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MINTURN, CO (November 6, 2008) LGM announced today that it has released the CADspan plugin for Google SketchUp. The CADspan plugin makes it easier and faster for architects and designers to get physical 3D models of digital designs drawn in Google's SketchUp CAD application. The CADspan plugin creates high quality, vendor neutral, 3D printer-ready data at a cost that makes using a 3D printer attractive to a much broader audience.

Google SketchUp is an easy-to-learn 3D modeling software that allows users to quickly create 3D virtual models. The CAD program is widely used in architecture, industrial design, engineering, contracting, digital entertainment, and education and has a very large active user community. Google SketchUp has always offered an easy way to create 3D geometry, but 3D printing a Google SketchUp model has previously been a challenging and difficult process. The CADspan plugin solves this problem by providing several tools that make it easy to get a physical 3D print from the virtual SketchUp data using Rapid Prototyping machines or 3D printers.

3D printers are machines that can automatically create a physical object from digital data by adding material layer by layer. Their use has increased as machine costs have decreased. However, the machines do require very specific data input of a “solid” model that in the past has been generated only by expensive CAD applications. “We feel that the CADspan plugin for Google SketchUp significantly changes the playing field for 3D printing. It allows a huge audience to use 3D printing technologies without advanced training or complex CAD applications,” says LGM president Charles Overy.

“We are very pleased to bring this functionality to Google SketchUp,” Overy continues. “It has only been 11 months since Google came to us to see if we could produce a robust 3D print export for SketchUp. In that time we have created a uniquely integrated plugin utilizing state-of-the-art programming and server infrastructure. We feel that our technology and products uniquely position us for an exciting year of growth. Lower cost solutions that put control back into the designer’s office, reduce outsourcing and 3rd party expenses will be important in 2009. The CADspan plugin will save hours and hours of work and on some projects will be the enabling technology.”

The CADspan plugin will work with both the free version and the Pro version of SketchUp. Both Windows and Mac versions will be supported by the end of the year. “For the professional, our software provides a robust workflow for 3D printing and has advanced features including import and export options,” points out Frank Meadors, CADspan product manager. The software will be free for non-commercial use. Hobbyists, inventors, and students can now create physical models from their own drawings or from the many thousands of models in the Google 3D Warehouse.

There are two types of tools in the CADspan plugin: aids for preparing and optimizing a model for 3D printing from within Google SketchUp, and the CADspan resurfacing application interface that opens in Google SketchUp's built-in web browser. The preparation tools allow the user to identify and fix potential 3D printing problem areas in a model. The resurfacing application then “shrink-wraps” the geometry and outputs a single-shell, solid STL file that is ready to 3D print. The shrink-wrap processing is completed on CADspan’s servers, so users can work on another model or other applications on their computer while the remote servers do the hard work.

Later this year, CADspan will release a Pro version of the software that will offer import and export of a variety of file types and will offer additional features to the Google SketchUp user as well users of other CAD platforms. Interested parties can currently download the beta version of the plugin, available from now until mid November and try the advanced import/export features for free. The software service will be $39 a month with special discounts for yearly subscriptions (non-commercial use will remain free). More information is available at www.cadspan.com <http://www.cadspan.com> and at sketchup.google.com.

About LGM
LGM <http://www.lgmmodel.com> is the industry leader in 3D printing, modeling, and visualization solutions for the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. LGM has four product groups. CADspan is a software development and research effort chartered with making 3D printing easier for architects. LGM also provides consulting and systems integration for architectural firms wishing to implement 3D printing in their daily practice. LGM is a privately held Colorado Corporation and has been in business since 1992.
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If you would like more information about this topic, or want to schedule an interview with Charles Overy, contact Frank Meadors at (970) 827-5274 x 204 or e-mail frank@lgmmodel.com


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