Google Sketchup
 

Does anybody know anything about google sketchup? Things such as designing parts for the robot, as creating the chassis for the robot. Are there any libraries that already have some parts created for download? Another thing is, can this open any AutoCAD Assemblies or parts? Are there any tutorials online?

Re: Google Sketchup
 

I highly suggest not using google sketchup to design robots. Trust me I've tried. A much better option would be either Solidworks or Autodesk Inventor both of which are free for FRC teams to download online. I picked up Autodesk Inventor in about 2-3 weeks. Its really not that difficult to use, and from what I've heard Solidworks has a similar or better learning curve.

Seriously, don't use Sketchup, you will not be happy with your results ifyou do.

Regards, Bryan

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Although I completely agree that Sketchup is not good for robot CADing, it is a pretty good program for simple 3D modeling tasks where you are building from the ground up, such as architectural design.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

From previous experience, some teams don't have access to PC's/Windows machines to learn CAD on. Sketchup is a great place to start learning the concept of CAD, but is not CAD in the more robotics sense of the word.

I have a former student who was a wiz at Sketchup. I'll see If I can't point him in your direction.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Sketchup is really good for concept sketches, if you've passed its learning curve. But, if you need a detailed machining drawing or something like that, you really want to go into Inventor or Solidworks to make sure everything is matching up properly.

I once used Sketchup. I had a 4-part assembly concept sketch model that in Solidworks would have taken about half an hour (4 parts, 1 assembly). Using Sketchup, it took more like an hour, and was made as a single part.

Admittedly, I do have more experience with Solidworks and Inventor, but the only thing I'd use Sketchup for would be concept sketches if I couldn't get to Solidworks.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Google Sketchup is not CAD, nor is it useful for CAD applications. It is a program to make 3d sketches, not 3d final products.

There are, to my knowledge, no libraries of any FIRST Robotics parts - however you can find most of the recent year's Robotics Fields.

There are ways of opening AutoCAD files into Sketchup, however you will need the Pro version of Sketchup to do this. If you can afford Pro, just simply do a Google search for uploading CAD files and you'll get your how-to's. I just did, took me 10 seconds.

I use Sketchup quite a bit, but since I use it for art and basic design purposes, that's all I need anyway. When designing a robot chassis, or any part of the robot for that matter, I would rather use what BJC suggested of either Inventor or SolidWorks. The extra options both of the programs have make actual building of things much easier. Inventor is better for FIRST applications, but SolidWorks has its charms.

Sketchup is a very useful and, in a way, powerful tool to use - but it doesn't have a chance to become a staple of FIRST design tools when you already have access to Inventor and SolidWorks. Go with what works.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Yes, I have been using AutoDesk Inventor, but I can't seem to get things situated in places they need to be. I was hoping that there might have been a easier alternative than that for right now until i try to get situated with learning AutoDesk Inventor.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Solidworks and Inventor are quite similar in difficulty/learnability. There is another CAD program that FRC teams use--Creo--but having experience with trying to learn Pro-E (its predecessor), the learning curve is much, much steeper than Sketchup.

Out of curiosity, have you looked at the tutorials for Inventor?

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Knowing a good idea or concept can come from any person on the entire robot team, I like google sketch-up for the student attempting to show an idea by a visual method. I would argue a person good with paper and pencil could do just as well armed with a straight edge, protractor etc. Take some time to make the drawing look nice and presentable.

To me, the core design team should avoid Sketch-up as a program. Use one of the three main software programs.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

Just out of curiosity, how would you define "CAD" then? And that's a serious question, don't take offense.

And I'll agree with everyone else here, since Inventor, AutoCAD (and Solidworks?) are free, you might as well just stick with them. Sketch Up is excellent for concept sketches, and I feel the workflow is much easier to understand for inexperienced users than most of the "Professional" CAD packages. I can model/Draft just as fast in Sketch Up as I can in AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit (generic models) or Max

Also, if you have access to Sketch Up Pro, you can export those concept sketches/models as .dwg's or some other native CAD formats. 3dsMax also directly imports the .skp files.

All in all, just learn Inventor or Solidworks...it will pay off in the long run.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

I would definitely second everything everyone has said already. I have used Sketch Up just to play around with some house designs and other things, but if you need anything complex, Autodesk products are the way to go, especially since you can get them for free. Certain things such as the robot chains, belts, and electronics would be impossible in Sketch Up from my understanding. If the preloaded tutorials do not help your learning, try looking into getting some workbooks. That is how I learned at first.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

This, and Youtube...that ability to actually watch someone work through the tutorial is priceless.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

I like to call Sketchup "Google Concept Design" because it cannot do detailed design. That's just a fact.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

I would define Sketchup as a sandbox game - whereas you are given a set of simple tools to play around with simple shapes. It's perfect for beginners and for getting quick ideas down. And there are some advanced capabilities that can be applied given time, lots of time. Give yourself enough time and you can use Sketchup the same way you could use other programs.

A Computer Aided Design program is not a sandbox game. You are not limited by the capabilities of the program, but instead by your willingness to dig deeper into Inventor and/or Solidworks and get the result you are looking for.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

As a person who was actually ignorant enough to go into build season trying to design the robot in sketchup, go with Inventor in Solidworks. Trust me, I can cad stuff in sketchup as fast as I can in Inventor or Solidworks but when you have to change something in the design it becomes a new level of complexity. I ended up scrapping sketchup a week into build season and learned Inventor very fast. Which I can also say that sketchup is really good at helping you get into the "good" cadding software. Inventor and Autodesk take some getting used too but I promise you will grow to like it. :D

Re: Google Sketchup
 

As everyone has said, Sketchup is great for concepts. It's also great to check dimensional data very quickly, to see if it's possible.

I guess let me lead by example to show this off. Here are a couple of a concept sketches we made in the past seasons.

In 2010, there was a 3 inch rule, we wanted to quickly see what that meant so we used google sketchup to see a picture of what this rule looked like.

In 2011, the same with the 80 inch rule, several of us did not know if there was enough room to design a gripper, once again using sketchup to show it's gunna be ok...

In 2011, we wondered if a robot could fit between the mini-bot pole and wall and a few other things, again sketchup helped us see visually the design constraints and moved into CAD after that.

Credits: In the 2011 the field was drawn by someone else here at CD, we downloaded it and used it. Thank you who ever you are.

Re: Google Sketchup
 

That's a fair answer. Thanks.