Sketchup Round Corner Crack Top _hot_ [ 95% DIRECT ]

When you encounter a "cracked" or missing top face after using the Fredo6 RoundCorner plugin in SketchUp, it is usually due to the software's difficulty in creating tiny faces. SketchUcation Why Your Top Face is Cracking Tiny Face Limitation : SketchUp has a hard time forming faces when edges are extremely short (typically under 1mm). When the plugin rounds a corner with high segments or small offsets, the resulting geometry can be too small for SketchUp to fill, leaving holes or "cracks". Complex Geometry : Rounding holes or non-orthogonal intersections can sometimes confuse the algorithm, causing it to skip the top face or leave "bad geometry" at the corners. SketchUp Community How to Fix the "Cracked Top" Issue The "Scale Up" Method (Best Fix) Turn your object into a Make a copy and scale it up by 10x or 100x RoundCorner to the giant copy. Because the geometry is now large, SketchUp will successfully generate all faces. Delete the giant copy; the original-sized component will automatically be updated with the perfectly rounded (and filled) geometry. Manual "Healing" Hidden Geometry (View > Hidden Geometry) to see the missing segments. Trace over one of the missing edge segments with the ; SketchUp will often "heal" and refill the entire missing face. Adjust Plugin Parameters Reduce Segments : If you don't need a super-smooth curve, lower the segment count (e.g., from 12 to 6) to create larger, more stable faces. Increase Offset : A larger rounding radius creates larger faces that are easier for SketchUp to process. Try FredoCorner Fredo6 released a newer version of the tool called FredoCorner , which uses a more advanced algorithm designed to handle complex triangulation and repair issues better than the original RoundCorner. SketchUcation native SketchUp tools to round corners manually if the plugin continues to fail? RoundCorner plugin issues - SketchUp Forum 10 Nov 2015 —

