How to model a keychain using Google SketchUp for 3D printing

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a keychain that can be easily uploaded to the popular online 3D printing service www.shapeways.com . Before we get started there are few things you will need to download.

Download and install a copy of Google SketchUp from http://sketchup.google.com/

The keychain that we create will have the image of the world on it. You can download a copy of the image from www.reallybuildthings.com (select download tab and click world_map.png) or you can use your own image. The image used is shown below (Figure 1-1).

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Step 1: Importing the Map Image

From the Google SketchUp menu bar select Camera --> Standard Views -->Top (Figure 1-2). You will be constructing your model on the x and y plain.

The keychain will be in the shape of a rectangle with curved corners on the edge.

Select the Rectangle Tool and click in the center axis and type 50mm, 28.2mm and then hit enter on your keyboard (Figure 1-3). This creates a rectangle with a width of 50 mm and height of 28.2 mm.

Next we import the image in Figure 1-1 and place it on top of the rectangle.

1. From the menu bar select File --> Import. The Import dialog box appears. Select the map image to import and on the right select “Use as texture” then select Open (Figure 1-4).

The image is attached to your cursor. Click once on the bottom left of the rectangle and a second time on the upper right of the rectangle (Figure 1-5).