3 Replies Latest reply on Oct 5, 2011 5:02 PM by Jerry Steiger

    Solidworks to Sketchup Export Scaling Issues

    Jason Hester
    Jason Hester Sep 27, 2011 9:48 AM

      Guys,

      I wonder if you can help?

       

      I'm running Solidoworks 2011 on a 64 Bit machine.

      I have recently purchased some sycode software to export parts and assemblies out from native Solidworks into SKP (Sketchup) format.

       

      http://www.sycode.com/products/skp_export_sw/index.htm

       

      I have just exported a sofa which is some 5.3ft wide and after converting its come into Sketchup as 135ft wide.

      So it looks like its scaling it from a metric to imperial sclae and therefore multiplying it by 25.4 times.

      I've asked sycode if I can influence the export scale but they say they cannot.

      So apart from scaling down my model in solidworks then exporting or doing the same in Sketchup (which is a bit late as the file sizes are huge as a consequence)

      I'm at a loss.

       

      Any alternative ideas?

       

      Jason

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      • Categories: Import/Export, SolidWorks
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        • Re: Solidworks to Sketchup Export Scaling Issues
          Anna Wood
          Anna Wood Sep 27, 2011 9:52 AM (in response to Jason Hester)

          Try changing your model units to mm in the Document Properties, then export to Sketchup.

           

          Also check the Import options in Sketchup to see if you can specify inch units for import instead of mm.

           

          Cheers,

           

          Anna

            • Re: Solidworks to Sketchup Export Scaling Issues
              Jason Hester
              Jason Hester Sep 27, 2011 10:29 AM (in response to Anna Wood)

              Hi Anna,

               

              I'm working in MM as i'm based in the UK and I suspect that the sycode software is based on an imperial basis.

              I have asked them if they can do this but they are on India time so I wont find out til the morning.

               

              So I can either scale down my solidworks part by 25.4 times and then Export or as you suggested scale it down in Sketchup.

              However, there doesn't seem to be an option to convert the downscale on import as uits greyed out so we have to manually scale down by 0.0393700787. Which while not ideal is a certain fix.

               

              The only downside to this is that the part file size in terms of the exported from Solidworks file is very large and hangs the machine up when converting to Sketchup format. Combine that with the fact that the file size remains the same in Sketchup post scaling, which is prohibative when our competitors have much smaller file sizes than us for download.

               

              Any further help would be appreciated.

               

              Jason