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3D modeling in VW's & Rhino


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A question for anyone familiar with 3D modeling using Rhino, do VW's 3D modeling tools compare favorably to Rhino's? Would you attempt a typical 3D project such as a sailing ship with VW's?

I am looking at a course in naval architecture which offers Rhino as the software of choice. I am wondering if VW's 3D modeling capabilities are sufficient for the task to negate having to purchase Rhino. Thanks

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In all honesty if you are doing any kind of complex modelling Rhino will be a far better bet - especially for marine design. VW has a powerful suite of NURBS tools but they just don't compare to Rhino for production level modelling. Rhino also has a far better range of 3D import and export options, as well as direct interfaces to many leading MCAD systems, rendering engines and 3rd party hardware devices.

Put it this way. Spending money on Rhion will not be a wasted purchase.

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I use both, and generally use VW for modelling, but they're chalk and cheese. ( I wouldn't call a sailing ship a "typical project" )

Rhino has several ways of blending curves and sufaces - important I would think for naval design, but VW is poor in this respect. Also, a basic tool that VW does not have which Rhino does is a 2 rail loft (Rhino calls it a sweep) with multiple cross sections. Again, very useful for complex shapes.

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I am surprised the collage is suggesting using Rhino for naval architecture as it does not have the modules for hydrostatics and production etc. Unless its purely for presentation? take a look at Maxsurf @ www.formsys.com. Saying that a new member of our yacht design team has sugested using Rhino but unfortunatly I have no real info about it?

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Rhino can import/export as IGES, VW can import/export IGES - that would be the format to use for NURBS surfaces. Rhino can also import/export .3ds (which is a facetted format), VW Designer series can import .3ds. So you can handle all geometry types. VW isn;t great at .3ds import though - sorting out the smoothing is not easy. Nurbs IGEs files should be OK though.

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I am surprised the collage is suggesting using Rhino for naval architecture as it does not have the modules for hydrostatics and production etc. Unless its purely for presentation? take a look at Maxsurf @ www.formsys.com. Saying that a new member of our yacht design team has sugested using Rhino but unfortunatly I have no real info about it?

Many naval architects use Rhino for design and engineering - there are extra modules you can get - http://www.rhinomarine3d.com/

You can also get flattening and nesting modules for steel or wood construction - I know a company using Rhino in combination with Maxsurf and SolidWorks to design steel boats for which they supply the plasma cut kits for boatyard assembly.

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I am surprised the collage is suggesting using Rhino for naval architecture as it does not have the modules for hydrostatics and production etc. Unless its purely for presentation? take a look at Maxsurf @ www.formsys.com. Saying that a new member of our yacht design team has sugested using Rhino but unfortunatly I have no real info about it?

Many naval architects use Rhino for design and engineering - there are extra modules you can get - http://www.rhinomarine3d.com/

You can also get flattening and nesting modules for steel or wood construction - I know a company using Rhino in combination with Maxsurf and SolidWorks to design steel boats for which they supply the plasma cut kits for boatyard assembly.

RhinoMarine's cross sectioning features are by far the slowest on the market, so I would recommend some other program.

Check out TouchCAD instead, which offers far superior shape control, very fast dynamic cross sectioning, full push-pull modeling from any view, integrated marine calculations, automatic weight and center of gravity calculations, and integrated dynamic unfolding / nesting features. TouchCAD direct exports NURBS surfaces /solid NURBS surfaces directly to VW. Works on both Mac and Windows. TouchCAD costs less than Rhino Base costs, and if you add RhinoMarine it is nearly three times as expensive as TouchCAD.

Quote from a professional marine designer and TouchCAD / VectorWorks user in Canada:

"The TC demo has been great. Here's an example of a funky proa I played with yesterday. There was a round hulled version, but I tried rounded box sections for a change. I am truly amazed at how easy and fun TC is. This is what I got into boat design for in the first place! A recent small canoe project demonstrated how great TC is. What takes only about 7 minutes to model in TC, took almost 2 hours in MaxSurf! I couldn't believe how slow the process was."

www.touchcad.com

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  • 2 months later...

VW has ... let's call it ... a long haul to get to a good standard in 3D. Their bad point.

For real complex 3D - get for now something else;

If you have the finances: SolidWorks but request all about the ADD - On's to your needs.

Then Rhino or TouchCad pending on your exact needs of hull design

Then you can look at Alibre but look to what size you want to design and what you want to design - it is very much SolidWorks based.

Low end and low cost - TurboCad which have much more superior 2D & 3D than VW. But they have a long running bug that gets you in the jitters where the objects keeps falling of the workplane. You have to run the "Place on Workplane" at regular intervals. Irritating.

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  • 1 year later...

Over the past few years Rino 4 has become a full on package for 3d, rendering, animation, drafting, engineering, analysis, manufacturing and now has features and modules especially for the marine industry. R4 also has companion products and is compatible with RhinoMarine, FastShip, GHS, MaxSurf, Tribon, AutoShip, AutoCAD, and ShipCAM, as well as most CAM and marine analysis products.

Unfortunately VWD and Rino4 are different beasts and if you are looking for a career in the marine industry you should take a look at R4 and its modules.

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