Sketchup Round Corner ((link)) Crack Top -

Introduction

SketchUp is a popular 3D modeling software used by architects, interior designers, and product designers. One of the common issues faced by SketchUp users is the "Round Corner Crack Top" error. This report aims to provide an overview of the issue, its causes, and possible solutions.

What is Round Corner Crack Top?

The "Round Corner Crack Top" error occurs when using the "Round Corner" or "Fillet" tool in SketchUp to create rounded corners on a 3D model. The error causes the top surface of the model to become distorted or "cracked" when trying to apply a rounded corner.

Causes of Round Corner Crack Top

After analyzing various user reports and forums, the following causes have been identified:

1. Complex Geometry: The "Round Corner Crack Top" error often occurs when trying to apply a rounded corner to a model with complex geometry, such as multiple intersecting surfaces or non-planar faces.
2. Insufficient Faces: When a model has insufficient faces or is not properly divided, the "Round Corner" tool may struggle to create a smooth rounded corner, leading to a "cracked" top surface.
3. Incorrect Tool Settings: Incorrect settings or tolerances in the "Round Corner" tool can also cause the error.

Solutions

The following solutions can help resolve the "Round Corner Crack Top" error:

1. Simplify Geometry: Try simplifying the model's geometry by dividing complex faces or removing unnecessary details.
2. Increase Faces: Increase the number of faces on the model by using the "Intersect Faces" or "Divide" tools to create more subdivisions.
3. Adjust Tool Settings: Adjust the "Round Corner" tool settings, such as increasing the "Radius" or "Segments" values, to achieve a smoother rounded corner.
4. Use Alternative Tools: Consider using alternative tools, such as the "Soften" or "Smooth" tools, to achieve a similar effect.

Workarounds

If the above solutions do not resolve the issue, the following workarounds can be tried:

1. Manual Modeling: Manually model the rounded corner using the "Draw" and "Edit" tools.
2. Plugins: Utilize third-party plugins, such as "Round Corner" or "Fillet Plus", which may offer more advanced features and better handling of complex geometry.

Conclusion

The "Round Corner Crack Top" error in SketchUp can be caused by complex geometry, insufficient faces, or incorrect tool settings. By simplifying geometry, increasing faces, adjusting tool settings, or using alternative tools, users can often resolve the issue. If necessary, workarounds such as manual modeling or using third-party plugins can also be employed.

Recommendations

• When working with complex models, try to simplify geometry and increase faces to prevent the "Round Corner Crack Top" error.
• Regularly update SketchUp and plugins to ensure access to the latest features and bug fixes.
• Consider using alternative tools or workarounds if the "Round Corner" tool is not producing the desired results.

Most users searching for this term are looking for the popular RoundCorner extension by Fredo6. This tool allows you to round the edges and corners of 3D shapes along a 2D profile.

Paid Status: While previously free, RoundCorner and its successor, FredoCorner, are now paid extensions requiring a license from SketchUcation.

Dependencies: To function, it requires the installation of the LibFredo6 shared library and the SketchUcation ExtensionStore.

Official Download: You can download the legitimate version from the SketchUcation PluginStore. 2. Troubleshooting Geometry "Cracks" on Top Faces sketchup round corner crack top

If your model is literally "cracking" (showing broken or missing geometry) on the top surface after rounding, it is usually due to one of these common SketchUp issues:

Overlap Detection: The RoundCorner tool now includes a feature to detect overlaps. If the rounding radius is too large for the available face area, the geometry will "self-intersect," creating holes or "cracks".

Small Face Issue: SketchUp has a known limitation where it cannot create very small faces (less than ~1mm). When rounding small objects, the tool may fail to close the new geometry.

Fix: Scale your entire model up by 10x or 100x, perform the rounding, and then scale it back down.

Non-Orthogonal Faces: If the faces meeting at the corner are not perfectly 90 degrees, the tool may require more segments or triangulation to close the gap on the top face. 3. Free Alternatives (No "Crack" Needed)

Instead of searching for risky "cracked" software, you can use these free methods to achieve the same result:

Native Tools: Use the Follow Me tool by drawing an arc on one corner and "following" it around the top edge of your object.

Beveling Manually: Use the Tape Measure tool to create guides, draw your curves manually with the Arc tool, and use Push/Pull to trim the edges. Introduction SketchUp is a popular 3D modeling software

---

4) Rebuild the top face if shading is inconsistent

1. Delete the problematic top face(s) but keep the surrounding edges.
2. With all boundary edges selected, right-click → “Make Face” (or draw a new face with the Line tool) so SketchUp generates a single, clean face covering the rounded corner area.

Why the crack appears

• SketchUp represents geometry as triangular or quad faces bounded by edges. When you round a corner (with tools or plugins) the original face may be split into multiple faces that don’t share exactly coincident vertices or normals.
• Tiny gaps or misaligned vertices between adjacent faces produce a visible seam or “crack” when shaded, especially on smooth-rounded areas.
• Reversed face orientation or inconsistent face normals can exaggerate the seam.
• Plugins that create arcs/fillets sometimes leave overlapping or duplicated edges that confuse the renderer.
• Exporting to other formats (e.g., STL, OBJ) reveals the seam more clearly because downstream apps interpret non-manifold or duplicated geometry differently.

4. Manual Healing (The Scalpel Method)

If the crack is a physical gap:

• Draw a single line across the crack to close the hole.
• Erase the newly created line immediately (Shift+Eraser to hide, not delete).
• SketchUp will usually rebuild the missing surface.

Part 2: Why Does the Top Crack? (The Geometry Lesson)

To solve the SketchUp round corner crack top, you need to think like the plugin. Fredo6’s Round Corner works by creating three sets of geometry:

• The core (original shape).
• The fillet mesh (the rounded transition).
• The cap (the top surface after subtraction).

The crack appears when the plugin fails to triangulate the cap correctly. The primary causes are:

1. Non-Manifold Edges: If your top face has an internal edge (a stray line from a previous boolean operation), the plugin doesn't know how to wrap the fillet around it.
2. Tiny Geometry Threshold: If your rounding radius is smaller than 1/1000th of an inch, SketchUp’s tolerance fails. The crack appears as a microscopic tear.
3. Softened/Smoothed Normals: If you have softened the top edges before rounding, the plugin misreads the surface direction.
4. Coplanar Faces: The top face is actually two faces sitting on the same plane. When the fillet tries to connect, it creates a "crack" along the invisible seam.

5. Use "Sharp" Offset Mode

In the Round Corner toolbar, look for the Offset type (usually under Advanced settings).

• Switch from "Round" to "Sharp" or "Linear" .
• This changes how the fillet transitions into flat planes, often preventing the pinch that causes cracks.

Step 3: Reverse the Faces

Sometimes the face exists, but it is reversed (blue instead of white). Right-click the area > Reverse Faces.

Part 4: The Proactive Solution – Preventing the Crack Before It Starts

To never see the "SketchUp round corner crack top" again, you must change your workflow.

Method 1: The "Stitch and Erase" (Beginner)

This works for simple cracks where a single face is missing.

1. Zoom in on the crack. Use the Zoom tool and magnify until you see the missing polygon.
2. Select the Line tool (L). Draw a line from one vertex of the crack to the opposite vertex. SketchUp will autofill the face if the edges are coplanar.
3. If the face appears blue (reversed), right-click it and select Reverse Faces.
4. Use the Eraser tool (E) while holding Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) to smooth the new line away (hide it) so it doesn't disturb the fillet.

Limitation: This only works for single, small cracks. If the entire top rim is jagged, move to Method 2. Complex Geometry : The "Round Corner Crack Top"