Free online FCSTD to SKP converter

People convert FreeCAD documents to SketchUp files when a project must be opened, edited, or shared in SketchUp. The conversion is also useful when collaborators require .skp rather than a native FreeCAD document.

What the FCSTD format is

.FCStd is FreeCAD’s native document format. FreeCAD creates it for parametric mechanical parts, assemblies, architectural components, sketches, constraints, features, and technical drawings. An FCSTD file can retain the model tree, dimensions, dependencies, and editable construction history, not just the visible surfaces.

FCSTD files are commonly encountered when a model originates in FreeCAD or a FreeCAD-based workflow. The format is not natively editable in SketchUp.

What the SKP format is

.SKP is SketchUp’s native 3D model format. It is used for architectural layouts, interiors, site models, concept design, presentations, and SketchUp component libraries. SketchUp provides direct scene editing, materials, styles, groups, components, and integration with SketchUp-specific tools.

SKP is suitable for visual and spatial editing, but it does not preserve FreeCAD’s parametric feature tree, sketches, constraints, or Part Design history. Imported CAD geometry normally becomes polygonal or surface-based SketchUp geometry.

How to actually convert FCSTD to SKP

Desktop workflow through OBJ

1. Open the .FCStd file in FreeCAD and recompute the document with Edit → Refresh or the available recompute command.
2. Hide sketches, construction geometry, reference planes, and objects that should not appear in SketchUp. Select the visible bodies or solids intended for export.
3. Use File → Export and choose Wavefront OBJ, usually saved as .obj. If FreeCAD displays tessellation settings, reduce the deviation or chordal tolerance for curved surfaces and use a suitable angular tolerance.
4. Import the OBJ into SketchUp with File → Import if the installed SketchUp edition and version provide OBJ import. Check the import units and scale before placing the model.
5. If direct OBJ import is unavailable, open the OBJ in Blender, verify its orientation and scale, and export it as Collada .dae. Import the DAE into SketchUp through File → Import, then save the document as .skp with File → Save As.

Desktop workflow through Collada

Some FreeCAD installations or workbenches provide Collada export. When available, select the required solids and use File → Export, choose .dae, then import the resulting Collada file in SketchUp and save it as .skp. Collada is often more convenient for SketchUp because DAE import is supported in many SketchUp versions, while OBJ support varies by edition and release.

Online conversion

For a one-off conversion without installing software, use the free converter on 101convert.com: upload the FCSTD file, choose SKP as the output, start the conversion, and download the resulting file. Open the result in SketchUp and inspect its scale, orientation, materials, and geometry before using it in production.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

• Parametric data is lost: the SKP result generally contains imported geometry only; FreeCAD dimensions, constraints, feature dependencies, and editable history do not transfer.
• Tessellation controls curved-surface quality: coarse export settings produce visible faceting, while very fine meshes increase file size and can slow SketchUp. Export a test section before converting a large assembly.
• Units require checking: confirm the FreeCAD document’s unit system and the import unit in SketchUp. A model that appears correctly shaped can still be incorrectly scaled.
• Assemblies may need cleanup: separate FreeCAD solids can arrive as disconnected groups, triangulated faces, or reversed faces. Use SketchUp’s entity and face-orientation tools to organize and repair them.
• Materials and metadata are limited: names, colors, textures, custom properties, drawings, and object relationships may not survive OBJ or DAE export. Keep the original FCSTD file as the authoritative editable source.