Final rendered model of our windup clock

When approaching modeling this clock, and any other model, I first try to divide it into parts. Obviously every product has its parts, and naturally you would go model one by one. This is that kind of model where your don’t have to think about which part to model first. This is obvious, first you need a clock body, then you can go about modeling which ever part. Here I first created the body, then the back plate with screws, then the front plate without numbers, bells and hammer, legs, and then in the end made the numbers and handles for the front plate.

STEP 1

Ok, in this step we will be creating the body. Since I lost every clock I had like this, I had to model it from reference images from the internet. So, we don’t have the measures, or technical drawings, but we need to model by eye, looking at the various images and approximate the lengths, distances and so on.

I created a template for my default usage with grid extents set to 10. So, make sure you do the same with Snap command, and clicking on the Extents options and input 10.

Now, we can start modeling. Since we don’t know what the accurate dimensions are, we will need to use our old method of trial and error. We will first create three straight lines with Polyline or Line command.

img1

Next thing would be to connect these lines with curves, and that we will do with BlendCrv command. Make sure you use G1 for both ends, so we get tangency.

img2

Using Join command make sure those lines are all joined together. So, next thing would be to create a surface out of this section curve, and we’ll do that with Revolve command. But, before that, we need to turn on the Record History option, so we can work on the surface by simply editing the curve.

img3

Now, if we select our initial curve, and using PointsOn command turn on the control points and if we move those points, we will automatically update the surface as well. If we used Record History that is.

img4

Ok, next thing would be to adjust the curves a bit so the surface is little more accurate. Try to make something like on the image below:

img5

Using OffsetSrf command, we need to offset this surface to inside by 0.3 units. So, make sure you flip the direction normals when in OffsetSrf command, so they point to inside.

img6

Then, simply, with BlendSrf command blend the gaps and Join the four surfaces.

img7

Final scene

Since it that time in the year again, some of you might find it useful to learn how to create few Christmas decorations for your tree visualisations

Introduction

Well, basically what we will do here is use solids for basic shapes and cut them how we like it.Simple, eh?

Step 1

In this step we will be creating the simplest decoration.

First Decoration

Go ahead, and create a sphere using Sphere command. Center it in the origin (0,0) and use 10 units as radius. To make this even simpler, you can set your Grid options like I have them. Just run Grid command, and where it says Extents click on it and input 10. That way you will have 10 units in your grid in every direction in the viewport which was active when you run the command. To apply this setting to all viewports, just use ApplyTo setting in Grid command. Click on it so it toggles from ActiveViewport to AllViewports. Now, simply using Snap option in your status bar we will start creating this Sphere.

Image 1

Once you got your Sphere, create another one, using 7 units as radius and position its center on 8,0. That is, 8 on the x axis, and 0 on the y axis.

Image 2

Now, using BooleanDifference make a hole in the bigger Sphere.

Image 3

We need to fillet the edges of this sphere. Using FilletEdge command fillet the edge with 0.2 as radius.

Image 4

Create a Circle from Top viewport with 5.5 as radius.

Image 5

We will Project this Circle onto the Sphere. We need to do this from Top viewport. So make sure it is active, and run the Project command to do the projection of the Circle on the Sphere. You will get 3 projected curves, and we only need the top one, so you can delete other two:

Image 6

Using Split or Trim command, we need to trim the upper part of the Sphere, with projected circle.

Image 7

Next thing we need is another Circle. This time create a Circle with 1.5 units as radius. Create it from top viewport in the origin (0,0). Then you will need to move it up (from either front or right viewport) with Move command by 17 units.

Image 8

Now, using ExtrudeCrv extrude this circle up by 1 unit. Make sure you don’t have Cap set to Yes, or BothSides set to Yes. Those two options need to be set to No.

Image 9

Ok, once you’ve done this, you need to make a surface with smooth transition from the sphere to the extruded circle. You will use BlendSrf command to do just that. As for the BlendSrf options, just leave it at default settings. Meaning AutoChain set to No, and for the Blend Bulge leave it as well at default settings, which are 1,1 and all other options unchecked.

