# exporting sketchup file for cnc router



## whiteshoecovers

I've searched but haven't found much. I have a design I made in sketchup that I'd like to take to my local shop with a CNC router. They accept .dxf files. I uploaded a tool that will export my design to the .dxf format, but there are a variety of export options and I don't know which is correct. My local shop isn't a help since they do not work in SU.

Please let me know if more details are required.

thanks.


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## FatherHooligan

What does the tool documentation say about the different options? What data will the local shop need in the dxf file (it is just a text file so you can open it up and look at it, the structure is well documented)? Does the export tool have a website/user forum that you could post your question to? If you tell us the name of the export tool we may be able to give you some more specific advice.


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## Desert_Woodworker

Find a "jobber" who uses Vetric Aspire software- it works with Sketch Up


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## gwilki

Much depends on what make and model of CNC your shop uses. I tried for a long time to get Sketchup dxf files to run on a Biesse commercial CNC router running the proprietary BiesseWorks. I never did get them to work. As you've already seen, there are many options for dxf files and not all CNC machines can read all options that SU exports.

Desert's advice is good. If you can find a shop running Aspire successfully on their CNC machine, you can export your SU file to Aspire.


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## wormil

For CAD/cam you want Fusion 360. It's designed and has native support for CNC.


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## Scott_C

You need a third party plugin to export those kinds files from Sketchup, but Sketchup does a lousy job for creating files for CNC machines. Basically sketchup creates arcs with a pre-defined number of line segments, regardless of the size of the arc. So if you define 30 line segments, it will be 30 segments for a 3" radius or a 30' radius. You basically can't create a smooth arc. You can set it to a higher number, but then it bogs down the program.

I've heard good things about fusion 360, but I never got into it.


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## ArtMann

Vectric V-Carve Pro and Aspire will both import some Sketchup and DXF files directly. I have done so several times. The Vectric products can actually import Sketchup files in a couple of different ways. They will import files as true 3-D representations and they will import files as 2-D projections of components from a 3-D file.The problem with any such software is you must know a lot about how it works in order to create a compatible Sketchup or DXF file. Your service company will probably have someone who can do the job for you but it may be expensive.

In my own experience, it is easier to just create 2-D files to start with and import those.


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## JAAune

To reiterate what others have already said, VCarve imports .skp and .dxf. I do it all the time in my shop since I like to do complex 3D designs in Sketchup then create patterns to send to the CNC.


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