Utilizing the NURBS modeler Rhino® for economical and intuitive 3D product development

Many manufacturing firms in today´s economy are reluctant to engage their design personnel in costly, difficult to operate 3D CAD packages. While the attributes of designing in 3D are numerous and beneficial, committing to a high-end design software package often seems unjustifiable, especially when only a few new designs are required. An extremely attractive alternative to this dilemma is the integration of a powerful and innovative 3D modeling software called Rhinoceros^®, or Rhino^® for short. While costing substantially less than most 3D modeling programs, Rhino supplies an impressive array of advanced capabilities not found on many of the most powerful design software´s on the market. Though not considered a parametric or feature-based modeler, Rhino often supplements these costly packages to accomplish complex surfacing challenges. This paper introduces this incredible program as it applies to the motor manufacturing industry and highlights the ease-of-use and incredible power of this modeling and presentation software. Additionally, an overview of different types of 3D modeling software is given in contextual reference to where this product may fit into a firm´s design initiatives.