Image 10

Next we will create a cap and a little wire to hang our decoration somewhere. So, using OffsetSrf offset the little cylinder surface outwards by 0.1 units.

Image 11

Now, using ExtendSrf command we will extend the upper edge of the offset surface up by 0.1

Image 12

Using Cap command we will close this surface into solid.

Image 13

Create another Circle, from Top viewport and use 0.5 units as radius. You should get your circle like on the image below:

Image 14

Now, using ExtrudeCrv command set the Cap setting to Yes, and extrude it up by 20 units, just so it goes through the cap:

Image 15

Using BooleanDifference command make a hole with this cylinder in the cap:

Image 16

Using FilletEdge fillet the edges of the tip with 0.1 as radius:

Image 17

Create another Circle with 2 units as radius, and position it like on the image below. Just make sure you create your circle from Front viewport. You can start Circle command, input in the command line when it asks you for the center 0,20 for the center, and then just 2 for the radius. You should get exactly the curve like on the image:

Image 18

We need a Curve starting from the circle. Using InterpCrv command we will create such curve from Front viewport: (you can start using OSnap if you haven’t already – Near would come in handy here)

Image 19

Using Mirror command we need to mirror this curve to the other side.

Image 20

Using Trim command we need to trim the Circle:

Image 21

I have almost perfectly hit the curve direction and smoothness and actually the curve is visually tangent to the circle. In reality that isn’t the case, so we need to fix it. We will match our curve onto the circle with Match command:

Image 22

Here you can see the black curve on the left, this is how the curve will be adjusted to match the tangency. So, now you see I didn’t actually hit the tangency manually. Do this same step for the right curve as well, and join all three into one:

Image 23

If necessary, using PointsOn you can change your curve a bit. But you will see if this is necessary after you make a surface. Using Pipe command we need to create a pipe surface. Use 0.2 as radius:

Image 24

Here you see this needs some adjustments. So, first, try moving it up a bit to see if this can fix it. If not, using PointsOn you will need to adjust the curve itself.

Image 25

For the purposes of this course, just moving this wire will do.

Introduction

Final rendered model

Ok, the above image shows what would your final model look like rendered.

So, how will we approach modeling this stool? You must be asking yourselves where should you start? Well, it doesn’t matter where you start. If you prefer tackling “harder” parts first, then it is your way of starting. However if you like to start with easier, more “solids” objects (like spheres, boxes, cylinders etc.) then you might want to start with the base and leg first. But I like to throw myself in a project head on first. So, I would go with the seat frame first then move to the wooden seat part, then go to the leg base, and then the leg.

So. lets start with the seat frame. How are we going to do that? Well, using Sweep1 command. For that we need one rail curve, and one section curve. What Sweep1 command does, it basically “drives” the section curve along the rail curve, and by that it makes a surface.

Lets start.

STEP 1

From your Right viewport, we will start creating straight lines. For that we will be using PolyLine command, and for extra help on creating we will turn on Snap and Ortho options from the Status bar of our Rhino window.

We need one PolyLine which will be made out of two lines:

Image 1

Ok, in the image above you can see our PolyLine. What I did is started from the Origin (the place where y-axis green line meets x-axis red line). So, we turned on the Snap option so we can easily snap to the origin. Starting our PolyLine from there, I then input in the command line the number which will be the length of the first part of our PolyLine. So, I typed in 2.7 and confirmed it with Enter key. After that you can see that your line in viewport is now exactly 2.7 units long, and you can set the direction in which it will go. Now, our Ortho option comes in handy because we want this line to be straight along x-axis. After you aimed it, just click so you confirm the other end of first part of PolyLine. Next, we need one line 3.5 units long, and going along y-axis. You need to do all this while still in PolyLine command.

