A few questions...

[mistabel]

Hello, I recently purchased an Airwolf 3D HDX printer for the purpose of creating to-scale models of buildings our contracting company tries to pitch to clients. I've had the printer for a little over a week and it's been a learning process, but I am making steady progress. Although I'm not to the point of creating scale models at this point, we are working our way there. I have a few questions I'm hoping you all can help me with.

Our modeling program we use for all our architectural mockups is Sketchup, and for more detailed drawings we use AutoCAD. I understand Sketchup is only a surface modeler, making it not the best for 3D printing, but that's where the majority of our models are already located and in the interest of saving time and by extension, money, I really don't want to have to recreate every single model in a solid modeler, so my first question is: Is there any way to convert an SKP file to something solid? Would simply importing the SKP file to AutoCAD do the trick?

We're currently using MatterControl as our G-code generator and experimenting with slic3r, Cura, and Matterslice as our slicing engines. Which would you think is best for what I'm trying to do? It seems like Slic3r is the most detailed of the 3, but only being a beginner in the 3D printing world, I'm not sure going that in depth with the slicing would be best.

Is there any specific software that you would recommend in regards to splitting up larger STL files? I'd really prefer having the option of inserting our own male/female connectors into the model, but I've been having trouble with the only software I know of capable of doing this (a program from 3Dprinttech).

Lastly, any tips/tricks you would recommend for printing out very large, detailed objects? I realize the printers best suited for this are the Stratasys brand but those were far out of our price range. I'm planning on printing the buildings in multiple pieces and bonding them together. Anything you find works best for ABS prints?

Thanks in advanced for the help,
Mitchell

[Papa Steve]

Sketch Up requires a "plug in" to export a .stl
There are several developers so there may be one that makes a solid from the original model.

NetFabb private version ($300) will do a good job of model cutting and boolean additions for your tabs
It also has a "wrap mesh" function that wraps the bad model with a new solid mesh. This option takes a strong computer !

All the slicing engines are fine ... each has different functions that could be helpful to a particular model when trying to print.
Slic3r is fine to start with but be sure to try the others

There are a couple of gcode simulators where you can quickly view the build before printing ... saves a bunch of time
such as : http://gcodeprintr.dietzm.de/
Netfabb has something similar

[mistabel]

Thanks for the help, Steve. I didn't know there was a gcode simulator available, that could prove very useful.

As far as mesh creation goes, do you know if AutoCAD has something similar to the feature in Netfabb?

On a side note, for anyone reading, do you have any pictures/models of scale buildings created on consumer-level printers? There are a few on thingiverse but they aren't very detailed. It would just help seeing someone who has completed something similar to what we're trying to do on a consumer level printer, as far as fine detail goes. It also wouldn't hurt to know it could be done

[Papa Steve]

The 2012 version of AutoCAD does not have a mesh fixing tool. Was never truly intended for the 3D printing world. That could change in future editions.
Mesh Mixer is an Autodesk product that can do some mesh repair ... not too good at fixing Sketch Up files.

What will help your work flow is a plug in I just saw in another thread
http://www.susolid.com/

Blender does cutting and boolean modifications
the user interface is very different and takes a bit of practice

NetFabb is quick to learn and you don't have to wade thru a bunch of UN-needed functions
there is a free version ... that won't do what your asking to do ... but it's worth a look