Rhino v. Surfaceworks/Solidworks

[Chris Ostlind]

Chuckle

Pardon me, Caldera, if I have a good irony chuckle on your behalf.

$5600 for the package in your computer and your end of letter signature says, "In it for the love of boats, not the $$"

Bubba, somewhere along the road to riches you've lost yourself in the big hustle. By the way, Does your SolidWorks package have an integrated hydrostatic analysis package, or are you going to also pop for the Aerohydro thump-down and another 5 large to get that?

When you combine this discussion with the one from a month or so back about the lack of integrity for swiping other people's hulls, one begins to get a very interesting picture of your person.

And aren't you the guy who was ranking on the plan sets as supplied from other designers?

I gotta tell you, I'm really looking forward to eyeballing a few of your original designs. Please give us about ten minutes of your time and knock one out, will you? That was the suggested time frame wasn't it?

No, really, I'd love to see some of your work with that fancy stuff you have in the shop. Could you share a few drawings with us, an IGES file so we can see the quality for ourselves in our cheapo Rhino packages? It's time to show the goods, Bro.

There's no argument that SolidWorks is fine software for CAD work. Whether it's really fine software for boat design is another issue, though. And the price to get involved is only deductable from your tax filings if you first pay for it.

When SolidWorks has an installed base of working seats that meet or exceed those of Rhino in NA applications, drop me another line and we can talk, so to speak.

Chris

 

[J.Rhodes]

This is kind of a random question, but on the same topics:
After I import my surfacworks surfaces in solidworks, I will try to fillet some of the edges. The program will not let me do this. Is it possible to fillet the surfaces, and if so, what do I do?
I am still fairly new to the surfaceworks/solidworks marriage, so any advice would be helpful.
Thanks again,
J. Rhodes

 

[Tim B]

This is an interesting argument, which I have been following for some time. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing I have found against Rhino is that it doesn't run under Linux*. Hey, big problem, but few other CAD packages run under Linux either. I have tended to find more recently that the "Object-Oriented", "Modern" interface with "The Latest and Greatest" CAD systems tend to mean one thing. I can't draw a surface in it, and I can't sketch something in it quickly.

AutoCAD 2000 (and later) are good examples of this... "Paper-space". I'm sorry, but I didn't care what it did on paper, my first job was to draw it. nice and simple. I can scale it and fit it to the paper dimensions later.

This is just one example of over-complication in the modern CAD world. What we all need is a package which gives good control over accurate surfaces and lets you draw interiors and the like with the minimum of fuss.

For me, this is Rhino v3. I will not argue if others express a preference for another package, and I will not expect them to argue with me for expressing my preference. As far as I'm concerned, Rhino 3 is (pound for pound) one of the best peices of CAD software I have ever used.

Tim Brocklehurst

Tim Brocklehurst Marine Design.

* Rhino versions 1+2 run very well under emulation, version 3 and 4 have/will have licence manager issues.

 

[CGN]

Hi Rhodes,

What surfaces are you trying to fillet?, side with deck? or trying to fillet a chine to make it a round bilge?, it can be many things, you may need to "knit" the surfaces together and then fillet, maybe the fillet that you are trying to do is not "realistic" (possible), depending on the geometry the fillet is "having problems" solving for a corner or for the ends, or mismatch of surfaces degree.

can you post a pic to have a look this will give better idea

Good Luck

 

[spank]

Jesse,
You might want to check out VX. It's a very powerful hybrid modeller that I picked up last year. I model hulls in Multisurf and them import into VX. From there I can fix any weird surface issues and build structural/interior components. It has far more powerful surfacing than Solidworks does, and you can fillet a surface to a solid and vice versa, which is very tricky with solidworks. I used to spend days just trying to turn a hull into a solid with solidworks...I have not had this problem with VX. I know Goetz is using VX. Not sure what other marine people are using it. While I like parametric modelling...vx, solidworks, catia etc. they can turn into a nightmare if you're not careful with how you build your model. One slip and you can have all sorts of annoying errors....whereas a program like Rhino is kind of nice because when you trim or erase something....that's all. Whatever you erase is erased and nothing else is linked to it. This affords you with freedom that can be difficult to get with a parametric modeller if you are sloppy with how you build your model

 

[spank]

Jesse,
Just reread your last post there. Do you have surfaceworks integrated with solidworks, or are you using the two separately? I know you can't fillet two surfaces with solidworks...you would want to thicken them, join them, then fillet them. It still might not work of the edge joining the two surfaces is too complicated.

 

[Caldera Boats]

Pardon me, Caldera, if I have a good irony chuckle on your behalf.

Just to humor you a little more...

I do non boat related drafting and design for my bread and butter. I have yet to make ANY profit designing or drafting boats. For me, boat design is not nearly as profitable as the aerospace fields, so it's just an expensive hobby.

 

[CGN]

Yes is possible to fillet the surfaces in solidworks, just use the "knit" command and use the fillet command. I should say that VX is oriented to hybrid modeling, so it's features in regard of surfacing are for sure better than solidworks, but if i have to pick one i'll go with Think3....and goes on and on and on and on..... : )

 

[J.Rhodes]

Thanks, guys.
I am using surface and solid works seperately -- not as the package. I have tried the knit function, but I will try it again and dig a little deeper. Also, I will try to thicken the surfaces and go from there.
I love surfaceworks, but Rhino seems like a good overall package - especially with their add in marine module and their prices.
The tough call is though - will Rhino's marine module be as developed as surfaceworks/multisurf?

 

[Raggi_Thor]

The tough call is though - will Rhino's marine module be as developed as surfaceworks/multisurf?

I think so.Rhino is quite "mature" and developed. It doesn't get a new version every year, but maybe every third year or so.

 

[Rick Loheed]

Rhino

Why don't you download the free trail of Rhino from rhino3D.com, they are very generous with it allowing up to 25 saves. I use Rhino and SolidWorks mostly, and have written my own CNC G-code processor that runs in Rhino. Scripting is very nice, and they have an SDK for C++ if you are so inclined.

 

[DVO]

So, I'd say different school rather than old school and at this point in my career, Rhino is a real opportunity to have powerful modeling tools for what ends-up being very reasonable prices. I don't do boats over 25' right now and the really high horsepower packages are just not justified from my perspective.

Chris Ostlind

... and anyway, Rhino does not limit you to 25' creations.
(though special marine features of Rhino were not used here).

For instance, a 1035' liner, designed 2 years ago:

or a 262' motoryacht, designed 4 years ago:

Note the above renderings were obtained with the basic renderer included in Rhino 2.

More renderings at http://www.dvomarinedesign.com

Dominique Vaccaro.

 

[J.Rhodes]

Man, that is impressive. Thanks for the posts.
Jesse

 

[Tim B]

I assume that the above boats all float on their marks and upright?

Not to cast aspertion on good work, but it's very easy to draw pictures and not design boats.

In short, if it doesnt float it doesn't sell. Work out how you'll set the system up, then test it to make sure it looks sensible.

Tim B.

 

[MikeJohns]

We have Solidworks(2001) ,Rhino and Autocad.
Any Marine design is done in Rhino Autocad gets used for dimensioning detailing and printing which Rhino is poor at. Solidworks sits unused.. no where near as intuitive as Rhino.

I even draw basic 2d in Rhino in Preference to Autocad but can drive them both.