Then, you will need a small line 0.8 units long and under certain angle of 60 degrees. We will start again our PolyLine (or in this case it is enough to use just Line) command and start our line from the origin, and inputting in commandline a number 0.8 and confirming it with enter key we will lock the line’s length, and after that you just input in the commandline <60 and confirm it with enter key. This way you will have locked both length and angle you need that line to be made.

Image 2

Ok, when you’ve done that, we now need to “smooth” the transitions between the line parts. We want them to be rounded under certain radius, and we will do that with Fillet command. So, go ahead and start the Fillet command, and use 0.5 units as radius. You need to click on the two ends of two matching lines. You should have something like on the image below:

Image 3

After filleting the corners, we need to Join all the curves into one open curve. Just selecting all (CTRL+A) and running Join command will do just that.

Now, we need the same set of curves on the other side, and the distance between those two will be 2.75 units. So, using Copy command we will copy that line exactly by 2.75 units to the right (working from Front viewport) by inputting the 2.75 and confirming it with enter key. That way we are locking the Copy distance on 2.75.

Image 4

Ok, now we need to use some OSnap. If you aren’t familiar with it, you should check out OSnap introduction. Using End OSnap option, we will snap to both ends of two curves and create a Line between them:

Image 5

Now we need to Fillet the corners between our newly created two lines and two curves. The radii are the same as before:

Image 6

Now, again, using Join command join all the cruves and lines into one closed curve. And there you go, we made one very nice and accurate rail which we will be using to create a seat frame in just few moments.

Before that we need to create a section curve.

We’ll do that with Rectangle command from Right viewport. Make sure once you start Rectangle command you click on the Rounded option in the command line. That way after creating the rectangle the command will ask us to input the corner radius for all four corners. So, for the first corner we will input 0.25 units, and for the other 0.1 units. For the corner radius we need to input 0.02. Then you should get something like on the image below:

Image 7

Ok, you noticed we created this Rectangle in god knows what position. No fear, we just need to move it  a bit with Move command. In this moving process, we will use OSnap option Mid as it will come in handy because we need to move that rectangle from its midpoint to the midpoint on the closed rail curve.

Image 8

Ok, now we have both our rail curve, and section curve. And now we can go ahead and create a surface out of the two. Using Sweep1 command we will do just that. For the Sweep1 option, leave it as it is:

Image 9

Great, we got our seat frame surface. Moving on to the seat surface. For that we also need a set of curves, as you already figured that out for yourselves, for each surface creation we need curves. But, in this case, we won’t be creating new set of curves, but rather using the existing ones.

Now would be a great idea to move this frame surface into another layer and hide that layer. Lets go create a new layer and name it “Seat Frame”. Now, select the frame surface, and right click on the “Seat Frame” layer, and select Change Object Layer. Now our surface is in this layer. We can easily lock or hide the layer by clicking on the little yellow bulb so it becomes blue (turned off).

Image 10

Image 11

INTRODUCTION

Ok, this tutorial is pretty simple modeling wise, and probably doesn’t bring you anything newer than the previous tutorials, but none the less it is a good practice. Again, in this tutorial we’re not designing but rather just sharpening our modeling skills in Rhino. And by wide range of different models to model through these tutorials, you just simply learn to model. So, lets begin with this one.

This is the model you will create:

Final

STEP 1

We will start out from Top viewport with couple of Circles. It is always good practice to start modeling your model from origin. Usually things are symmetric and this way you are able to control your model even more, not to mention model one half if the other is the same.

Go ahead, and create two Circles with Circle command using 12 units and 8.75 as radii.

img1

Then you need to move the smaller Circle up on the Z axis by 4 units. Do it either from Front or Right viewport.

img2

Now, you need to Copy that Circle and move it up by 44.5 units.

img3

Using ExtrudeCrv command, and with Cap option set to YES, you should extrude bottom (bigger) circle up by 4 units. To do that without measuring and typing in the command prompt the values, you could easily just use Object Snap (OSnap) with Near option turned on.

tap4

Do the same for the smaller circle. Using the bottom one extrude it, all the way up to the upper one.

img5

Now, with Point command, create a point from Front viewport with x,y as -18,31 (x=-18, y=31).

