Anyone interested in "organic" modeling techniques in AutoCAD?

[eric.stover]

Within AutoCAD you're given the basic building blocks (cube, sphere, cone, etc.) with which to start designing with. There are editing tools which let you manipulate faces, edges, and vertices. You can even use lofts and sweeps to take 2D profiles to create surfaces.

What if you had a toolset which mimicked how you work with clay - to create an organic shape. What if you had a knife tool which could carve the shape, the ability to pinch and fold the shape, stretch it as well. These tools could be as coarse or as fine in their detail.

I can think of uses in commercial architecture, industrial and product design, aerospace, among others.

No matter what was created, you could always section the model into 2D for documentation purposes.

Any interest here?

[JD Mather]

Any interest here?

Yes.

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/content/CAD238/AutoCAD_2007_Tutorials.htm

[W. Holzwarth]

Yes, here too.
But, please, don't forget Inventor. It's not good, if that could only done in AutoCAD.

Walter

[arshiel88]

...Any interest here?

Yes. I envy the tools and modifiers in 3D Studio Max. If only I could wish it all to be available in AutoCad...

[fhoffnar]

If it had plenty of snap points, and/or a way to define new snap points internally, then yes. It would be a great tool. One of the biggest problems we have using imported 3D data is that we can't easily define our framing or attachment to the organic shape. We basically guess and the shop trims to fit, not an ideal solution. If we could assist in defining the shape via framing (by defining points in the object) then we'd save a lot of labor.

[arshiel88]

Are we talking about solids or meshes? If these proposed tools are about to deal with the native acad solids then that would amaze a lot of people including me. In fact I don't know any modeler that can push and pull 3D solids.

[Ed Jobe]

Definitely. You could use it for quick approximations or for freehand artwork, e.g. a logo embossed onto a part.

[JD Mather]

In fact I don't know any modeler that can push and pull 3D solids.

SolidWorks for one.

[arshiel88]

SolidWorks for one.

As the name states... Thanks for the info.

[ronie_ernanto]

Cool stuff I guess, as long as it don't make a huge file size.

[mary95478]

me,too.
As a truth,autoplant is one part of autocad which can creat drawings for Plant design.And in industry design,we can use Solidworks,Solidedge,Inventor,Proe,as so on.We can use 3DMAX,MAYA to render shapes and creat final animated cartoons.

[chgolombek]

Within AutoCAD you're given the basic building blocks (cube, sphere, cone, etc.) with which to start designing with. There are editing tools which let you manipulate faces, edges, and vertices. You can even use lofts and sweeps to take 2D profiles to create surfaces.

What if you had a toolset which mimicked how you work with clay - to create an organic shape. What if you had a knife tool which could carve the shape, the ability to pinch and fold the shape, stretch it as well. These tools could be as coarse or as fine in their detail.

I can think of uses in commercial architecture, industrial and product design, aerospace, among others.

No matter what was created, you could always section the model into 2D for documentation purposes.

Any interest here?

A lot!
I´m a golf course architect. I already use clay to produce models of greens.
This tool would be a great asset for people like me. If you add the possibility of putting a line, that would show the limit where a green edge, bunker edge etc.. are, it would be fabulous!!!
Any thoughts on transforming this 3D into a real clay model?
Claudio

[eric.stover]

We would be able to output to .STL which could go directly to a 3D printer (like what you find from ZCORP.)

It wouldn't be clay, but a nice plastic resin :)

[bruno.vankogelenberg]

Yeah, I'm interested as well. I do some claying in my spare time. I'm also quite curious on how you intend the input to work. A special 3D mouse? Does this bring the tablet back? I have one with a pressure sensitive tip (not connected anymore). Maybe both or a 3D-pen/tablet. I can imagine a few things. Please make sure one can use another solid as tool -cause when you're working with clay, any knife, spoon, stick can and will be used as a tool- so one can create the tools one needs.

Mvg,

Bruno

[acad.139205]

Within AutoCAD you're given the basic building blocks (cube, sphere, cone, etc.) with which to start designing with. There are editing tools which let you manipulate faces, edges, and vertices. You can even use lofts and sweeps to take 2D profiles to create surfaces.

What if you had a toolset which mimicked how you work with clay - to create an organic shape. What if you had a knife tool which could carve the shape, the ability to pinch and fold the shape, stretch it as well. These tools could be as coarse or as fine in their detail.

I can think of uses in commercial architecture, industrial and product design, aerospace, among others.

No matter what was created, you could always section the model into 2D for documentation purposes.

Any interest here?


YES! Most definitely interested!!!

We use AutoCad for our Outdoor Recreation Design, and are now getting into geo shapes and animals. This will be extremely helpful if we could use AutoCad for our organic modeling prototypes as well, and save from having 2 different cad systems.

Example, we are working on a dog, and are having some difficulty discovering the most efficient way to draw a dog head. The only way I know how currently, is to chop away at a solid shape and use the fillet command a lot! The AutoCad manuals shows how to use the commands, but we need the experience to know how to use them orderly and efficiently.

Are there tutorials existing currently for modeling organic shapes?

[oliveoil182411]

Are we talking about solids or meshes? If these proposed tools are about to deal with the native acad solids then that would amaze a lot of people including me. In fact I don't know any modeler that can push and pull 3D solids.

Doesn't late model AutoCad(2008-present) have the capability to do this push-pull thing? Maybe it depends on the definition. I know it is limited in its fluidity, but I do believe it is getting better in the editing of solids. I'm all for it if AutoCad does start getting into the arena with the likes of Autodesk's SketchBook, and SolidWorks. Just get all the bugs out before the release. I hate when my machine crashes.

[richardronan]

I like the idea, but first AUTOCAD needs to be able to actually print from 3d in the visual styles that are on display. Once that is complete then work on the noun-verb modelling. This will allow the visualization people to produce something usable by us in the engineering and architectural documentation side.

-R

[3d generator]

In fact I don't know any modeler that can push and pull 3D solids.

Bonzai3d is another solid modeling program with push-pull capability.