Effective April 11, 2024, Trimble SketchUp 2024 is generally available.
What is SketchUp?
SketchUp is a powerful 3D modeling software used by architects, designers, engineers, and artists to create, visualize, and communicate their ideas in 3D. With an intuitive interface and robust set of tools, SketchUp allows users to bring their creative visions to life with ease.
What the new features are there in SketchUp 2024?
SketchUp 2024 offers a host of new features, including:
- Enhanced Visual Styles: With Ambient Occlusion, users can add depth and realism to their models directly within the app.
- Streamlined 3D Scanning and Design: The new Scan-to-Design feature expedites the as-built modeling workflow on iPad, allowing users to capture detailed conditions and instantly turn scans into 3D models.
- Improved Collaboration and Performance: SketchUp 2024 includes performance upgrades aimed at boosting productivity, making it easier than ever to collaborate and accelerate project delivery.
- Faster Graphics Engine: The latest version of SketchUp boasts a new graphics engine, resulting in a more responsive user experience. Tests indicate an average eightfold increase in frames per second rendered, making model navigation significantly smoother and faster.
- Draft Mode in LayOut: A new Draft Mode in LayOut conserves processing power, ensuring efficient navigation of working models while retaining the ability to export high-resolution documents.
- Improved Core Modeling Tools: The Move tool has been refined for improved functionality, and enhanced inferencing reduces visual clutter, streamlining day-to-day workflows.
- Enhanced Building Information Modelling (BIM) Documentation: Industry Foundation Class (IFC) import and export capabilities have been enhanced, providing more precise mapping of SketchUp data to IFC class attributes. New geometry tessellation options facilitate the creation of optimized geometry and lightweight IFC files. Additionally, users can now consistently export data from Advanced Attributes and Dynamic Components, even with files containing special characters, preserving the drawing origin predictably.
- More Precise Terrain Data: SketchUp 2024 introduces more precise terrain data and simplified imports in the Add Location feature, enhancing confidence in integrating real-world data into SketchUp projects.
- Alignment of LayOut tools with SketchUp for Desktop: Changes were made to align tools with inference constraints and inferences to mouse-down location. Also, Trimble planned the separation of Move, Scale, and Rotate tools similar to SketchUp for Desktop.
- Upcoming features:
- PDF import for Windows: A PDF import feature for Windows users will be released soon.
- Potential Diffusion feature in LayOut: Trimble are exploring the possibility of adding Diffusion functionality within LayOut.
What are use cases of SketchUp?
SketchUp is used across a variety of industries for a wide range of applications, including:
- Architecture: SketchUp is widely used by architects to create detailed building models, visualize design concepts, and communicate ideas to clients.
- Interior Design: Interior designers use SketchUp to create detailed 3D models of interior spaces, experiment with different layouts and finishes, and present design concepts to clients.
- Engineering: Engineers use SketchUp to create detailed models of mechanical components, visualize assembly processes, and simulate the performance of systems.
- Entertainment: SketchUp is used in the entertainment industry to create 3D models of sets, props, and characters for film, television, and video games.
More information
For the changes made in SketchUp 2024, please visit: https://help.sketchup.com/en/release-notes/sketchup-desktop-20240.
For the SketchUp website, please visit: https://www.sketchup.com/en.
For a list of our software vendors, please visit: https://www.schneider.im/software/.
Please contact us for expert services on your specific Trimble software and online services requirements and to request a quote today.