3D Modeling Special Interest Group – May 2020

In this session, we showed the benefits of using the Convert to Group command to solve problems with objects, demonstrated modeling custom windows, and constructed a curved glass awning.

Topics Covered:

• 00:08    Someone had a problem with a door—it had a pie-shaped, filled shape coming off of it in a top/plan view. A neat trick for uncovering the inner workings of an object is to use the Convert to Group command to “explode” it. Then, you can go in and see what classes are controlling which part or see how the object is put together. After exploding it, you can more easily control the graphical attributes of the object, especially in a 2D view, by converting it into an Auto Hybrid. If you use the Convert to Group command on a hybrid object in 2D, only the 2D qualities are retained. If you use the command on the object in 3D, only its 3D qualities are retained.
• 16:45    Often you need custom windows on projects. We built a window from scratch, demonstrating all of the steps for creating a fixed window, with both the 3D and 2D components. Next, we turned the components into a symbol. Once you have one window, you can modify copies of it to get the other windows that you need on a job. We applied our steps to making a corner window.
• 46:15    We finished the session by demonstrating how to construct a curved glass awning. Using NURBS and the Loft Surface tool in Birail Sweep Mode, we modeled an awning and gave it a glass texture. The Shell Solid tool helped to give it a thickness. To emphasize the glass edges, we built them out a little by using the Shell Solid tool and gave the edges a different texture than the main awning’s—that way, they really popped!

3D Modeling April 2020

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