From that Point, working in Right viewport create another Circle with radius of 8.45. If you turn on the OSnap “Point” option you will snap with center on the point.

img6

Using that Circle, we will create another extrusion. Using ExtrudeCrv command again we will extrude that Circle by 18 units. Just to the y axis.

img7

Using BooleanUnion command, join the three surfaces to form one. Then with FilletEdge command, you will create filleted edge.

img8

Ok, before you go and create a FilletEdge with default 1 unit as radius, you just need to start the command and select the edge like on the image above. Now, click on the AddHandle option to add handles. We are not going to have the same radius. We are going to have 4 handles, where we already have one. So using Quad OSnap option (it would be good to turn off the others) we will add 3 more handles on quad sections. Then, clicking on the handles dots you can input the radius for each one. So, for the upper and lower we will set 0.5, and left and right 2 units.

img9

img10

Again, using FilletEdge fillet the edges like on the image below (use 0.2 as radius):

img11

Now we will create two more circles. You can use the existing one to Copy it and make two more instances 0.8 units and 10.3 units left of the original circle looking from the top viewport.

img12

Using the same original circle like on the image above, we will Offset it by 2 units inwards.

img13

We will extrude that offset circle by -3.8 (the minus sign means it will extrude to the left, rather than the default right – towards positive).

img14

Using BooleanUnion join that cylinder with the rest of the tap body. Now, using FilletEdge and 0.2 as fillet radius fillet the edges like on the image below:

img15

Using the two single circles we created earlier, make a solid with ExtrudeCrv command:

img16

Now, isolate the cylinder you just created and the circles on the edges of that cylinder. You can use Hide and UnHide commands, or just use Layers and put them in different layers. Either way you need to isolate your objects you’re working on.

img17

Using Offset command again, we will offset the Circle which is near the tap body. The right one looking from Front viewport. The offset distance will be 1.2 units towards inside.

img18

Using Split command we will split the cylinder object with inner circle. Then the surface which is left inside the circle needs to be moved by 2 units left looking from Front viewport.

img19

Now, using Loft command we will fill in the gap between the surfaces.

img20

Join all surfaces and using FilletEdge with 0.2 as radius fillet these edges:

img21

When you unhide everything, you should have something like this:

img22

Now, we will edit a little this cylinder we worked on. Using MoveFace we will move left face of it like on the image below. The distance is not very important:

img23

If you done all the measurements like I stated, then you should make a Point next. From any viewport this time, because we will define all three axis values. So, go make a Point with -26.35,0,74 (x,y,z).

After you’ve done the point, copy it using Copy command and move it down by 31.5 units:

img24

Next we need another Circle. This time with a radius of 1.7 units, and a center in the lower point. You can easily do that by starting the Circle command then snapping to the point (use OSnap Point option) and clicking to set the center of the circle, then move to Top viewport (make it active) and input 1.7 units as radius.

img25

Do the same for the upper Point, but create a circle there with radius of 2 units.

img26

INTRODUCTION

I really liked modeling this model, it turned out really good, and I must say that it was pretty easy to model it too. However, there is fairly enough playing with Osnap, but then again, when do we not use Osnap frequently? Anyway, to get you started, you first need to download some kind of blueprints I made for you out of this model. You just gotta love that Make2D command!!!

Blueprints reference

STEP 1

First things first, we need to setup our blueprints. Not only import them into Rhino, but also position and scale to fit the dimensions marked on them. First, go to Front viewport. You can expand it by double clicking it. Next, using PictureFrame command browse for blueprints you previously saved to your computer. Now, you don’t need to worry about how to position or how big you should make it. We will fix that in a bit, but just make sure your blueprints are not tilted. For that you can use Snap, or even better Ortho.

PictureFrame

Move from blade tip

Scaled blueprints to fit the line length

Another line

pic

INTRODUCTION

Ok, this is another tutorial on modeling some ID product. I’ve tried to simplify this to the bare bone, and I hope I managed to do it. Actually, this is a method you could use on various other projects too. This is what it all comes down to, all you need is create a set of base curves right, after that it is all just music to the ears.