Troubleshooting the SketchUp Round Corner Crack Top Issue: Causes and Fixes Creating smooth, filleted edges in SketchUp is essential for realistic 3D modeling. However, plugins like RoundCorner or FredoCorner can sometimes cause geometric errors. One of the most frustrating errors is the "crack top" phenomenon, where the top face of your geometry splits, tears, or develops open gaps after rounding an edge. This comprehensive guide explains why these cracks happen and how to fix them to ensure clean, manifold geometry. Understanding the "Crack Top" Issue A "crack top" occurs when SketchUp fails to create a continuous, closed surface between a newly rounded edge and the existing top face. Instead of a smooth transition, you see missing faces, stray lines, or visible gaps that expose the hollow interior of your model. This issue typically arises due to a conflict between the mathematical precision of the plugin and the native limitations of SketchUp's geometry engine. Primary Causes of Face Cracking 1. SketchUp's Small Scale Limitation SketchUp cannot reliably create or close faces when edges are smaller than 0.05 inches (or roughly 1mm) . If your model is small, or if your rounding radius creates tiny micro-segments, SketchUp automatically deletes these tiny faces, leaving a visible crack on the top surface. 2. Non-Planar Top Faces The RoundCorner plugin expects the faces adjacent to the edge to be perfectly flat (planar). If your top face is slightly warped, twisted, or contains hidden triangulated lines, the plugin will fail to calculate a clean boundary, causing the top mesh to tear. 3. Non-Manifold or "Dirty" Geometry Plugins require clean inputs. If your model contains internal faces, duplicate overlapping lines, or stray vertices near the top edge, the rounding algorithm gets confused and drops faces. 4. Oversized Rounding Radius If the chosen rounding radius is larger than the available surface area of the top face, the geometry will self-intersect. This causes the rounded edge to "eat" into the opposite side of the model, resulting in a collapsed or cracked top. Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix the Crack Method 1: The "Dave Method" (Scaling Up) Because small scale is the number one cause of cracked geometry, scaling your model up before running the plugin is the most effective solution. Group your object: Select your entire model, right-click, and choose Make Group . Make a component (Optional): If you make it a Component, you can duplicate it and scale only the copy. Scale up: Select the group, grab the Scale Tool (S) , and scale it up by 100x or 1000x . Alternatively, use the Tape Measure Tool (T) , click two points, type a large dimension, and hit Enter to rescale the model. Apply the plugin: Enter the scaled-up group and run RoundCorner. The larger geometry gives SketchUp plenty of room to calculate the micro-segments without dropping faces. Scale back down: Exit the group and scale it back down by 0.01 (or 0.001 ) to return it to its original, real-world size. The tiny faces will remain intact because SketchUp can maintain small geometry better than it can create it. Method 2: Flatten and Clean the Top Face Ensure your top surface is 100% flat and isolated before running the tool. Check for Planarity: Draw a line diagonally across the top face. If a new face forms or shifts, your top face was not perfectly flat. Remove Hidden Geometry: Turn on Hidden Geometry ( View > Hidden Geometry ). Look for hidden diagonal dashed lines on your top face. Erase them if they are unnecessary, or use the Extension Warehouse tool CleanUp³ by ThomThom to optimize the face. Check Face Orientation: Ensure the top face is white (front face) and not blue/grey (reversed back face). Right-click and choose Reverse Faces if necessary, as plugins calculate vector offsets based on face orientation. Method 3: Adjust Plugin Parameters Sometimes, tweaking the settings inside the RoundCorner/FredoCorner prompt bar prevents geometry collisions. Reduce the Radius: If your top face is cracking, lower your offset distance. If your edge is 10mm wide, keep your rounding radius well below 5mm. Reduce Number of Segments: By default, the plugin might use 6 or 9 segments. Lowering this to 3 or 4 segments creates fewer micro-faces, reducing the risk of SketchUp's engine failing to close the top surface. Toggle Corner Profile: Switch between "Round Corner", "Sharp Corner", or "Bevel" inside the plugin UI to see if a different mathematical interpolation handles your specific vertex layout better. Method 4: Manual Stitching (The Last Resort) If a minor crack still appears on an otherwise perfect model, you can manually patch it. Activate the Line Tool (L) . Trace over one of the open boundary edges along the crack. SketchUp will re-evaluate the surrounding vertices and usually pop the missing face back into existence. Use the Eraser Tool (E) while holding Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) to soften and smooth any manual patch lines so they match the rest of the curve. Best Practices to Prevent Future Cracking Model Large, Scale Down: Always adopt the habit of modeling highly detailed or curved objects at a macro scale before shrinking them down. Keep Groups Clean: Before running any geometry-altering plugins, use the native Solid Tools inspection or an extension like Solid Inspector² to verify that your object is a clean, watertight solid group. Avoid Complex Junctions: Try not to round edges where four or more complex angles meet at a single vertex point, as this exponentially increases the likelihood of a mesh tearing at the top. To help pinpoint exactly why your top face is tearing, tell me: What is the exact dimensions / scale of your object? What rounding radius size are you entering into the plugin? Are you using Fredo6's RoundCorner or a different extension? I can provide the exact steps or settings needed for your specific model.

