Trimble has released SketchUp 2014, the latest version of its popular 3-D modeling platform for architects, engineers, design and construction professionals, as well as members of the global maker community.
SketchUp 2014 features major enhancements to SketchUp’s 3-D Warehouse—the world’s largest repository of free, high-quality, 3-D content—as well as new tools that improve the classification of design objects, tighten interoperability with other products used in Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows, and make professional documentation more efficient.
“As SketchUp’s professional footprint expands, access to content and broad interoperability are vital issues to our customers," said Chris Keating, director of the Architecture Division within the Trimble Buildings Group. "With SketchUp 2014, we’re giving users better tools to easily access the models they need and to ensure those models add value throughout the information modeling process.”
New 3-D Warehouse: Where Content is King
SketchUp’s 3-D Warehouse is an online repository for finding, storing and sharing useful 3-D models. In SketchUp 2014, the 3-D Warehouse has been rebuilt, making it easier for users to quickly find the models they need, create and organize their own collections, and share them with the world.
- The new 3-D Warehouse now features an integrated WebGL viewer, enabling users to preview and orbit models in full 3-D before downloading them into their own projects.
- Users can now upload 3-D models directly from their Web browsers, without first opening them in SketchUp, while the maximum size of uploadable models has been increased from 10 to 50 megabytes.
- The new Product Catalogs feature speeds the task of finding specific manufacturers’ products—from windows to washing machines—letting users start their models with the exact items they intend to use.
Building upon SketchUp Pro’s Information Modeling Foundation
Since BIM is an increasingly important process for professionals in architecture, engineering and construction, Trimble has expanded SketchUp Pro’s interoperability with other commonly used tools and data. The new release provides an easier way for users to participate in the information modeling process by ensuring that their objects and models—and the data connected to them—remain consistently identifiable throughout the BIM workflow.
SketchUp Pro 2014 contains three new features that are specific to information modeling:
- IFC Export: since the information embedded in information models is often used by other software programs, SketchUp Pro 2014 now includes another important industry standard to its roster of supported exports—the IFC 2x3 file type.
- Classifier: this feature allows users to classify objects with the pre-loaded IFC classification, use alternate classification types, or create a customized system for their specific needs.
- Component Options: provides editable options relevant to an object’s classified type, allowing pertinent data about each object to be managed throughout the information modeling process.
“BIM workflows are often complex and rigid processes, and we believe they don’t need to be,” said John Bacus, director of SketchUp product management at Trimble. “With this new release, we are enabling users to participate more effectively at any point in the information modeling process. We’ve added simple tools for adding structured information to a model in a way that is helpful to SketchUp customers, allowing them to easily pass information to others on their project teams, regardless of the tools being used.”
Documentation Done Right
Professional users will also benefit from continued enhancements to the 2-D documentation capabilities in SketchUp Pro 2014, such as: auto tags to improve accuracy and reduce repetitive work, smart labels with pre-populated relevant text, and significant improvements in speed for vector-rendered model views.
SketchUp 2014 is available now. Additional information and downloads are available at: www.sketchup.com.
Related Stories
| Dec 19, 2013
Mastering the art of crowd control and visitor flow in interpretive facilities
To say that visitor facility planning and design is challenging is an understatement. There are many factors that determine the success of a facility. Unfortunately, visitor flow, the way people move and how the facility accommodates those movements, isn’t always specifically considered.
| Dec 19, 2013
Urban populations, climate change demand resilient design: Report
With over fifty percent of the population already living in urban areas, cities must grapple with the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change (think: Superstorm Sandy in New York). In a new report, Jones Lang LaSalle has identified steps cities can take to make their infrastructure more resilient to changing climate conditions.
| Dec 18, 2013
How small architectural firms can make big money
What separates the great-but-struggling designers from the great-successful ones isn't luck. If you're as good an architect as you think, it will take more than your awesome design skills to become successful. Learn how to manage your firm’s finances and go from floundering to flourishing.
| Dec 18, 2013
Architecture Billings Index takes step back in November
After six months of steadily increasing demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index paused in November, dipping below 50 for just the second time in 2013.
| Dec 17, 2013
'Silver tsunami,' restaurant boom, mid-rise mania among predicted Midwestern construction trends
According to some of the Chicago-area’s top commercial real estate firms, informally polled by area real estate PR firm Taylor Johnson, much of 2013 was spent preparing for an even busier 2014. Given the relocation of many top companies to downtownChicago, demand for new apartments, office, retail and restaurant projects in 2014 should all be up as workers look to achieve a live, work and play lifestyle.
| Dec 17, 2013
NREL, National Trust offer energy roadmap for small buildings and small portfolios
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Green Lab initiative have released the report “Industry Research and Recommendations for Small Buildings and Small Portfolios,” analyzing untapped opportunities in energy savings.
| Dec 17, 2013
Nation's largest net-zero K-12 school among winners of 2013 Best of Green Schools award
The Lady Bird Johnson Middle School in Irving, Texas, was named a winner of USGBC's annual award, along with nine other schools, individuals and communities working toward the common goal of healthy, high-performing learning places.
| Dec 17, 2013
BBG-BBGM joins HOK to create one of the world’s leading hospitality design firms
HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, announced today that architecture and interior design firm BBG-BBGM's New York and Shanghai employees have joined the company.
| Dec 17, 2013
IBM's five tech-driven innovation predictions for the next five years [infographics]
Smart classrooms, DNA-based medical care, and wired cities are among the technology-related innovations identified by IBM researchers for the company's 5 in 5 report.
| Dec 17, 2013
Kahn appoints Alan Cobb President and CEO
Cobb is the tenth president in the firm’s 118-year history. As President, Cobb is responsible for ensuring that all of the firm’s client issues are effectively address and that overall project team performance meets or exceeds client expectations for each and job the firm undertakes.
