In this tutorial we will show you on how to create animation of table assembly using one of the plugin in SketchUp; Fredo6 Animator. This plugin is very helpful to those who intend to do a short animation to show a guideline or step by step of creating something to a group of audience without wasting so much energy. ![]() Here are the steps to achieve it: Part 1: Creating Animation on Components to Form a Table Model
A. Adding Cameras B. Generating a Video Part 1: Creating Animation on Components to Form a Table Model A. Creating Components and Groups of The Model You will need to make the table parts into six components which you will then group them all into one group and place it in a layer named as MyTable These are the six components that are required: • Table Top (1 unit) • Table Bottom (1 unit) • Table Stand (4 units) • Screws for Table Stand (4 units) • Brackets (4 units) • Screws for table bracket (8 units) 1. Select an object, i.e. table top, right click and choose Make Component. ![]() 2. At the Default Tray, click to expand the Components panel. Select the component you have just created, and name the component as Table Top. ![]() 3. Select the next object, i.e. table bottom. Repeat step 1 and 2, and this time, name the component as Table Bottom. ![]() For this tutorial, in the sample file, we have “Make Components” for the following objects:
• Table Stand (4 units)
Select a table stand and Make Component. Name it as Table Stand. Use Duplicate to create the remaining 3 table stands. ![]() Screws for Table Stand (4 units) You may download a screw from 3D Warehouse. Make it as a component and name it as Screw(S). Duplicate the Screw(S) component to create the remaining 3 screw components. ![]() Brackets (4 units) and Screws for table bracket (8 units) You may download the parts from 3D Warehouse and renamed it as Bracket and Screw(B). ![]() ![]() Once the two components are created, as before, duplicate the components to the numbers that you need. 4. Once the components are created, next is to group the related components into respective grouping. This will help in the animation creation in the later steps. You need to create the grouping by following the sequence as follows: Screws for table bracket (8 units)![]() Screws for Table Stand (4 units) ![]() All components ![]() 5. In the Layers panel, create a new layer with the name MyTable. ![]() 6. Move all the compenents and groups into MyTable layer. B. Adding Movements to Create AnimationYou are advised to ensure that you’ve named all of the components and group the components that are related into respective groups before animation creation. In order to create animation, you’ll need to switch from normal SketchUp mode to Animator mode. 1. In Fredo6_Animator toolbar, click Animator-Clip Editor tool. SketchUp is now switched to Animator mode. ![]() 2. The Animator-Clip Editor toolbar is shown.
3. Let’s start with creating the first animation clip on the table top. Click Insert Movement, then choose New Movement. ![]() 4. The Animator-Clip Editor toolbar is now switched to Movement toolbar. ![]() 5. Click Selection Mode to enable the selection mode. Click on the Table Top component to select it. A dropdown will be shown, showing the name of the component and under which group the component is placed. In the dropdown, select 0 - Table Top [1]. ![]() • Select multiple components by holding CTRL key • Unselect the components or groups by clicking at selected objects then chose unselect (red box) in the dropdown. ![]() 6. You will create the first movement for this animation clip. On the Movement toolbar, choose Translation. ![]() 7. Click on the drawing area to select the translation reference point. Next is to set the Direction and Offset of the Translation. You may drag the mouse following your preferred direction and offset.
8. You also can set the exact Direction and Offset value of the Translation:
![]() 9. Click Play animation for the sequence to review the Translation that you have just created.
Note: To reset the movement, click Modify Direction. ![]() 10. Next, add another Translation for the same selection object. Click Save and add sequence. ![]() 11. For this Translation, choose the Direction as X-Axis and Offset as 74.7cm. ![]() 12. Then click Save and add sequence. C. Adding Animation with Spin and Translation Movements1. On the Movement toolbar, choose Spin. ![]() 2. On the toolbar, untick the From Center option and select X-Axis. ![]() 3. Click bottom right corner of the Table Top component to set it as the reference point of the object. Set the Rotation Axe as X-axis and the Angle to 90°.
4. Click Save and add sequence. 5. Next, add another Translation for the same selection object. Click Translation. ![]() 6. This Translation is not going to be along any axis, therefore, switch to N direction so that you can freely control the direction. Move the selection object to the origin located on the floor. ![]() 7. Click Save the sequence and Exit.
D. Saving the Animation Data 1. On the Animator toolbar, click Save ![]() 2. To edit any of the movements, on the Animation Clips, select the Movement that you want to edit. You can then click Edit the properties of the element or double click on the selected movement. ![]() E. Grouping Multiple Movements into a Clip 1. To select multiple Movements, hold CTRL key while selecting the Movement. Click Group the Selected elements as a clip button. Then named the clip asc “Table Top”. ![]() 2. To edit the clip, select the clip and click Edit or double click the clip. .![]() 3. If you have done with the editing, click Up Level to return to the Animator toolbar. ![]() 4. Well done! You have completed your first animation clip. Click at the Play the Clip animation to preview the animation clip.
Let's continue to the next step onward to complete creating the animation by clicking the blow link Detailed steps of this tutorial is available upon request
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