STEP 1 – creating the curves

In the images in this tutorial, you will notice I have 20×20 grid system. You can take a look at my previous tutorial on setting up and prettifying user experience by changing grid and other settings. That will give you an idea how to change your grid system. Basically it is just grid option Extents that is set to 10.

To start off, we will need 4 points. We will use those 4 points for creating a curve. So, go ahead and maximize your Front viewport and create 4 points with x and y coordinates as set: x=-17, y=1 / x=-5, y=-1 / x=9, y=-2 / x=22, y=-1.

create 4 points

Using Curve command, create a curve between those 4 points. To make it easier to snap to the points, just use Osnap option Point. Next, create a line horizontal with start at -17,2 and end at 22,2. We’ll need one more line with start at 7,3 and ending at 8,4. You can create them with Line command or just PolyLine.

two more lines

Next we will create one polyline and one line from Right viewport. Use PolyLine command and for 4 points of polyline use: -4,-5 / -2,-10 / 2,-10 / 4,-5. For the line use PolyLine or Line command and for the start and end use: -5,-8 / 5,-8.

creating some more lines

Using Trim command, just trim off polyline and line, leaving everything above the line. Once you do that, using PointsOn command, you simply show control points of two tilted lines and move the upper control points up by 1 unit.

trim and move control points

In perspective viewport Move (or Copy) that polyline from Mid of the middle (straight) line, and move it to the end point of the first curve we created (22,-1).

moving polyline

Go to Top viewport, and from there create a curve with Curve command (-4,10 / -10,0 / -4,-10).Note, it would be smart to disable Osnap for a second when you are creating this curve. You might get in trouble at middle point if you have some Osnap options on, so to avoid any possible problem, just disable osnap for this step.

just another curve

Move that curve 6 units left. So it just touches the grid. From front viewport move it up by couple of units i.e. 5. Using Rotate command and clicking on the Copy option in command line we will create one more instance of the curve but rotated by 90 degrees. Then, if you haven’t already, enable Osnap, and using Mid option move that curve to the first point of our first curve (-17,1). Use Osnap option Point to snap to that point. Otherwise if you want to input the coordinates, you would have to do it from the same viewport where you created that point, so from Front viewport.

Rotate & copy, move

Ok, this step might get a little confusing, so pay attention. We need to set that curve to face the curve perpendicular. Check the image to see what curves I’m talking about:

what to do

Now, we need to rotate vertical curve so it is perpendicular to the bottom curve. We’ll do that by first creating a line that is perpendicular to the curve below. So, start your beloved PolyLine command, and hover your mouse over the Osnap options, and while holding down CTRL key, you will reveal some more Osnap options. Click on the second one, PerpFrom. Now, you are asked to select the curve on which you would like to show the tracking, so select the lower curve. Now, you can move the tracker where you want to start your line from, and move it all the way to the left (Point Osnap option might help, or end).

PerpFrom osnap option

Now, we created a line that we will use for a rotation angle.

line

Now, just rotate from Front viewport the curve to fit the line angle.

rotation

Now, repeat this step for the other end of the curve and other section polyline:

repeat for this side as well

Introduction

So like I said, in this tutorial you will learn how to model a light bulb in Rhino. The first “glass” part will be just a bit tricky because we need to control the curves little bit more than usual. After that we will make bulb screw threads, where the method is similar if not the same as the one explained on Rhino tips website. If only I known for it when I made this tutorial heh. Anyway, this one is pretty easy, but needs some special attention in some parts.

