Advantages for using surface instead of solid?

[PatCouture]

I don't use AutoCAD on a regular basis, and the few times that I use it I don't do 3D work. I used to do some of it on AutoCAD 2000 back at school but that's about it. Now my question is this.

What is the advantages of working with surfaces instead of solid to create a 3D model. Is it a time saver? or "weight" saver?

I'm asking this because I don't understand why someone would work that way, and I'm curious to see if I'm missing something.

On two different projects I received AutoCAD drawing from two different customers that were built using surface and I haven't been able to do anything with it. I can't use the command to create the 2D views and I can't export it to another software. So what's the use of it? I don't understand.

I hope there are some AutoCAD gurus that will be able to give me some insight on this.

Thanks in advance

Patrick

 

[ctopher]

Surfaces are created easily for complex shapes. Also for filling gaps between solids. SolidWorks and CATIA are great for surfacing aircraft wings or car bodies.
I suggest taking a class in 3D modeling.

Look up surface in ACAD help.
I do not use surfacing in ACAD, only in SolidWorks.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

 

[PatCouture]

I understand very well, that for aircraft wings or car bodies that's the best way to go but why with AutoCAD?
Unless it's because the drawings were converted to AutoCAD from SolidWorks or anything like that I would understand, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Why would someone design a walkway with AutoCAD using surface? I don't get it! Is it because it's faster to draw a 3D object that way? and then what can you do with it?

Thanks

 

[ctopher]

IMHO, I don't know why anyone would design anything in 3D with ACAD. Waste of time. I use ACAD, but never for 3D.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

 

[MikeHalloran]

As AutoCAD evolved, surfaces were implemented first; solids came along in later versions. For reasons of "compatibility", both functions remain, but they are almost entirely disjoint. Neither is as completely functional as one might reasonably expect from a professional level tool.

In my experience, the only defensible reason for actually generating 3D surfaces in AutoCAD is so that you can import them into Rhinoceros for manipulations like trimming and blank development. That's not really defensible either; it's usually faster to just generate the surfaces in Rhino.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[chicopee]

You can create an object to appear as a 3D solid a lot quicker using revolved surfaces than trying to create that same object with solid commands and I would like to believe using a lot less memory.