Troubleshooting SketchUp Round Corner Extension Issues and "Cracks" in Top Faces SketchUp users frequently rely on plugins to create smooth, organic edges on geometric shapes. Fredo6’s RoundCorner and Corner3D are among the most popular extensions for this task. However, a common frustration arises when applying these tools to 3D geometry: the appearance of strange "cracks," missing faces, or broken geometry on the top surface of the model. If you are seeing gaps or exploded faces after attempting to round your edges, you are not alone. This issue is typically caused by a combination of SketchUp’s internal geometric limitations, unclean base topology, or incorrect plugin settings. Below is a comprehensive guide to understanding why these cracks happen and exactly how to fix them. 1. Why "Cracks" Form on Top Faces in SketchUp SketchUp handles geometry differently than traditional NURBS-based modeling software (like Rhino). It breaks everything down into flat polygons, edges, and vertices. When an extension tries to calculate a curve along a boundary, several factors can cause the geometry to rupture: The Small Faces Issue: SketchUp has a well-known internal limitation where it struggles to create faces with edges shorter than approximately 1/16 of an inch (or 1mm). If your rounding radius is small, or the segments are highly detailed, the plugin tries to generate tiny faces. SketchUp fails to close these loops, leaving visible "cracks" or holes. Non-Planar Top Faces: For a top face to remain solid, all its bounding edges must lie on the exact same flat plane. If your original model has even a microscopic warp or a misplaced vertex on the top surface, the RoundCorner plugin will split the face into a web of triangles or fail to generate a clean top skin. Unabsorbed Coplanar Edges: Internal lines, stray geometry, or hidden geometry intersecting the top face disrupt the extension's calculation path. Incorrect Corner Profiles: If the geometry of the meeting corners is too complex for the selected algorithm (Bezier vs. Circle), the plugin may force an intersection that tears the top face apart. 2. Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix and Prevent Cracks Method A: The "Scale Up" Trick (Most Common Fix) Because the primary culprit is often SketchUp's small-faces limitation, scaling your model up before running the plugin is the most effective solution. Group Your Geometry: Select your object, right-click, and choose Make Group or Make Component . Duplicate and Scale: Make a copy of the component off to the side. Select the copy, activate the Scale Tool (S) , and scale it up by 100x or 1000x (Type 100 and hit Enter). Apply Round Corner: Open the scaled-up component, select your edges, and run the Round Corner extension. Because the geometry is now massive, SketchUp will easily render the tiny curved faces without creating gaps. Close and Delete: Close the large component. You will notice that your original, small-scale component has automatically updated with perfectly smooth, crack-free rounded corners. You can now delete the giant duplicate. Method B: Clean the Base Topology First Extensions require clean input to generate clean output. Before clicking the tool icon: Check for Planarity: Select the top face. Look at the Entity Info panel. If it doesn't register as a single "Face" or if hidden geometry reveals triangulated dashed lines across it, your top face is not perfectly flat. Re-draw it on a strict axis lock. Remove Stray Lines: Use the Eraser tool to delete any rogue lines cutting across your top face or sitting near the edges you want to round. Orient Faces: Ensure your faces are not inverted. Right-click the top face and select Reverse Faces if the blue/gray back-face color is showing. The plugin performs best when working on the white "front" faces. Method C: Adjust Extension Parameters Sometimes the plugin settings are driving the geometry past its mathematical limits. Try tweaking these parameters in the RoundCorner toolbar: Reduce the Radius: If your rounding radius is too large for the physical size of the top face, the curves will overlap and cause geometric self-intersection (crashing the face). Lower the radius value. Lower the Number of Segments: High segment counts create smoother curves but result in smaller, more complex geometry. Drop your segments down (e.g., from 6 to 3 or 4). You can soften the edges later using SketchUp’s native Soften/Smooth Edges tray. Toggle Border Properties: In Fredo6 plugins, look for options relating to "Keep Corners" or "Grid Overlap." Toggling these can change how the plugin handles the transition between the vertical rounded edge and the flat top face. 3. Alternative Workflow: Native SketchUp Tools If the plugin continues to tear cracks into your specific model, you can achieve perfect rounded edges manually using native tools. This is often safer for highly customized, non-standard shapes. Draw the arc profile of your desired round corner on one edge of the geometry. Use the Eraser to clear out the sharp corner. Select the perimeter bounding edges of the top face to act as a path. Activate the Follow Me tool and click the arc profile face you drew in step 1. This extrudes the round cleanly around the top perimeter without relying on third-party automation calculations. Summary Checklist If your SketchUp Round Corner tool leaves cracks on the top face, remember this quick diagnostic order: Scale up 100x →right arrow Check that the top face is perfectly flat →right arrow Reduce the radius size →right arrow Reverse face orientation to white . Following these steps will ensure clean, airtight topology ready for rendering or 3D printing. To help you get this sorted out right away, could you tell me what version of SketchUp you are using, and whether this is a commercial extension like FredoCorner or the classic RoundCorner ? If you'd like, I can also walk you through manually fixing the broken faces if the plugin has already ruined your progress. Share public link This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.