If you like, you can download source 3dm files step by step just to keep on the track.

source 3dm files step by step

This is what you will have in the end:

final model

STEP 1

First we will start from top to bottom. So we’re making the lighting spiral. Start with creating Circle from top view of radius 5cm. And create two small circles of radius 1cm. You can use Snap to make them really easy:

image 1

Next, we need a Spiral. Using Spiral command make one starting from origin. Once you start the Spiral command just input 0 (zero) and press enter, now from Front viewport make it high 5cm. And for the radius use your already made circle that is 5cm in radius. Move that spiral 3cm up from front viewport and you should get something like on the image 2 and image 3.

image 2

image 3

Now we need a little help line. You can make one starting from center of the right smaller circle. It should be straight vertical line, so you can finish it either from front or right viewport:

image 4

Now, using BlendCrv blend the lower end of spiral to the little help line with G1 continuity on both sides:

image 5

Using Copy command, copy the spiral and blended curve. While in the Copy command in the command line click on InPlace option. Or simply use Copy & Paste commands (ctrl+c, ctrl+v). While having selected two copied curves, Rotate them from top viewport by 180 degrees. Check if you have something like on the image 6:

image 6

Now, with create a Point from right viewport (or front would work fine too) exactly 9cm from origin:

image 7

Now, start Extend command, and press enter for dynamic extend. Enable OSnap and check Point option, and click on each upper end of spiral and extend it to the point.

image 8

Now the endings of two spirals are not tangent. So with Match command we will match those two curves. Make sure both ends are set to Tangency and Average Curves is checked:

image 9

Now select all 4 parts of 2 spirals and join them together. Now, using Pipe command we will make a surface out of this curve. For the starting and ending radius you can use two small circles as reference. Near OSnap option is a good way for this. Ofcourse, you could use sweep1 or even sweep2 commands.

image 10

Now the big circle will be used to create the body of our bulb. Select it and run ExtrudeCrv command. Make sure the Cap is set to Yes and BothSides to No. We will extrude it down by 8cm, so you can either use snap and count for yourself, or simply input in the command line -8 and press enter.

image 11

Using FilletEdge command fillet the upper edge of the cilinder by 0.5cm.

image 12

Using one of two smaller circles offset one by 0.3cm. And move it up vertically by 0.6cm.

image 13

Using Rib command and the body of the bulb create a surface like on the image 14. Rib distance is 0.2:

image 14 - mirrored curve for rib

Now for the ribs, we can make them look even prettier by filleting edges. So with FilletEdge command fillet those three edges for each rib with 0.05cm as radius:

image 15 - filleting

Now lets get back to the lower part of the bulb body. Like we filleted upper edge, we will chamfer the lower one with ChamferEdge command using 2cm as CurrentChamferDistance option.

image 16 - chamferedge

Now, we will FilletEdge the middle edge with 0.5cm as fillet radius.

image 17 - filletedge radius 0.5cm

Using ExtractSrf command we will extract the bottom cap surface:

image 18 - omg, we're using ExtractSrf for the first time

When you extract this surface, you can delete it. And using the edge where this surface was extrude it by 1cm down. So just input in command line when extruding -0.5. Make sure the Cap option is set to No.

image 19

Now, you can create PlanarSrf to “cap” it on one side: (you could also join all the upper surfaces of this bulb body and simply use Cap command to close it)

image 20

Lets do some details on the body. From front viewport create one line and offset it down by 0.3cm… Like on the image 21

image 21

With Trim command trim the body surface between two lines:

image 22

Using Offset command, offset the two edges inwards by 0.2cm. The easiest way is to first have everything deselected and run the command offset, then click on one edge from perspective view, and then from top viewport simply move your mouse pointer inside the cilinder and in command line type in 0.2 and press enter. Do the same for the other edge and you are set to go.

Then, using Loft command click on the lower edge first, then two offset circles inside, and then the upper edge, and with style set to Straight sections create loft:

image 23

Now, join those surface, and make it prettier with FilletEdge using 0.05cm as radius.

image 24 - smooth edges with FilletEdge

You can download this tutorial in PDF format here.

Organic Modeling for Jewelry Design with T-Splines and Rhino® 4

Designing an Earring

Juan Santocono

Industrial Design

Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentine

Matt Sederberg

T-Splines, Inc.

© Copyright 2008 T-Splines, Inc.

