3D Printable City Maps
Introduction: 3D Printable City Maps
There are premade models available to purchase of various cities. I wanted to learn and make my own.
I focused on the area of Detroit where our sports complexes are in relatively close proximity. Comerica Park (Tigers), Ford Field (Lions), Little Caesars Arena (Red Wings and Pistons).
All the modeling tools used were free (no cost, or available as a trial) for basic functionality. Except Visio which I just used for sizing some optional satellite imagery. I used an FDM style printer.
Supplies
* CADMapper
+ https://cadmapper.com/
* SketchUp 2015+ (Desktop application version) (web version does not allow plugins)
+ https://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-pro
* Eneroth terrain volume (plugin for Sketchup)
+ https://extensions.sketchup.com/extension/71021899...
* Microsoft Visio (optional)
* OpenSCAD (optional)
+ https://openscad.org/downloads.html
* 3D printer
* Color Printer (optional)
* Scissors (optional)
* ModPodge or Glue Stick (optional)
* Clear sealer (optional)
Step 1: Retrieve 3D City Data
We will retrieve the 3D city data using CadMapper (free for a limit area size export, 1 square km).
Go to:
https://cadmapper.com/
Click "Get Started Creating a File"
Sign up for a free ID if you don't already have one.
In the settings:
* Select SketchUp 2015+ as the design program
* Check "Include Topography" and "Include Buildings"
* You may opt to put in a false height, for buildings with undefined heights.
* Adjust the Road Geometry as desired (I just use the default)
Select the area you are interested in. There's a no cost for 1 square km exports, so test that first. In some cases that might be enough. Downtown areas with tall buildings are more interesting than suburbs or areas with short buildings or just flat terrain.
Press the Create button to start generating.
Press the Download button to download a generated zip file that contains the .SKP file.
Extract the files from the downloaded compressed ZIP file.
Optional: instead of using CADMapper, you can try out a SketchUp addin called PlaceMaker. 974
There are fees applied for exporting, but in some areas it appears to have more accurate/detailed LiDar data than CADMapper.
Step 2: Adjust Model in SketchUp
We will use the desktop version of SketchUp to adjust the model.
https://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-pro
There's a 30 day trial available (the older versions used used to be free) (I'm using an older version, SketchUp Make 2017)
Run SketchUp, open the downloaded file from CADMAPPER (File -> Open).
On the right side of the application window, expand the Layers section and remove all layers except buildings, topography and Layer0.
Press the “Delete content” icon. The content of the deleted layers is not easily printable, that’s why we’re deleting them. However, you can play around with the content of deleted layers and see if something interesting comes out of it (in my case some of the height data was actually in the parks layer).
Step 3: (Optional) Remove Objects/buildings on the Edge
There may be slivers of buildings on the outside boundaries of the export from CAD mapper.
You can select and delete those from SketchUp. Or just print them as-is, and wait for them to break off on their own.
Step 4: Add Volume/base
The downloaded SKP file will need a volume/base added.
Within the SketchUp desktop application we can add that base easily using a plugin called "eneroth terrain volume".
If not already installed, download from: https://extensions.sketchup.com/extension/71021899-fff7-44e9-87ef-14b79ecbd3b9/eneroth-terrain-volume
In the desktop version of SketchUp... Add extensions using the Window -> Extension Manager. Press the Install Extension button and select the downloaded file from the previous step.
Click anywhere on the 3D model to select it (a yellow box is created around it). Optionally rotate the model so you can see the underside. In the top menu of the app select Extensions menu -> Eneroth Terrain Volume. This creates a solid object under the terrain. 110