Filmaker-2D Ships Paper Plans to 3D-Help RQ

[coralsea]

Complete newbie to CAD with AutoCAD 2005.
The task is to take 2D paper Plans of a ship and make a 3D object (wire frame is OK), that the camera can move into (external) sections of the ship featured in the documentary. Any advice on 'how to' and/or Tutorials would be most appreciated. Thank you - Tom

 

[CADSTUDENT]

The way to convert 2D into 3D is using the Extrude Command. This will convert on the Z axis. There is a path option in Extrude to generate an image among a specific path. Hope this helps.

John

 

[cadshite]

I would start by using 'surfaces' rather than 'solids' - solids are easier to modify, but are more restrictive in the finer 3D models as they do not allow for complex 3D shapes/curves. But for simple objects you can mix both (render will do so on both types for fly-thrus), some people will say its best not to but providing you know the pros and cons of each method it does work. So for uniform objects, like a funnel use extrude on two circles then subtract the inner from the outer - but for propellor (is that how its spelt?!) blades/ships bow, 'surfaces' can generate the right complexity, given you have all the dims. You would need 4 lines/arcs touching each other's end points to use 'edgesurf' command on 4 seperate lines/arcs - it must be 4 but you can use a polyline with several diff vertexs. It sounds like a difficult 3D model to create using Acad but it can be done!

 

[borgunit]

http://www.cadtutor.net/acad/index.html

http://www.intelligentedu.com/newly_researched_free_training/AutoCAD.html

Good luck and may the force be with you.

"Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects." — Will Rogers

 

[coralsea]

Thanks all for your kind advice. The project continues...
Best Regards
Tom

 

[Dringo]

I am assuming since its a ship the hull is sweeping and not a linear object. Doing this in autocad might be a bear, but not impossible. One thing though about the camera is using the create slide and view slide. Pretty neat and simple that can give you the "movie" type of motion

Alex

 

[hendie]

For the amount of time that will be spent on this project in Autocad, I would seriously consider buying a copy of 3D Studio VIZ.
I reckon you would recoup the money you spent on Viz on this project alone, plus Viz allows you to take the Acad model into Viz directly for editing, and you have the ability to output avi's etc which is an option you do not have in Acad.
I used it for a very similar job but designing trains instead of ships

http://www.resourcecad.com

~ for your CAD solutions

 

[coralsea]

Thanks hendie, and others for your kind advice. Yes I think probably making the project in Maya or a similar Graphic 3D Modeling software package may be the easiest way. ~tom

 

[borgunit]

here's a neat little article that you could email the author from and maybe get some tips..

http://www.multi-cad.com/multicad/articles/0203/endeavour1.htm

"Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects." — Will Rogers