Designing freeform objects can be difficult when working with traditional CAD software. T-Splines and Rhino 4 offer an easy way to create smooth, gap-free freeform models for jewelry design.

The best way to read this tutorial about how to model a earring using T-Splines is by look­ing at the 3D model at the same time. You can follow the model’s progress by selecting the differents layers in the file. T-Splines for Rhino must also be installed on your computer. Both T-Splines for Rhino and the earring model can be downloaded at www.tsplines.com.

In this tutorial, anything in Blue is a Rhino command, while anything in Red is a T-Splines command. Type these commands in the command line of Rhino to run them.

STEP 1 – MESH

Creating the base mesh
To get the general shape of the ear­ring we will start by creating a Mesh­torus, with VerticalFaces=8 and AroundFaces=16.

STEP 2 – T-SPLINE SURFACE

Converting the mesh
Once we have the mesh torus we just need to convert it to a T-Spline surface.

Use tsConvert and select the mesh to perform the conversion. Now we have a T-Spline torus with the same control points as the mesh torus.

STEP 3 – T-SPLINE MODIFICATION

Extruding faces
The earring design is a sun, so we need to create the sun rays. We will include some long rays and some short rays.

We will create the long rays first. To make these, we will extrude some faces with tsExtrude.

1-Extrude selected faces (yellow) as shown.

2-In order to get flat rows of control points for the next extrusions, we need to flatten selected points. Use tsScriptFlattenPoints. Do this with each of the 4 ray tips separately.

3-Extrude the flattened faces again (tsExtrude).

4-Extrude them again.

5-Extrude them twice more (a total of four extru­sions). This will give us sufficient control points to add details to the rays.

STEP 4 – T-SPLINES ADJUSTMENTS

1-Draw the base and target curves for both sides of the sun rays.

2-Use FlowAlongCurve on all the left-side control points.

3-Use FlowAlongCurve on all the right-side control points.

STEP 5 – T-SPLINES ADJUSTMENTS

Modifying front profile
To modify the front profile we are going to do something similar to the previous step, but (for the sake of introducing an alternative workflow) instead of using the flow command we are going to do it manually. Draw some reference curves to provide us with a reference on how we will to transform the surface.

1-Once we have the reference curves, just select the lower row of control points (shown) and use tsManip (scale and move) to match the surface profile to the curves.

2-Repeat this process with the four rows of control points. This manual method can give us a decently accu­rate surface.

3-Now we have the shape that we want on one sun ray.

STEP 6 – T-SPLINES ADJUSTMENTS

Modifying details
Now we need to do some further adjustments to get the desired design. First, use tsManip to scale (+Y) all the center ray control points, this is to give a concave curvature to the sun rays.

Remember to select all the center points of the four rows on each side.

Second, using again de tsManip scale this four tip point, this will give us a more smooth tip.

1-Scale center control points +Y.

2-Scale tip control points -X.

STEP 7 – T-SPLINE ADJUSTMENTS

Copying the rays
We have completed the shape of one sun ray, now we need to shape the others. The design intent is that all four rays should have the same form, so we need to copy our first sun ray shape to the other three rays. Doing this manually would be slow and imperfect. For this rea­son we will use a method that assures us of the exact same shape on all the rays.

1-Select all control points of the shaped ray.

2-Use ExtractPt to make a point from each con­trol point.

3-Draw a Polyline, snapping to each row of po­ints. This represents the control polygon of the ray surface. Connecting the points is not strictly necessary, but is useful to give a visual unders­tanding of the control polygon.

4-Groups of control points from the shaped ray.
5-Copy these control polygons to each ray. Use Rotate (copy on).

6-Now, using snap (points and ends) move each T-Spline control point on each ray to its corresponding control polygon point from the shaped ray.

7-Repeat this with each ray until all four are shaped.

This method of copying shapes by snapping to copied control points might seem a little tricky at first sight, but with re­latively simple T-Splines shapes it is really fast and insures a symmetric shape.

