Workshop 7 Notes, Week of October 1, 2006
Microstation >Triforma >Bentley >Architecture
1.CONTROLLING THE ACS PLANE, PERSPECTIVE TOOLS, AND ROOF BUILDING TOOLS.
Use examples created in classes\ARCH541\examples\surfaces
(Make sure that ACS Plane, ACS Plane Snap, and Sticky Z lock are OFF)
Select the "Construct Surface or Solid of Projection" tool from the palatte. Set TYPE to "Surface" for an open-ended edge surface, or "Solid" for a capped volume: Select whether or not the projection will be ORTHOGONAL: Interactively create a DISTANCE for linear projection. If none is set the distance will be set interactively: Enter a Data point to set the distance interactively or to accept the pre-set distance:
Reset (RIGHT CLICK) to complete the operation.
Constructing a surface or solid of projection will create a surface edge or capped volume (solid) by projecting a boundary edge or shape along a given linear distance. Projection can be done orthogonally, perpendicular to the plane of the edge or shape element, or non-orthogonally in any given linear direction. Boundary edges or shapes can be either open or closed, and the generated surface can be either open-ended or a closed, capped volumetric shape.
Draw a diagonal wall using the Place Wall Tool
Select the Place Block Tool
Place a tentative snap on a corner of the wall
Select "O" for offset [places the Accudraw Compass at the selected point]
Rotate the ACS Plane so that it aligns with the wall surface
Type in "RA" [make sure the Accudraw Coordinate box is highlighted]
Place a tentative snap on the same corner of the wall [confirm with a left click]
Select the opposite corner to establish the x-axis using a tentative snap
Select the corner above the original corner to establish the y-axis
The ACS Plane is now aligned with the wall face
Place a block on the wall
2. EDGE DEFINED SURFACE
edge defined surface - create surfaces palette - off main tool menu (Tools>Surface_Modeling>Surface_Modeling), top left tool.
Constructing a surface by edges can create a ruled surface between two section curves, or edges. An edge may be a line, line string, shape, arc, curve, B-spline curve, complex chain, or complex shape (we have not yet covered all of these). Also, the edge may be closed (i.e. a loop), or open (i.e. its endpoints do not touch).
This method of surface creation actually mimics the method used to construct terrain surface modeling. Constructing a Surface by edges can generate a surface from four or more adjoining edges. (2 nd Tool on Create Surfaces Palette - See below) This tool is well suited for generating landscapes, shells such as Saarinen's Kresge Auditorium at MIT, or the complex surfaces of Gaudi, Calatrava, or Nervi.
Select the "Construct Surface by Edges" tool from the Create Surface palette.
Select (or preselect) first section curve or edge. Select (or preselect) second section curve or edge. Enter data point (left button) to see the generated surface; Accept or reject the surface. Note that if the first section curve is open/closed, than the second section curve must also be open/closed or a single point. Use the "Element Selection" tool (the arrow) to select all edges in clockwise or counter-clockwise order. Select the "Construct Surface by Edges" tool from the palatte. Enter a data point to display the surface; Accept or Reject the surface. Note that the all edges must touch one another thereby forming a topologically closed path.
3. CONSTRUCT SURFACE OR SOLID OF REVOLUTION
[User's Guide p. 10-56] - form construction palette
Constructing a Surface or Solid of Revolution creates a surface by rotating a boundary element around an axis. The boundary element may be any graphic element, curved or straight. This command is similar to the tubular surface (below) in that the defining curve is "swept" along a path. The difference is that surfaces of revolution sweep in a uniform curve around a central axis, whereas Tubular surfaces sweep along any given path, uniform or non-uniform. Surfaces of Revolution are appropriate for the generation of symmetrical objects with varying cross sections in plan, but uniform sections in profile, such as a dome, a Calatrava column, or a champagne glass.
Select the "Revolve shape to solid " tool from the 3D Construct palette.
Set TYPE to "Surface" for edges only (open ended), or "Solid" for a closed, capped volume. Set the ANGLE that the surface or solid will sweep incrementally. Select the boundary element: Select first point of the axis of revolution: Select second point of axis of revolution: (if AXIS is set to "Points"). Reset to end operation, or select a data point to continue to revolve.
4. CONSTRUCT TUBULAR SURFACE
[User's Guide p. 10-63] - form construction palette
Constructing a tubular surface will create a surface mesh from a cross-section and a trace curve. The cross-section may either be curved or straight, or a closed shape. The cross-section is "swept" along the path of the trace curve or vector. This is similar to the surface of projection, however the tubular surface may trace a curve or other non-uniform or multidirectional path, whereas the projected surface is a simgle linear projection of a given distance. This type of surface may be used to generate any kind of directional traced-section surface.
Select the "Extrude shape along path to solid " tool from the 3D Construct palette (3 rd Tool).
Set DEFINE BY to "Circular" if the desired surface is a pipe having a circular cross-section and both inner and outer radii, or to "Section" to sweep any cross-section along the trace, changing the sectional orientation along the path.
Select whether or not the cross section will always be orthogonal to the trace curve.
Select the trace (path) curve.
Select the cross-section curve.
Enter data point (left button) to see the generated surface; Accept or reject the surface.
6. CONSTRUCT SKIN SURFACE
[User's Guide p. 10-63] - surface construction palette
Constructing a skin surface will create a surface mesh from one or more cross-sections and a trace curve. The cross-sections may either be curved or straight, or a closed shape. The cross-section is "swept" along the path of the trace curve or vector from one cross section interpolated into the second cross section. This is similar to the tubular surface, however the tubular surface may trace a curve or other non-uniform or multidirectional path from one cross section, whereas the projected surface will interpolate between two cross sections.
Select the "Skin solid " tool from the Create Surface palette: tools/surface modeling/create surface (4 th Tool).
Set TYPE to "Surface" or "Solid".
Select whether or not the cross section will always be orthogonal to the trace curve.
Select the trace (path) curve:
Select the first cross-section curve:
Select the second cross-section curve:
Enter data point (left button) to see the generated surface; Accept (Click) or reject (Right Click) the surface.
To create surface with poles: Tools>Surface_Modeling>Create_Surfaces>Create_Planar_Surface (Last tool)
7. SURFACE MODIFICATIONS
(1) surface modification: Many forms of it - simplest
main tool palette: modify tool select surface: move vertice: compare with initial vertice (try this on edge defined surface)
(Tools>Surface_Modeling>Modify_Surfaces)
(2) modify surface palette: solid to surface conversion.
8. STANDARD RENDERING
Explore the “magnifying glass” tool on Ray Trace and Particle Trace dialog box for lighting and rendering options
9. BASIC LIGHTING SETUP
Settings>Rendering>Source_Lighting
(3 point lighting setup (photography lesson): one high intensity light facing object from front, one lower intensity light facing object from oblique angle, and one omnidirectional light on other side)
Settings>Rendering>Global_Lighting:
Ambient Light (turn off or turn down to see the effects of Source Lighting)
Flashbulb (Turn off or down for a more realistic lighting effect)
Solar
Solar Shadows (Change Location by City or Coordinates, Date, and Time for realistic Shadows—Make sure that North is Up in your model for accurate representation)
In Define Light dialogue box, change Cone Angle and Delta Angle for spot lights to get a wider wash or a more narrow focus