TurboCAD 3D Modeler Readme
February 1998


Installation

Typical installations are the norm for most applications but a 
Custom installation is recommended allowing you to deselect any 
files not required.


Recommended System Requirements

Pentium 133
64 MB of Ram
1024 X 768 Display

Hard Disk Space:
38 MB Compact installation
49 MB Typical installation
Up to 72 MB Custom installation


Printing

Use the Export View function which will prompt you to save it 
as a *.DWG format file.  Then open that file up in
any application that can read *.DWG files, such as TurboCAD
Professional Version 4.0 or higher and print from there.


Technical Support

Qualified technical and installation support for TurboCAD 3D 
Modeler is available via email at
modelersupport@imsisupport.com
or by phone 
(505) 232-3200 Fax (505) 232-8559.

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Tips and Tricks


General

To optimize speed within TurboCAD 3D Modeler, locate the 
Modeler.ini file located in the Modeler directory. Change the 
setting Optimize History for Speed = 0 to a value of 1.


Open

Open can only be used to open .ccd files.  To open other file 
formats, use the File Import command.


Create Template

Try to give your templates names that are self-explanatory.  This 
helps to avoid errors caused by having templates with similar 
names but quite different variables.


Export

Export is used only for exporting into 3D, view independent file 
formats.  To export into 2D Bitmap and Vector formats use the 
"Export View" command from the view control of the frame from 
which you wish to export.


Send

The Send function uses the current electronic mail settings and 
is functional with most email packages. Check with your MIS for 
configuration.


Recent File Listing

This is a listing of the last four models worked on. 


Undo List

The undo list contains the last fifteen actions. 


Duplicate

The settings for the offset between the original and the 
duplicate can be controlled in the General tab of the Tools, 
Options dialog 
box.


Part Array

To create a Circular Array, select the Spiral Array tool and use 
an offset of 0. If the part is not to be rotated, deselect Rotate 
object button, click on the screen for the first point or enter 
X, Y, Z values in the Insert Point portion of the Property Bar, 
then the Axis type may be selected. Click Finish to view the 
result.

To Create a Linear or 2 Directional Array, select the 3 
Directional Array tool and specify 1 copy in one or 2 of the
directions, as appropriate.  Points will still have to be placed
to define the second and third directions but these points can be
placed arbitrarily.

In order to keep an uncluttered look to your model, hide the 
original part's working plane before arraying.


Group Sub Assembly

Once parts are grouped they cannot be moved relative to one 
another without first ungrouping them.


Extrude Normal

Drawing your profile and then performing the extrusion is 
preferable to using the Extrude Normal Wizard when creating
a complex profile.  Once the profile is the exact shape and
dimension desired select the Extrude Normal tool to create
the 3D object.  This ensures the accuracy of the profile and
allows you to save the work at any time during the drawing
session.  When attempting to create thin walled features with
same Taper angles, draw the object in two steps: Boss followed
by Cutout. This ensures that the Taper angles are symmetrical.

Creating a thin walled feature (drawing circle within circle) 
will result in a feature whose outside and inside walls taper 
in opposite directions. This is the desired result as 3D 
Modeler is expecting a mold to be created with this operation.


Circular Extrude

Drawing your profile and then performing the extrusion is 
preferable to using the Circular Extrude Wizard when creating
a complex profile. Once the profile is the exact shape and
dimension desired then select the Circular Extrude tool to
create the 3D object.  This ensures the accuracy of the profile
and allows you to save the work at any time during the drawing
session.

Take advantage of Profile mode to place the axis of rotation.  
The Axis is a profile object and can be constrained or placed 
at an exact distance from your object through dimensions. It 
can also be positioned in the Profile mode by using the Node 
edit tool.

A profile containing a continuous curve cannot be extruded if the 
curve touches the axis of rotation.  If this is a problem move 
the curve off the axis and approximate the end section with line 
segments.

A profile containing a continuous curve where the endpoint of 
curve intersects a pole of the axis of rotation must be swept 
only using the Discrete setting.


Extrude Along Path

Paths can be created with the object creation tools or an 
existing path can be specified.  When extruding circles, if the 
circular aspect is to be conserved at the opposite end of the 
feature, constrain the path to be tangent to the Path Working 
Plane, as the default is perpendicular to the path that could 
result in an elliptical end feature.


Loft

To avoid skewed or twisted Lofts/Skins use the snaps provided to 
accurately place the rail on each profile. That is, if you are 
attempting to loft multiple circles into a tube-like shape use 
the Quadrant snap and snap the rail to a common quadrant on all 
circles. This will help to reduce some of the twisting that may 
occur.


