SketchUp Smart-Book: OpenCutList Workflow Map

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SketchUp Workflow — OpenCutList (Cut List & Cutting Diagrams)

Purpose: Generate professional cut lists, cutting diagrams, labels, and quick cost estimates from your SketchUp model — ideal for cabinets, furniture, formwork, and framing.

Workflow Map

1
Model Clean
Components, axis, groups, purge unused.
2
Assign Materials
“Plywood 18mm”, “Solid Wood 25mm”, “Steel RHS 40×20”.
3
Set Attributes
Thickness, edging, grain direction (if needed).
4
OpenCutList → Generate
Get parts by material, L×W×T, qty, area/vol.
5
Cutting Diagrams
Choose sheet/board size, optimize, view waste%.
6
Export & Labels
CSV/PDF, print labels with QR for tracking.
7
Cost Inputs
Set unit prices per material; see totals.
8
Field Use
Share PDFs to phone, shop, or site teams.
1) Install & Open
  • Extension Warehouse → search OpenCutList → Install. (Or use Window → Extension Manager → Install .RBZ.)
  • Open from Extensions → OpenCutList → OpenCutList.
  • If panel is hidden: Window → Default Tray → OpenCutList.

Tip: Keep your model organized (Groups/Components) and purge unused materials before generating lists.

2) Prepare Model (Fast Rules)

Components & Naming

  • Convert raw geometry to Components.
  • Name components (e.g., Leg_A, Top_01) for clean reports.
  • Keep axes aligned to part grain for correct L/W/T.

Materials

  • Apply materials via Entity Info (e.g., “Plywood 18mm”, “Pine 25mm”).
  • Separate material types (wood vs. metal) for better grouping.
  • Set thickness where appropriate; OCL can infer T from bounding box or attributes.
3) Generate Cut List
  1. Open OpenCutList panel → Generate.
  2. Review table: Material, Dimensions L×W×T, Qty, Area/Volume.
  3. Use filters to show only Sheet Goods or Solid Wood etc.

For mixed units, unify model units: Window → Model Info → Units.

4) Cutting Diagrams (Optimization)
  1. Switch to Cutting Diagram tab.
  2. Select material category (e.g., Panels 1220×2440 mm or Boards 2400 mm).
  3. Set kerf, edging, grain, rotation rules.
  4. Click Generate → check layouts & waste%.

If parts rotate incorrectly, re-align component axes or disable rotation in the OCL settings for that material.

5) Labels, Export & Share
  • Export → CSV/PDF for cut lists and diagrams.
  • Labels → print with part name, size, QR for workshop/site tracking.
  • Share PDFs to team phones (Telegram/Google Drive) for live access on site.
6) Quick Costing
  • Set unit prices per material in OCL.
  • Review Totals per material and Project total.
  • Export CSV → import to your cost sheet or your Do-List tracker.
7) Pro Tips (GC Workflow)
  • Cabinet/Furniture: Use Sheet + Edge configs; lock grain; label every part.
  • Formwork: Treat plywood and studs as separate materials; add waste allowance.
  • Steel Framing: Store RHS, angle, plate as board materials with standard stock lengths.
  • Version Control: Save model stages (v1, v2) and re-generate lists to compare changes.
8) Troubleshooting
  • Wrong sizes (L/W/T): Fix component axes to align with intended grain/length.
  • Missing parts: Ensure parts are components (not raw geometry) and have materials.
  • Units mismatch: Unify units in Model Info → Units, then re-generate.
  • Performance slow: Purge unused components/materials (Model Info → Statistics → Purge Unused).

Fast Modeling — Shortcut Cheatsheet

Navigation & Selection

Orbit — hold Middle (or O tool)
Pan — Shift + Middle
Zoom Extents — Shift + Z
Select — Space (Drag L→R precise, R→L crossing)
Hide/Unhide — H / Shift + H
X-Ray — K

Create & Edit

Line — L
Rectangle — R
Push/Pull — P
Move/Copy — M (tap Ctrl to copy)
Rotate — Q
Offset — F
Make Component — G
Measure / Guides — T
Follow Me — J (if assigned) or via toolbar

OpenCutList (Panel Actions)

Open Panel — Extensions → OpenCutList
Generate — click Generate in panel
Cutting Diagrams — switch tab → Generate
Export — CSV / PDF
Labels — Print with QR

Naming & Layers (Speed)

Rename — Enter on Outliner item
Make Group — Ctrl + G (custom on some setups)
Entity Info — Ctrl + I (or via Tray)
Outliner — Alt + O (if assigned)
FAQ
  • Can I mix wood, metal, glass? Yes — define distinct materials and stock rules per type.
  • How to control thickness? Use material thickness or set via component axes/orientation.
  • Do I need exact stock sizes? Yes for best optimization: set 1220×2440 mm, 2440×1220 mm, or board lengths like 2400/3000 mm.
  • Labels for site? Print and stick to parts; QR helps track status.

Made for Sarim Insight · Smart-Book style · Mobile-friendly · Dark-mode aware.

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