Profile Builder is a fast and flexible set of parametric modelling tools for SketchUp. It has become an essential SketchUp extension for thousands of users world-wide. By using Profile Builder, you will be able to model faster than ever before. Not only that, your models will be SMARTER, and adaptable to design changes.
Profile Builder 4 New Features
The new features in PB4 bring you unprecedented power inside SketchUp!
Profile Builder 4 Parametric Profiles:
The essence of Profile Builder is the ability to create smart extrusions (we call these ‘Profile Members’) using parametric profiles. A profile can be any shape and can even be a polyline.
Create smart walls, mouldings, framing, curbs, piping, railings, roof details, and foundations – the possibilities are endless!
Create and Save Custom Profiles
Profiles can be saved to your local library complete with custom name, orientation (anchor point, offsets, rotation), dimensions, material, tag, extrusion mode, and junction style. Create a new Profile simply by drawing a face or polyline in your model and adding it as a new Profile. Once you save the profile, you can load it and then re-use it in future projects.
Smart Assemblies – Combine Profiles and Components
Imagine modelling a complex railing, multi-layer wall, fence, stud-wall, staircase, or streetscape in seconds! Profile Builder lets you create and save fully customisable parametric smart assemblies.
Don’t want to make your own assemblies? No problem! Just download one of the many pre-made assemblies from the 3D Warehouse and customise it to make it your own!
Don’t want to make your own assemblies? No problem! Just download one of the many pre-made assemblies from the 3D Warehouse and customise it to make it your own!
Editable Holes and Openings
Cut through nested groups and components with ease using a suite of hole editing tools. Profile Members and Assemblies remember the properties and locations of their holes so you can modify the object and the holes will be re-generated in the proper location.
New in version 4 is the ability to select, move, copy, and edit existing hole attributes. Holes in assemblies also persist even after editing the path and assembly properties.
New in version 4 is the ability to select, move, copy, and edit existing hole attributes. Holes in assemblies also persist even after editing the path and assembly properties.
Build a Profile Along any Path – Profiles Stay the Correct Orientation
One of the biggest complaints about the SketchUp Follow Me tool is how the profile orientation tends to rotate along complex paths. Profile Builder can handle almost any path you throw at it and will always maintain the expected orientation of the Profile. Not only that, it will apply proper texture positioning and edge softening automatically! Notice in the image below how the Profile Builder Modes show the expected continuous texture position and orientation along the extruded path.
In some situations, the Follow Me approach can provide the desired result so Profile Builder includes a Follow Me mode to simulate the classic SketchUp behaviour but with the advantages of creating fully parametric smart objects that are editable with the Profile Builder tools.
In some situations, the Follow Me approach can provide the desired result so Profile Builder includes a Follow Me mode to simulate the classic SketchUp behaviour but with the advantages of creating fully parametric smart objects that are editable with the Profile Builder tools.
Profile Builder extrusion modes compared to SketchUp Follow Me
Revolve a Profile
Revolve a Profile in two clicks to create a parametric 3D revolved Profile Member! These types of objects are normally time-consuming to create in SketchUp but Profile Builder can do it in seconds!
Smart-Path Selection
The Smart-Path Select tool is useful for quickly selecting a specific path of edges among other complex geometry. Simply double-click an edge and the tool will automatically select an appropriate path for you to build a Profile or Assembly along. Or, you can click individual edges in sequence and the tool will auto-select all edges forming the shortest path between the clicked edges.
Just double-click to select this complex path
Non-Destructive Editing Tools
When we say Profile Builder is parametric, we mean it! Any Profile Member or Assembly can be edited without losing its intelligent parameters. Change the profile, material, height, width, orientation, and even the extrusion path after creation. Use the Extend Tool to split or adjust the length of the object and use the Trimming Tools to apply the finishing touches. Below, four Profile Members are selected and trimmed simultaneously against a solid pipe using the Profile Builder Trim to Solid Tool.
Trimming multiple Profile Members against a pipe
Profile Builder 4 is compatible with the following versions of SketchUp:
- SketchUp 2017 Make
- SketchUp 2017 Pro
- SketchUp 2018 Pro
- SketchUp 2019 Pro
- SketchUp 2020 Pro
- SketchUp 2021 Pro
- SketchUp 2022 Pro
- SketchUp 2023 Pro
- SketchUp 2024 Pro
Browse the MindSightStudios Collection here