Hi Tool Design Pick "Visualize anything in 3D!."

Hi Tool Design Pick "Visualize anything in 3D!."

• SketchUp is fast, fun and intuitive
• Visualize anything in 3D
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• Powerful modeling, presentation, and file exchange tools you can’t work without.

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Sample Case Study Application use of SketchUp:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

SketchUp for crime scene reconstruction:

We’re never surprised to hear that SketchUp is being used in ways we didn’t expect, but we were particularly impressed when we came across this article about SketchUp’s knack for reconstructing crime scenes. We wanted to learn a bit more about how 3D plays into crime scene reconstruction (and yes, some of us are Dexter fan boys), so we tracked down Detective Albert Schade, the article’s co-author and the mind behind Crime Scene Interactive, a website that details workflows for modeling crime scenes in 3D.

A SketchUp model used as the basis for crime scene reconstruction

How long have you worked with 3D modeling software?

I've been 3D modeling since the mid 90’s; I got my feet wet with Animation Master and Milkshape: those really broadened my use of computer generated animation and modeling. Since then I’ve toyed with 3D Studio Max, Maya, Blender and SketchUp.

So what is "Crime Scene Interactive?" Who is it for?

Crime Scene Interactive has gotten a lot of attention since the publication of our article in the Association of Crime Scene Reconstruction Journal. Crime Scene Interactive is a workflow that allows you to make interactive courtroom exhibits through the use of SketchUp, Blender, Gimp or Photoshop, Ultimate Unwrap3d and the Unity3d game engine.

SketchUp, in particular, is a huge part of that workflow thanks to its ease of use and the ability to quickly model in real world measurements. SketchUp also happens to be very expandable with the ability to add features via Ruby and its nice assortment of import/export options.

What role does 3D modeling play in your detective work?

I’m a Detective in the Forensic Services Unit for the Berks County District Attorney’s Office. I investigate homicides, serious bodily injury cases and fatal crashes. I also instruct police officers in fingerprint comparison, blood spatter, evidence processing, and 3D crime scene creation. 3D modeling is a great way to make exhibits for all of these disciplines.

In law enforcement, we face several hurdles when bringing cases to court. During evidence collection and processing we obtain a large amount of information. When we testify in trial, we need to relate that information to juries -- groups of people with very diverse educational backgrounds -- in a very short period of time. Demonstrative exhibits help visually display that information. So 3D models and walkthroughs are incredibly useful for taking the vast data we've collected at a crime scene and relaying it in court so that a jury panel can make an informed decision.

Depending on the victim condition or amount of blood in a scene, judges will sometimes not allow actual crime scene photos in a courtroom. SketchUp models afford a neat and clean depiction that still articulates the positioning of the victim.

3D is also important for investigations. Most people don’t realize that police departments spend a lot of resources not only proving what did happen, but what didn't happen. In pursuit of the truth, rapid availability of reconstruction information helps us decipher witness or suspect statements. We can focus on the right people and not waste time on bad leads.

How did you first come across SketchUp?

I first used SketchUp for personal projects. I like woodworking, so I used SketchUp with the Cutlist plugin to help organize my project and develop a shopping list. Learning how engineers and various other artists and professionals around the world were using SketchUp is what led me to start using it for crime scene work.

Now, SketchUp fits perfectly in my workflow. With a large caseload, I need to keep investigations moving. With SketchUp, I can mock crime scenes very quickly, and then communicate the spatial relationship of items in the scene to other investigators in a clean, concise fashion. From there, we can start the process of testing theories and corroborating witness accounts to physical evidence.

Small apartments often make photography and camera views difficult to share. SketchUp's X-Ray mode provides a good overview of a room and makes it easier to navigate the 3D space.

Are there specific tools in SketchUp that are particularly helpful for your work?

LayOut is a great tool for turning sections of scenes into illustrated visuals for a presentation slide. SketchUp Pro’s reporting function is also very useful, because I often have to provide defense attorneys with data that shows my scene model is accurate. The report option lays out this data in a spreadsheet, saving me a lot of time. 

The ability to export models to .FBX format is also important because I currently use the Unity game engine to animate interactive walkthroughs of a scene. The DXF import option also helps because some of our measuring equipment saves to DXF; that import ability makes it easy to load control points directly into SketchUp Pro.

It sounds like you use several 3D tools in cooperation with SketchUp; what else is in the quiver?

I use Blender to make human models animate and any organic models that would otherwise be difficult to create in SketchUp. HemoSpat is a blood spatter analysis suite that allows me to create a 3D model of a bloodletting event’s area of origin. It can then be imported into SketchUp for placement in the crime scene model.

A SketchUp model (running in Unity3d) with the blood spatter model accurately position. The lines show the trajectory of the blood, and where they intersect shows the area of origin in 3D space.

I also use Unity, a game engine that brings crime scenes to life in an interactive animation. This lets you walk through the crime scene in a courtroom just like a video game. You can interact with items of evidence, and display images from the crime scene in relation to the model.

SketchUp Pro Case Study: Environmental Air Systems

Tuesday, February 5, 2013 6:49 PM

Environmental Air Systems (EAS) is a full service mechanical contractor based in North Carolina specializing in mechanical systems for health care, pharmaceutical, and data centers. EAS also has unique capabilities for Off-Site Construction (OSC), which allows for the manufacture of a wide range of products from mechanical skids and air handling units, to full central utility plants and large scale modular data centers.

With SketchUp Pro, Environmental Air Systems has been able to improve communication with their clients as well as increase their Off-Site Construction productivity. Carroll Shephard is the Production Design Coordinator for EAS, and also one of their SketchUp champions. He spoke with us about how EAS uses SketchUp.

SketchUp at EAS

Back in 2007, EAS was working on two data center projects. In an effort to create a more accurate and visual as-built of the product, we switched to SketchUp. We provided our client with an AutoCAD version along with the SketchUp as-built model. The client really liked that we gave them something more visually rich through SketchUp. Since then, we have transitioned all of our production drawings to SketchUp. Now, we are adding SketchUp to more processes than ever.

With SketchUp, we don’t spend a lot of time learning the software, and because it’s so intuitive, we’ve reached a point where we can rapidly turn detailed models into coordinated production drawings for our manufacturing facilities. Then, we generate material lists with an extension plugin.

The use of 3rd party plugins, like Space Design by Render Plus, allows  for custom report generation directly out of SketchUp

SketchUp has changed the way we design as it enables us to transition from 2D to 3D. The advantage of working in 3D is that our product is “virtually built” before materials are ever ordered. Previously, we coordinated parts by calculating the clearances needed using a calculator or spreadsheet. Now, all the drawings (previously made using AutoCAD) are produced in SketchUp. From there, we have been able to coordinate our products using Navisworks (and we’re now experimenting with Tekla BIMSight).

SketchUp Pro & Client Communication

While communicating with clients, SketchUp most often plays the role of a visual aid. For example, we recently worked on the preliminary design of a pipe rack system to be installed in a pharmaceutical facility. With SketchUp, we were able to model the pipe rack exactly as it would be installed (a retrofit situation). The SketchUp model helped the marketing group clearly communicate the scope of work and make sure that our design was meeting or exceeding client expectations.

Rendered models help clients visualize how projects will look after completion

We also generate concept renderings for potential clients. These allow our clients to see what their project will look like once completed. So to a real extent, we also use SketchUp as both a sales and design-build tool: it enables us to show potential clients our solution for their specific application and then it helps us produce accurate, detailed drawings quickly. Both of these advantages enable us to be more successful and it has been a driving force on many projects.