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Part 1: Understanding the "Crack Top" Phenomenon Before diving into solutions, it is crucial to understand why SketchUp cracks under the pressure of rounding corners. The RoundCorner plugin—developed by the legendary French developer Fredo6—works by creating complex geometric intersections. It calculates arcs, curves, and smooth transitions between intersecting planes. The "crack top" generally appears due to a few core reasons:

Tiny Geometry & Face Tolerance: SketchUp has a hard limit on how small geometry can be before it breaks. If your model contains micro-surfaces smaller than 1/1000 of an inch, the plugin fails to weld the new geometry together, resulting in a "hole" or "crack" at the top of your rounding. Excessively Dense Meshes: Using too many segments or unnecessarily complex polygons confuses the rounding algorithm, causing it to spill over into empty space rather than closing the loop. Coplanar Face Conflicts: The plugin often returns the error "invalid edge has coplanar faces," meaning two faces are sharing a space the plugin cannot logically round. The Infamous "Tiny Face Problem": When working at a very small scale (like millimeter-level details on a small component), the curve segments become so small that SketchUp can no longer recognize them as valid faces.

Part 2: How to Fix the "Crack" – A Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide If you are staring at a broken model right now, don't panic. Below is a systematic workflow to fix the crack, from simple tweaks to advanced professional methods. Step 1: Check Your Input Geometry The issue often originates before you even click the RoundCorner button. You need to ensure your base geometry is clean. When you encounter a "cracked" or missing top

The Solid Inspector Check: Go to the Extension Warehouse and download Solid Inspector² or use similar built-in tools. Run this on your object. It will detect if there are stray edges, duplicate faces, or internal geometry that might be causing the "crack". Clean up any errors flagged by the inspector. Purge Unused Data: Go to Window > Model Info > Statistics and click Purge Unused . This removes hidden junk data that might interfere with calculations.

Step 2: Simplify the Rounding Settings Sometimes the fix is in the user interface rather than the geometry. When you open the RoundCorner options panel, try adjusting these parameters:

Reduce the Number of Segments: One of the most effective fixes for a "crack top" is lowering the number of segments used for the curve. Many users instinctively max out the smoothness, but this creates a high-poly count that often breaks the model. The golden rule is: "Six segments are surely enough" at that scale. Reduce this number until the crack closes. Adjust the Radius: Instead of trying to round all corners with a massive radius, try a smaller, more conservative radius. If your round is too aggressive, it may intersect with adjacent geometry prematurely, causing the crack. If the radius works but leaves a gap, gradually increase it in small increments. Delete the giant copy; the original-sized component will

Step 3: The "Super-Scale" Method (The Most Effective Solution) This is widely considered the "holy grail" fix for the round corner crack issue. SketchUp was designed primarily for architectural scales (feet/meters), not microscopic tolerances. By tricking the software into thinking it is working on a huge object, you bypass the tiny-face problem entirely. Here is how to do it:

Make it a Component: Select your faulty object, right-click, and choose Make Component . Copy & Scale Up: Make a copy of the component off to the side. Use the Tape Measure tool (or Scale tool) to scale this copy up by 100x (or even 1000x). For example, if your model is 2 cm wide, scale it to 200 cm wide. Round the Big Copy: Enter the giant component, select the edges you want to round, and run RoundCorner. Remember to multiply the radius by the same factor (if you want a 0.5mm radius in real life, set the plugin to 50mm on the giant model). Delete the Giant: Once the geometry on the giant version looks perfect, close the component. You do not need to keep the giant copy. The scaling action forces SketchUp to calculate the rounding at a scale where it can manage the math perfectly. The crack will vanish.