STEP 8 – T-SPLINE MODIFICATION

Extruding small rays
Now we are going to create the shorter rays. For this we will extrude some faces with the tsExtrude command.

All of the modeling steps used to create the shorter rays are similar to those used for the lon­ger rays. Just follow the same workflow.

1-tsExtrude selected faces.

2-Flatten each face’s control po­ints (tsScriptFlattenPoints).

3-tsExtrude the flattened faces.

4-tsExtrude again and again. Four times total, just like the longer rays

STEP 9 – T-SPLINES ADJUSTMENTS

Copying smaller ray shape
Here we are going to use the same method we used on the longer rays, but we’ll save time by just copying and scaling the control polygons used for the longer rays and reusing them for the smaller rays. Just copy the control polygons of the longer rays, rotate them by 45 degrees, and scale them to be smaller. This will allow all rays, both long and short, to have the same shape.

STEP 10 – T-SPLINES ADJUSTMENTS

Modifying the center ring
To get the correct design we need to do some adjustments on the center hole. The intention is to have a bigger hole and a sharper edge on the transition betwen the sun body and the sun rays.

1-Select the control points shown and using scale2D, scale them outwards to give the hole a wider diameter and smooth the inner torus curvature. (The origin of the 2D scale is the center (0,0,0).)

2-Select the control points shown and using scale2D, scale them outwards to create a shar­per edge between the sun body and the sun rays.

STEP 11 – T-SPLINE ADJUSTMENTS

Adding control points
We need to add some more control points using tsInsertPoint for the next step. Adding a con­trol point near a star point (shown) will yield a small explosion of new control points to keep the surface unchanged; this influx of control points is desired in this case.

One more tweak before the next step: we’ll adjust the sun rays pro­portions. Just select the last 3 rows of the big rays and scale2D throught the center:

STEP 12

Creating a crease
Until now we have created a perfectly smooth T-Spline surface, but the design intention is to have a sharp edge on the inner part of the rays. Use tsCrease and select the first segments of each ray (both sides). The crease influence will extend across two isoparms.

STEP 12

Creating the body details
Basically, what we are going to do on this step is generating some strips that will decorate the body.

1-tsExtrude these front faces as shown.

2-Once they are extru­ded, we need to change the angle of the control points on these faces. A good way to do this on all faces at once is to scale2D on the selected points shown.

3-Now that we corrected the faces, it’s time for another tsExtrude.

4-Keep the extruded points selected and use the tsManip to move +Y to get a con­vex body.

5-Now it is time for one last tsExtrude.

6-We need to scale2D these control points that were extruded last, this will give us smaller and closer tips. The center of the scale should be on the center of the earring in order to modify it symmetrically.

7-Now, we want the strips to be deformed in a spiral. To make the deformation more accu­rate, we first need to add more control points. To do this, just use tsInsertPoint near the star point shown. This will generate the needed geometry for the deformation.

8-To make the spiral deformation we will use Maelstrom, one of the UDT tools. First, select all the control points that comprise the sun body strips. Be careful to not select other points.

Second, use the maelstrom tool, where the center is the middle of the earring and the first and second radius are just those necesary for rotating the control points.

The T-Spline surface is done! Now we only need to add the remaining details.

STEP 14 – OTHER PARTS

Creating the center part
For the center piece we will just create the profile of a shape and then use Revolve to gener­ate the geometry. You can use ExtractIsoCurve on the T-Spline surface to extract the curves that will be used for the center piece profile to get a perfect match between the parts.

Creating the hook
This is simple, draw the curve and use Pipe to generate the piece.

Union part
Draw the curve and use Pipe to generate the piece. Then just use BooleanDifference (Delete input=No) with the T-Splines surface.

Move the parts to fit each other.

The result is a perfectly smooth, highly detailed 3D model of an earring ready to be manufac­tured.

Good luck in your modeling!

Write to my e-mail below with any questions.

Juan Santocono,

Industrial Design

jsantocono@fibertel.com.ar

A free trial of T-Splines for Rhino may be downloaded at www.tsplines.com