Other new features include new tools that improve the classification of design objects, tighten interoperability with other products used in building information modeling (BIM) workflows, and 2D documentation improvements. The new release introduces major enhancements to SketchUp’s 3D Warehouse, the world’s largest repository of free, high-quality, 3D content.

Last year the company that now develops SketchUp, Trimble Buildings, reported that the product had more than 30 million unique activations in the last year, making it the most widely used 3D modeling software in the world.

While the tool is popular for creating architectural models, this 3D car model was created by DeviantArt using SketchUp. Originally developed and released by Google in 2000, SketchUp’s popularity stems from the fact that it’s easy to use, powerful, and free. While SketchUp is very popular in the architectural design community, this tool is also being used by engineers and designers to quickly create 3D models of product concepts. SketchUp provides the best of both worlds: flexibility and ease of use The downside is that these budding concepts can’t be changed easily, preventing ideas from benefitting from collaborative feedback and possibly evolving into even better ideas. While this might sound archaic in today’s high-tech world, it opens up the design exploration process to everyone and encourages rapid-fire idea generation without fear of mistakes. Other engineers still prefer to sketch out design ideas on paper or in engineering notebooks. For this reason, many users prefer using simpler 2D tools for capturing concepts. Feature-based 3D modeling tools, which powerful, often force users to lock into design ideas prematurely. After all, making mistakes at this stage can actually lead to better designs later. The tools used in this phase must be flexible and intuitive so users feel free to explore options, wander about, and make mistakes.

It is also here where most (60%-75%) of total product development costs are committed making it very costly to make significant changes after this phase is completed. It is here when new product ideas are tossed around, flushed out, vetted, discussed, tested, refined and eventually pushed forward to detailed design.

The concept design is one of the most important phases of the entire product development process. Engineers and designers have always struggled with which design tools are best to use to capture concepts during the early conceptual phase of product development.

3d warehouse for sketchup 2014