and results are a nightmare! The Mesh Mixer UI is clunky -- I would much prefer to remain within the Fusion 360 workspace where I can easily view, move, and transform objects. I realize that unfolding high-polygon objects or flexible materials such as steel have numerous issues. This is not what I am talking about. What I want is the ability to translate a low polygon model with well-defined, flat, rigid faces into a perfectly flat pattern with negligible material dimension (i.e., paper) - like a .pdf or .dxf file that contains two things only: cut lines and fold lines. I don't necessarily care about the location of the cut lines (versus fold lines), although it would be great to be able to specify my cut lines using the "crease" tool in Fusion 360.

This is really needed for us engineers who want to build rapid prototypes. I currently have to create a drawing then export in PDF then import that into a vector app and then export and transfer to my laser. Please do this feature. More people are using fusion 360 now that the Glow Forge laser is shipping.

HELLO there ! hey, I am going throu the same problem here . I don`t get the same error like U, I have a surface to unfold, I have installed the program (by the way , are you using the software from solid3dtech or U got`it from someone else ?) , I enter the "unfoldsurf" command , select the surface to unfold, press enter , then it prompts me to select curves , points , for unfolding, but as I try to select a line , I get selected all the surface and I don`t manage to unfold the surface ! Could U please tell me what I`m doing wrong and how I should proceed ? Thank U ! Regards !

I'm using the software from solid3tech. when you press the command, then select the surface. after that, i ignored the commands and just pressed enter. the 2d surface of your 3d model should be generated automatically. maybe you can't see it at once, because of your view.press the 'top view' and then you'll see your out-folded (2d) surface.

I think my problems come from the software , I can`t even unfold the samples from solid3d examples . Is it possible to send U my project and do the unfolding for me ? There are like 4+1 surfaces to unfold .Thanks !

Tim Killen and I have have shown several applications for using templates created in SketchUp. The Unfold plugin adds some additional choices. You could use this to make a template for splayed dovetails or angled through mortises.

My nephew draws buildings in SketchUp for his HO train layout. He unfolds them before printing them out on heavy paper. Then he cuts them out and folds them into real 3D models. This might be useful for doll house and other model makers.

Dave, Looks easy enough! How long to be proficent in this sketchup software? Any training needed? Looked liked a ton of drag down menus and icons that mean something? I've been to their website but not so sure about any downloads at this point. I have a pc in the shop and see potential in this type of software and woodworking but what is your opinion, Thanks

At this point on my screen there are probably more icons from plugins that from the native tools. None of the plugins are required to make SketchUp work and my suggestion is that you learn SketchUp without them. Then add a few plugins that seem useful. I have a lot more plugins than I use on a regular basis but I do that because I'm constantly teaching others to use the software and the plugins come up.

I would very much like to see the short video tutorial however, it seems that there is a problem with the flash animation/plugin. I saw a few of your other tutorials/videos and there only seems to be an issue with this one. Can you re-upload it?

Hello Jim,

Q. I was wondering if there is a way to automate your Unfold Tool to step along an object and 'flatten' as it encounters an edge ?

I have used Ruby to generate a 3D shape of a curled ribbon that curves around and angles to the side (can email you the model noting it is still evolving) and I wish to use your Unfold Tool to make the final shape flat so I can mark out and cut some tin sheet to make the curled shape in real life.

We have a characteristic direction (along the length of the ribbon) to get to the next face (and edge) on which to unfold, however, there are lots-and-lots of edges as I have used lots of 'step' increments in my script, which makes it near impossible to do by hand.

Q. Pls advise your email address and I will pass the model.

Regards, AL.

Canberra, ACT

PS: Well done with your site :-)

Than you Sooooooo much!

I just found your unfold tool yesterday, and it has totally transformed my work process.

I create folding boats and furniture from plastic sheets, and in the past it was a very tedious process to do a 2d drawing in illustrator, print it out, fold it up and then go back to the drawing and tweak and repeat endlessly.

Now I just make my finished product in sketchup and unfold it and print it out!

I could only wish for a couple of features:

A way to easily refold the shapes, as sometimes unfolding reveals a shape that is impossible to fold out of a flat panel, so I have to tweak it and fold it up again to see how the tweaks changed things.

A way to compensate for thickness in the final product, as that affects the final dimensions.

I would be willing to pay for these features to be implemented(especially the first one) if it is not too expensive.

Please let me know if you are interested in a reply

Michael,

You're welcome. I'm glad you found it useful.

You can use Undo to refold at any time during the unfold process. It will remember the selected faces to a point, but it's not perfect.

As for the thickness, I will need to think on how to do it. Please contact me via email.

I just learned a new trick with the unfold tool. I often get into a situation where I have partially unfolded a model and I realize that I missed a panel or I did the unfolding in the wrong order so some parts of the model were left behind in the unfolding process.

The trick is that whatever panels you have selected will be moved to the angle of the next panel you select, so you can select any arbitrary panels (connected or not) and they will unfold to the next panel you touch.

That probably is totally incoherent to anybody who does not already know the trick... Maybe I will do a movie to illustrate it.

I installed the newest sketchup (Windows version), but the plugin gives me errors:

Fehler beim Laden der Datei jf_unfoldtool.rb

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:59: syntax error

Sketchup.active_model.start_operation "Unfold"

^

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:79: syntax error

end # if edge pickedactive_model.commit_operation

^

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:110: syntax error

#puts "activate called."

^

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:120: syntax error

end

^

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:157: syntax error

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:159: void value expression

next unless axis

^

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:160: syntax error

g = Sketchup.active_model.entities.add_group(f)

^

C:/Programme/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/jf_unfoldtool.rb:183: syntax error

def self.select_plane(plane)

^

Fantastically useful plugin - thankyou for this. Getting some really nice results in architectural model making.

One question: how to make unfolded objects flatten to the ground plane automatically? The most time-consuming step for me now is rotating resultant objects in 3D to form my cutting list.

And a wish-list item: a packing plugin, which would rotate and translate flat objects to fill a rectangle of given proportions with reasonable efficiency. To reduce material wastage... A tall order, I know!

Thanks again. David.

This is awesome, it will be very handy for designing projects made up of panels so can then cut them out on my home built CNC.

One question: Sometimes the model will fold onto itself instead of out flat. Is there any way around this?

cheers

Darrel

Jim, thanks for getting back to me! Not sure if I totally get the workaround - doesn't seem to be doing the trick - but maybe there's already another plugin out there to rotated objects in 3d to place on the X Y plane. Still, much appreciated.

On the packing idea, that would probably need a lot of thinking! I know people charge a pretty penny for those apps due to their usefulness in saving material in manufacture, but wonder how complex the maths behind it really is...

Thanks again.

FanTAStic tool. Saves me having to learn Rhino at the moment :) One question- I have the same problem, where some planes UNfold like they should, and other planes fold back on to the adjacent plane I chose- like folding the flaps of a cardboard box into the box instead of opening the box. How can I fix this or what to do about it?

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