Need Tutorial on How to Create 6-Tier NSF Steel Wire Shelving Unit with Wheels

[DefinedDesign]

Hello Chieftain's,

I'm working on a space planning project and I need to create this shelving unit so I can adjust the shelf location on each unit to hold different items.  What is the best way to do this?  I tried creating a base cabinet but I could not figure out how to get the shelving to show as wire shelving.   I have the five shelf version of this in the library but I don't see the option to explode it so I can add another shelf and adjust the shelves to different heights.  Always grateful for your expertise!  
 
Image Credit: From Sam's Club Website

[Joe_Carrick]

Hi Lisa,

 

• Use a CABINET
• Create your wire Shelf as an "Interior Fixture" Symbol
• In the CABINET dbx set the Shelves to use that Symbol
• For each Shelf set the distance from the previous. (you can use equal spacing)
• Save the Cabinet to your User Library - name it "Wire Shelf w Wheels"

Now when you place one of these from the Library you can:

• For each Shelf set the distance from the previous.
• Change the number of shelves
• Change any other parameters of the Cabinet.

Note that in the Cabinet dbx for shelves there's a drop-down list that allows you to select individual numbered shelves.

[GeneDavis]

So you want those wire shelves to render in 3D and look just like the ones in the image?

 

Or is the image a rendering of the 3D symbol you have?

[DefinedDesign]

7 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Hi Lisa,

• Use a CABINET
• Create your wire Shelf as an "Interior Fixture" Symbol
• In the CABINET dbx set the Shelves to use that Symbol
• For each Shelf set the distance from the previous. (you can use equal spacing)
• Save the Cabinet to your User Library - name it "Wire Shelf w Wheels"

Now when you place one of these from the Library you can:

• For each Shelf set the distance from the previous.
• Change the number of shelves
• Change any other parameters of the Cabinet.

Note that in the Cabinet dbx for shelves there's a drop-down list that allows you to select individual numbered shelves.

Joe - thanks for the quick reply.  Please forgive me, I am having difficulty comprehending how to "Create the wire shelf as an 'Interior Fixture' Symbol"

[DefinedDesign]

3 minutes ago, GeneDavis said:

So you want those wire shelves to render in 3D and look just like the ones in the image?

 

Or is the image a rendering of the 3D symbol you have?

Hi Gene,

 

Great question.  The image I included is from the Sam's Club website of the unit the client wants to buy.  I am trying to create a library item that looks like the image.  

[Joe_Carrick]

2 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

Joe - thanks for the quick reply.  Please forgive me, I am having difficulty comprehending how to "Create the wire shelf as an 'Interior Fixture' Symbol"

You need to:

• model the wire shelf as a 3D object (may need to include stanchions)
• Display it in a 3D View
• From the menu (Tools->Create Symbol) select "Interior Fixture"
• ......

 

[DefinedDesign]

1 minute ago, Joe_Carrick said:

You need to:

• model the wire shelf as a 3D object (may need to include stanchions)
• Display it in a 3D View
• From the menu (Tools->Create Symbol) select "Interior Fixture"
• ......

 

 

Okay, I'll see if I can find training on how to model a 3D object.  Thanks for the advice.

[GeneDavis]

In 3D if rendered to really look like the shelf with all its wire (the wire-truss sides and ends) and its top (not sure what I am seeing), you are gonna have a monstrous surface count.

 

Hope you are getting paid for the 3D work.  If there were good straight-on pics of the sides, and a straight-down view of the top, I would make a 3D slab, remove its bottom surface, and texture the tops and side with the wire-shelf images.

 

But that does not do the roller feet, nor the pillars and rack fittings.

[Joe_Carrick]

5 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

 

Okay, I'll see if I can find training on how to model a 3D object.  Thanks for the advice.

One fairly simple way to do this is to use a "Solid" and explode it.  Then select each face and add a texture similar to each surface of the shelf - you could also delete the bottom surface.

 

As Gene indicated you may need to take the concept a bit further to include the other elements of the rack.

[GeneDavis]

If you have Revit (I don't) or Sketchup v. 19 (mine is v. 17) here is a free download of pretty much exactly what your image shows.

 

Gonna be a lotta surfaces.  Look at those file sizes.

 

https://www.hermanmiller.com/resources/3d-models-and-planning-tools/product-models/individual/open-wire-shelving/

 

If anyone has the full card of SU versions, I'd like this in something my v. 17 can open.

[GeneDavis]

OK, I took the Herman Miller 3D and imported into Chief using the SKP and DWG downloads.  Here is a Chief 14 file with just the rolling racks, and it is close to 17 megs in size.

 

The problem is you cannot explode them and isolate out just a shelf unit, or maybe I don't know enough about working with symbols.

Rolliing baker racks ACAD and SKP.zip

[rlackore]

@DefinedDesign, here is what I use: Wire Shelf.calibz Wire Shelf with Standards.calibz

 

Insert the Wire Shelf with Standards symbol into your plan. It's set up for a "standard" 18x60 unit. This symbol has 4 corner standards with casters, and the lowest shelf at 6" off the floor, per most commercial food codes. Then insert the Wire Shelf symbol, center it on the previous symbol in both the X and Y axes, and set the height accordingly; repeat for every shelf you need.

 

[Joe_Carrick]

Here's a "Cabinet" as I previously described.  It's not perfect but it's close.

Wire Shelves with Wheels.calibz

[DefinedDesign]

38 minutes ago, GeneDavis said:

OK, I took the Herman Miller 3D and imported into Chief using the SKP and DWG downloads.  Here is a Chief 14 file with just the rolling racks, and it is close to 17 megs in size.

