Problems with drawing Sketchup models

I am using Sketchup models as shapes for my Flexsim objects and I am seeing differences between how the shapes look in Sketchup and how they look in Flexsim. I have attached a Flexsim model with 2 objects that are using Sketchup shapes and the 2 Sketchup files that are being used.

There are 2 problems with the lift table shape (Processor2).

1. The color of the tabletop in Flexsim does not match the color in Sketchup. This is easiest to see if you rotate the view underneath the tabletop. In Flexsim it is pink while in Sketchup it is white. Originally the colors did match, but I changed the colors in Sketchup and resaved the Sketchup model a few times and now in Flexsim the shape does not change color (it is always pink) no matter what color I make the shape in Sketchup. Even when importing the Sketchup shape into a brand new Flexsim model it always comes through as pink. I am not sure if maybe the Sketchup file is corrupted or not fully updating the color of the tabletop when I save it?

2. The top of the table is very dark. This was even happening earlier when the colors were matching correctly between Flexsim and Sketchup. My original Sketchup tabletop was all white, when I imported it to Flexsim the bottom of the table looked the same as Sketchup (white), but the top was very dark (almost black). I found a thread that describes a similar problem/fix with 3DS files and wondering if there is a fix for Sketchup files?

https://www.flexsim.com/community/fo...ight=drawflags

As an example, the sewing machine shape (Processor3) looks pretty much the same between how it looks in Flexsim and how it looks in Sketchup...the question is how to get the lift table to work just as well?

I have solved both issues I was having with the Sketchup model of the lift table. Here are the fixes I was able to find.


1. This thread helped with solving the first issue of the tabletop always being pink in Flexsim regardless of the color it showed as in Sketchup

https://www.flexsim.com/community/fo...light=sketchup

When I did step 11 for the tabletop (remove all materials) the tabletop reverted to the pink color rather than the default material in Sketchup. It seems like Sketchup somehow thought the tabletop was still pink even when I changed it to a different color and since I had not set up the model to be able to control the color through Flexsim it would always come through as pink. After messing around more in Sketchup, the tabletop will now revert to the default Sketchup color rather than pink when I remove the materials (not really sure how I got it to do this). Additionally, I am now able to control the color of the tabletop through Flexsim so I am not reliant on setting the color of the tabletop through Sketchup and hoping it comes through correctly into Flexsim


2. The second issue of the tabletop being very dark was solved with this article:

http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/36260

Essentially Sketchup sets a color for both the front and back of a face. It seems that Flexsim will only fully light the front face and the back face is much darker. The fix is to reverse the faces in Sketchup as the article describes. Another interesting observation: Flexsim also lights objects based on their orientation. This can be easily seen with any of the default objects. Place an object in the model and increase the Z location slightly so you can view the underside of the object. The bottom is much darker than the top. If you rotate the object 180 degrees around the X or Y axes you will see the bottom of the object (now pointing up) is much brighter and the top of the object (now pointing down) is much darker. Furthermore it seems like the way Sketchup and Flexsim decide on how to light faces interacts. I attached an example model that shows what the tabletop looks like in Flexsim when all of the front faces point out in Sketchup and the same model when all of the back faces point out in Sketchup. Note that when the back face points out in Sketchup but the face is on the bottom of the object in Flexsim the face will show fully lit in Flexsim (sorta like 2 negatives make a positive?)


My knowledge of how Sketchup and Flexsim graphics work is pretty limited, so if there is anyone with more knowledge that could explain my "solutions" more completely/accurately feel free.