Chamfer Edge

It is not possible to chamfer between two faces when one of them 
is a spline surface.  This most often occurs in the case of an 
extruded ellipse.  An effect similar to a chamfer can often be 
achieved by extruding a square as a cutout along the edge where 
the chamfer effect is desired.


Blend Edge

Most blends can be satisfied by the simple Blend edge tool. 
Blending should be one of the last operation performed on a model 
much like a finishing touch.


Move Face

Move Face can be used to modify the height/width of your extruded 
object.


Auto Constraints

When creating complex profiles where dimensions and constraints 
are to be added, the Autoconstraint toggle in the profile menu 
should be turned off. It can cause your own dimensions to become 
annotations caused by over-constraining.


Arc:  Center Start End

The arc that is drawn is dependent on the order that the end 
points are specified.

To switch the center of the arc to the other side of the line 
segment draw the two end points in the opposite order.


Profiles

Profiles with disjoint features (open profiles) are not valid. 
They cannot be used to either define a path or be extruded 
themselves.  To draw disjoint construction lines, use separate 
profiles.


Polygon:  Center and Vertex, Center and Side 

When creating these types of Polygon the center point is used for 
creation purposes only. After the polygon is created the center 
point is no longer accessible through snaps or constraints.


Ellipse

Once an ellipse is drawn, its size and shape cannot be altered 
through node editing.  To change to size of an ellipse once it is 
drawn, dimension its major and minor radii and change them by 
editing the dimensions while still in Profile mode.


Constraints:  Perpendicular

Perpendicular constraints cannot be applied between arcs and line 
segments.  To make an arc meet a line segment at a perpendicular, 
draw a line segment perpendicular to the desired line segment and 
apply a tangent constraint between this construction line and the 
arc.  Apply a coincident constraint between the arc and the 
endpoint of the first line segment. Once the arc is positioned, 
the construction line can be deleted.


Fillet/Chamfer

3D Modeler does not allow the fillet radius to be so great that 
either of the edges being filleted is completely removed.  If 
this is the desired result, delete the edge, draw a circular arc 
in the desired area and apply a tangent constraint between the 
arc and the remaining edge.


Interactive Rendering

Sometimes when changes are made while interactive rendering is on 
the changes are not reflected immediately.  Turning interactive 
rendering off and then on again will update the display.


Render

Rendering can be a time consuming process.  If rendering is 
taking too long, hitting escape will abort the render and make 
it possible to change the render settings before trying again.

In order to save time, render in a low quality mode unless a high 
quality image is required. If materials are required you must 
select at least Preview quality.


RayTrace Preview or Full

Ray Trace options have been set to default of 1 for speed. For 
maximum results, reset the Maximum Number of bounces to 8.


Measure: Engineering Properties

The Engineering Properties are approximated.  The accuracy as a 
fraction of total value can be controlled on the General Tab of 
the Tools, Options dialog box.

The Principal axes of inertia in unit vector form describe the 
orientation of the axes about which the moments are calculated.

The Moments of inertia of body gives a value times a variable for 
mass, multiply the provided value by the mass of your part to 
determine it's Mass Moment of Inertia.


Toolbars

In low-resolution modes (not recommended), some toolbars do not 
fit on the screen.  If this causes a problem, undock the toolbar 
and resize it to make it appear on multiple lines.


New Working Plane: By 3 Points

To define a 3 Point working plane along edges instead of at 
vertices you must first select the Working Plane along a path and 
select the first edge. Define the WP position along the edge.  
Repeat this for the other 2 edges. Select Working Plane by 3 
points. Select the centers of the Working planes that were 
created along the edges to get the desired result.


Performance - Error Checking

Increasing the performance of TurboCAD 3D Modeler.

The user may want to decrease the amount of error checking. This 
is achieved by editing the Modeler.ini file. This file is located 
in the Modeler directory.  Open the Modeler.ini file and search 
for "error". This will bring you to "Threshold face count for 
disabling error checks = 25" (Default is 25).  Set the default to 
zero. 


Increasing the amount of error checking in TurboCAD 3D Modeler.

The user may edit the Modeler.ini file. This file is located in 
the Modeler directory. Open the Modeler.ini file and search for 
"error". This will bring you to "Threshold face count for 
disabling error checks = 25"(Default is 25).  Set the default to 
1000. This will provide error checking for up to 1000 faces.

*Note: Error checking will decrease the application speed.