 

The problem is you cannot explode them and isolate out just a shelf unit, or maybe I don't know enough about working with symbols.

Rolliing baker racks ACAD and SKP.zip 5.92 MB · 0 downloads

 

1 hour ago, solver said:

 

That's a skill all Chief users should have. This isn't a video on modeling a shelf, but you might get an idea or two on the process.

 

The Chief supplied versions of this shelf unit are rather basic and lack detail, making them easier to model if you do not need the details.

 

 

 

 

Thank you Eric, the video is really impressive.  I will have to do some newbie 3D training basics so I can understand better how to do what you are demonstrating.  Grateful for you.

[DefinedDesign]

53 minutes ago, GeneDavis said:

If you have Revit (I don't) or Sketchup v. 19 (mine is v. 17) here is a free download of pretty much exactly what your image shows.

 

Gonna be a lotta surfaces.  Look at those file sizes.

 

https://www.hermanmiller.com/resources/3d-models-and-planning-tools/product-models/individual/open-wire-shelving/

 

If anyone has the full card of SU versions, I'd like this in something my v. 17 can open.

 

Thanks Gene, don't think my old Mac could handle multiples of those.  Grateful for you!

[DefinedDesign]

43 minutes ago, GeneDavis said:

OK, I took the Herman Miller 3D and imported into Chief using the SKP and DWG downloads.  Here is a Chief 14 file with just the rolling racks, and it is close to 17 megs in size.

 

The problem is you cannot explode them and isolate out just a shelf unit, or maybe I don't know enough about working with symbols.

Rolliing baker racks ACAD and SKP.zip 5.92 MB · 0 downloads

 

Thanks again Gene,  I'm using X8.  Appreciate your support.

[DefinedDesign]

34 minutes ago, rlackore said:

@DefinedDesign, here is what I use: Wire Shelf.calibz Wire Shelf with Standards.calibz

 

Insert the Wire Shelf with Standards symbol into your plan. It's set up for a "standard" 18x60 unit. This symbol has 4 corner standards with casters, and the lowest shelf at 6" off the floor, per most commercial food codes. Then insert the Wire Shelf symbol, center it on the previous symbol in both the X and Y axes, and set the height accordingly; repeat for every shelf you need.

 

 

Robert thank you, this is exactly what I'm looking for, unfortunately my X8 version won't open the files, I get this error message: The library "/var/folders/rb/0cc6pmsn3h3cjcvgyfqgnq300000gn/T/ChiefTemp_703900090_WireShelf_0.calib" has an invalid version number and can not be read. Changes made to the library will not be saved during this session.  Grateful for you.

[DefinedDesign]

23 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Here's a "Cabinet" as I previously described.  It's not perfect but it's close.

Wire Shelves with Wheels.calibz 226.97 kB · 0 downloads

 

Wow, that's amazing you can take a cabinet to this!  Unfortunately with X8 I get this error message when opening the file:  The library "/var/folders/rb/0cc6pmsn3h3cjcvgyfqgnq300000gn/T/ChiefTemp_703900090_WireShelf_0.calib" has an invalid version number and can not be read. Changes made to the library will not be saved during this session.  Grateful for you!

[Joe_Carrick]

Sorry, I'm on X14.  OTOH, you can probably do the same on X8 with just the cabinet tools and materials.

I used the following:

• frameless cabinet
• round pilasters - always present
• casters (feet) - always present - offset 2" each way
• open back
• open sides
• front = opening
• cabinet material = "No Material" or "Insulation, Air Gap"
• shelf material = "Wire Mesh" adjusted in width and depth
• no top
• no bottom

Cabinets have always been one of the most flexible objects in Chief.

[GeneDavis]

1 hour ago, rlackore said:

@DefinedDesign, here is what I use: Wire Shelf.calibz Wire Shelf with Standards.calibz

 

Insert the Wire Shelf with Standards symbol into your plan. It's set up for a "standard" 18x60 unit. This symbol has 4 corner standards with casters, and the lowest shelf at 6" off the floor, per most commercial food codes. Then insert the Wire Shelf symbol, center it on the previous symbol in both the X and Y axes, and set the height accordingly; repeat for every shelf you need.

 

Thanks, Robert.  Where did I miss that bonus library that has the shelf and the base?  I looked and looked.

[DefinedDesign]

28 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Sorry, I'm on X14.  OTOH, you can probably do the same on X8 with just the cabinet tools and materials.

I used the following:

• frameless cabinet
• round pilasters - always present
• casters (feet) - always present - offset 2" each way
• open back
• open sides
• front = opening
• cabinet material = "No Material" or "Insulation, Air Gap"
• shelf material = "Wire Mesh" adjusted in with and depth
• no top
• no bottom

Cabinets have always been one of the most flexible objects in Chief.

 

Joe - Thank you!  This is what I came up with.  While it's not perfect, it gives me the option to adjust the shelves for each unit.  I used the Wire Mesh material in X8 and assigned that to the whole cabinet.  I added a counter top the same thickness as the shelves and made it Wire Mesh.  

[Joe_Carrick]

2 minutes ago, DefinedDesign said:

 

Joe - Thank you!  This is what I came up with.  While it's not perfect, it gives me the option to adjust the shelves for each unit.  I used the Wire Mesh material in X8 and assigned that to the whole cabinet.  I added a counter top the same thickness as the shelves and made it Wire Mesh.  

Good Job.  I'm glad you were able to get a result you could work with.  You might want to play with a few of the materials but otherwise if looks great.

[Gawdzira]

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/search/?q=wire rack shelves&searchTab=model