The Slicer tool in SketchUp is a powerful feature that allows you to slice through your 3D models, creating sections and views that help you analyze and present your designs. In this tutorial, we will explore how to use the Slicer tool effectively.
Step 1: Accessing the Slicer Tool
To access the Slicer tool, go to the “Tools” menu in SketchUp and select “Slicer”. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + X” (Windows) or “Cmd + Shift + X” (Mac).
Step 2: Selecting the Slice Plane
Once you activate the Slicer tool, move your cursor over the model. You will notice that it changes into a plane with arrows indicating its orientation.
Click on any face or surface to set the slice plane.
Tips:
- Selecting Multiple Faces: To slice through multiple faces at once, hold down the Shift key while clicking on each face.
- Slicing Along an Axis: If you want to slice along a specific axis (X, Y, or Z), hold down either Shift+X, Shift+Y, or Shift+Z after selecting the first face.
Step 3: Adjusting Slice Properties
After setting the slice plane, a dialog box will appear with various options to adjust the slice properties:
- Slice Thickness: Use this option to specify how thick each section cut should be.
- Keep Original: When enabled, this option keeps the original model intact along with the sliced sections. If disabled, only the sections will be kept.
- Component Editability: Choose whether the sliced components should remain editable or become static entities.
- Color by Axis: Enable this option to colorize each section cut based on its orientation axis.
Step 4: Creating Slice Sections
Once you have adjusted the slice properties to your liking, click on the “Create Sections” button to generate the slice sections. SketchUp will create new groups for each section cut, which you can then manipulate independently.
Tips:
- Hiding Original Geometry: To hide the original geometry and focus only on the sections, right-click on any face or group and select “Hide” from the context menu.
- Show/Hide Section Planes: To toggle the visibility of section planes, go to “View” > “Section Planes”. This can be useful for analyzing your model from different angles.
Step 5: Editing Slice Sections
To edit a slice section, double-click on it to enter its group context. You can now modify or delete any geometry within that section without affecting other parts of your model.
Tips:
- Moving Slice Sections: To move a slice section, select it and use SketchUp’s basic transformation tools (Move, Rotate, Scale).
- Merging Sections: If you want to merge two or more sections back into a single entity, select them all and right-click. Then, choose “Explode” from the context menu.
The Slicer tool in SketchUp is a versatile feature that empowers you to explore your 3D models in new ways. By using this tool effectively, you can create impressive presentations and gain deeper insights into your designs.
So go ahead, experiment with slicing through your models and unlock new possibilities!