Import and Cleanup CAD Files in SketchUp

Even import CAD files (.dwg/.dxf) and find that it's hard to close edges, fill faces, organize layers and tags? If so then join Eric where he'll share a few of his tips for organizing and cleaning up imported CAD linework so you can get modeling in no time.
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[@pipertime1]

Great learning video! I just imported a dwg file and at first glance it looked like a scrambled mess. I can now do something with it after watching this video. Thanks

[@nikitasmolin6232]

found this out while actually practicing architecture in the office by pure intuition and experience, but still good stuff. thanks.

[@keggyification]

Great video Eric, I don't have much to do with CAD in Sketchup these days but you sure know how to make things interesting.

[@ericsargeant3254]

Thanks @keggy. I don't work with CAD files much these days but used to a lot (in my prime) ;)

[@kevinheavener9149]

Learned many new tricks, thank you!

[@kheredrain]

Thank you for this video, as I am using a lot the import of CAD files in my process, now I won't lose too much time to flatten everything as I usually do with Scale tool. As usual very useful, Thx

[@ericsargeant3254]

Glad you found it useful!

[@Mattsana]

Man this was excellent. I haven't used SketchUp professionally until now. (Just hobby for over 10 years). Just had a few projects where this would come in handy. Thanks mate!

[@Kosal20234]

I want to use SketchUp expert

[@ericsargeant3254]

Awesome. Glad it will come in handy. Good luck!

[@johanflodkvist80]

Great stuff, could realy come in handy for my work.
Tip for a new video topic: Been looking for a good workflow to make a terrain volume from cad contour lines, not going over to mesh, but keeping the lines as extruded surfaces.

[@TroyCurry]

Thank you for the advice. I'll take a look at his workflow.

[@arozbakr9124]

THANKS!!

[@user-sm3nm7yn7p]

Awesome video

[@arqsergiomartinez]

Good Workflow

[@jamesogston8739]

🎉nice and maybe when you're working with cad drawings that normally change from time to time is to keep a copy of the imported CAD file untouched as a tagged locked unique component in the model to compare newer CAD revisions against the current model We do that alot using component reload so we always have a record of the latest CAD revision in our working model.
Thanks

[@edgespace3777]

Awesome!

[@ashenafimulugeta5643]

You made life easier

[@skapa.]

great eric,
please do some tutorial about generating report function in SU, I'm sure it'll be usefull lesson for many SU users.
thanks in advance

[@ericsargeant3254]

I'll add it to the list!

[@skapa.]

@@ericsargeant3254 hope we'll see it soon

[@TroyCurry]

This was a great tutorial. Thank you. The part that I’m struggling with is getting CAD drawings back out of SketchUp. Do you have any advice on best practices for when we need to take our SketchUp models and convert them into 2DCAD drawings for consultants to use?

[@SketchUp]

Great idea for an upcoming tutorial. LayOut is a great option if you're scaling to a plot sheet.

[@TroyCurry]

@@SketchUp We need an option exporting drawings from SketchUp, or Layout, at full scale to be brought into AutoCAD. I prefer to design in SketchUp, but those designs need to be given to other consultants, or coworkers within our office, who are only working in AutoCAD. The CAD files that come out of SketchUp and Layout are very granular, for lack of a better word. A lot of work needs to go into cleaning them up so they are usable and able to be manipulated easily in CAD. Currently, there is no easy way to take something from SketchUp and export it to conform to standard layers for our office.

[@jydwork1]

13:51 hi @TroyCurry, it’s really crucial. To organise your SU model into groups and tags with scenes for each “CAD” plot you need to export. Suggest you look at Mike Brightmans excellent SU Workflow . I have been designing in SU in 3Dand exporting thru Layout to DWG for all the different consultants …no issues .

[@schaunf4949]

I find that exporting the Skp file to IFC, then importing the IFC file into CAD, gives the best results for me.

[@davids4610]

I am still mystified why layers were renamed to tags.

[@SketchUp]

Its because they don't 'lay' on top of each other like other programs. They control visibility only so they're an organizational tool.

[@davids4610]

@@SketchUp I appreciate the quick response, thanks! But tags conceptually act like it as per other programs (illustrator, ACad, etc.) and for issues of consistency, I still reject the nomenclature change.

[@tangocharlie9291]

The same reason “Programs” are now “Apps”. Some hipster thought it was cool.