Learn More About Power NURBS and Power Translators


Definitions:

  • NURBS (Brep) Object - is a new object introduced by Power NURBS which contains a boundary representation that utilizes NURBS surfaces. This form of representation is typically used in CAD/CAM/CAE systems.
  • Sketch Object - one of several Power NURBS objects which enable the user to create and edit a single curve or a connected network of curves.
  • Shape - a MAX term which refers to a set of objects which define curves in space or on a plane.

Power NURBS is a comprehensive and powerful surface and solids modeling package.  The following chart for a list of the functionality in Power NURBS, Power Solids and Power Translators. Each command listed has has a list of the products that include it, (PT-Power Translators, PN-Power NURBS) and, a brief description.
Tool: Description:    
NURBS Brep Import
(PT) 		Import NURBS Brep objects into 3ds max using IGES, STEP, SAT and Rhino formats.  Note direct Importing of CATIA, UG, and SolidWorks® files available separately.    
NURBS Brep Export
(PN, PT) 		Export NURBS Brep objects into IGES, STEP, SAT and Rhino formats.   Bring your Power Solids objects into your favorite CAD system or send it to manufacturing.    

Pwr_Join
(PN, PT)

Combines one or more NURBS Brep objects and MAX objects into a single NURBS object with optional sewing, merging or intersecting.    

Pwr_Assembly
(PN, PT)

Create an assembly representation with multiple Power NURBS and MAX objects with shared references. Note, Pwr_Assembly are also optionally created during Import of Assemblies    

Pwr_NURBS
(PN, PT)

Edit the parameters (display tolerances) of multiple selected Power NURBS objects using a single operation.    

Pwr_EditNRB
(PN, PT)

Many of similar functions to EditableMesh using a NURBS object. It includes: Hide, UnHide, Delete Faces, Flip Normals, Unify Normals, Intersection, Attach, Detach, etc. Imported solids and surfaces create Pwr_EditNRB objects.    

Pwr_Sketch
(PN)

Power NURBS/Solids introduces a new intelligent sketching tool that includes snapping and intelligent inferencing to other geometry.  The sketching tool allows you to sketch onto a face of another object and maintain the connection to that face if the face moves.  The sketching command includes easy to use continuity / tangency controls, and mirrored creation to facilitate your curve definitions.    

Pwr_EditSkt
(PN)

Collapses 3ds max shapes and other Sketches into an Editable Sketch object which has control point editing of curves.    

Pwr_FaceSkt
(PN)

Sketcher which automatically snaps and draws on faces of NURBS Brep objects.    

Pwr_Boolean
(PN)

Combines NURBS objects and MAX objects using Boolean Union, Intersection, Difference, and Merge. Works on solids, surfaces and 2-D closed curves.    

Pwr_Fillet
(PN)

Fillets a NURBS oject by selecting edges or faces.  Includes: smooth corners between fillets; variable radius fillets; chamfer, circular and G2 & G3 blended fillets    

Pwr_Shell
(PN)

Creates an offset or a thin shelled object from a solid or open shell. Can also be used to create a solid from a surface.    

Pwr_Extrude
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object solid or surface by extruding one or more MAX shapes or sketch curves.    

Pwr_Revolve
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object by revolving one or more MAX shapes or sketch curves about an axis.    

Pwr_Sweep
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object by sweeping a shape/sketch along a path.    

Pwr_Skin
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object by skinning multiple shapes/sketches.    

Pwr_Swung
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object by rotating a shapes/sketchs along a path curve.    

Pwr_Pipe
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object by sweeping a circle along a path.    

Pwr_Planar
(PN)

Creates a NURBS object from a set of planar curves which for mone or more closed loops.    

Pwr_Blend
(PN)

Creates a blended surface between multiple curves and surface edges.  Power NURBS provides innovative blending for constructing smooth blends between surfaces / solids; you can also cap the ends of surfaces to close them off.   Power Solids provides unique control of tangency and curvature at all blending curves; it also provides optimized blending to produce surfaces with optimal curvature properties.    

Pwr_CmpSkt
(PN)

The Composite Sketch object composes existing curves and edges into a sketching environment, while adding tangency control.    

Pwr_CrnrBlnd
(PN)

Creates a corner blend or n-sided blend between multiple curves or edges.  With Power NURBS, you can blend between multiple curves in single blend; you can also cap the ends of surfaces to close off the open ended surfaces.       

Pwr_Cutter
(PN)

Cut or split up an object into multiple pieces.  Can be used for sectioning also.  PwrCutter allows you to perform multiple Boolean operations with a single cutter shape (like a cookie cutter would do).  It also supports Boolean operations on groups of objects.    

Pwr_FaceEdit
(PN)

Replaces a face on a BrepObject with another selected surface.    

Pwr_Detailer
(PN)

Power NURBS powerful detailer tool for applying shapes (holes, bosses, etc.) to surfaces / solids.  Those applied details can even have fillets applied to them. The Power NURBS detailer is associated to your model so that the object updates when you edit the surface that a detail feature is applied to.    

Pwr_HelixSwp
(PN)

Sweep a shape around a rail curve to create a helix or coil.  The helix shape can also include non-uniform sweeping so that the helix doesn't require a constant radius.    

Pwr_IsoCurve
(PN)

Create Iso-parameteric curves on a selected surface.     

Pwr_OffSkt
(PN)

Create sketch that is offset from another sketch along that sketches tangent field.    

Pwr_RailSwp
(PN)

Sweep one or more shapes constrained by 1, 2 or multiple rails.  This command allows you to utilize tangency controls along the rails giving greater control over surface transitions.    

Pwr_SrfFillet
(PN)

Creates a fillet between 2 surfaces.  Power NURBS surface filleting supports variable radius fillets, and powerful trimming control to allow you to get the exact fillet that you desire.    

Pwr_Surface
(PN)

Grouping command for surfaces - allows you to apply surface parameters to multiple surfaces.  For example, you can apply class A tolerance controls to multiple surfaces simultaneously.  Power NURBS creates higher order class A surfaces which provide a more aesthetic representation (and therefore superior images).  The class A surface provides a better reflective representation; it interacts with the surrounding environment (i.e. lighting, reflections, etc.) in a superior manner.  The end result is that you will get beautiful images and higher quality renderings.     

Pwr_XCurve
(PN)

Creates a sketch curve between 2 selected curves which are on orthogonal planes.    

 

 

 

Common
Panels: 		Description:
Tangency Parameters 1) Control tangency settings
2) Control morph settings 		   
Curve Fairing 1) Curve Trimming
2) Reverse curve direction
3) Curve reconstruction 		   
CShape Query 1) Display curve analysis data
2) Change marker display options 		   
CShape Viewport 1) Change CShape curve display options
2) Change curvature display option 		   
Operator Parameters 1) Selection of display of Result, All or selected Sub-Objects
2) List box for selecting Sub-Object Operands
3) Extract and Re-Order Operands
4) Move, Rotate and Scale Operands and see result updated 		   
Face Display
Parameters 		1) Changes Material ID of selected faces
2) Allows dynamic modification of Tiling, Scale and Rotation angle of mapping parameters for selected face 		   
Rending Approximation 1) Render Mesh Type: View Dep., Size Dep., Viewport Mesh
2) Set Render Mesh Creation Tolerances
3) Use "Draft", "Good" or "Production" defaults for Mesh 		   
Offset Parameters 1)  Automatic Offsetting using predefined features of BrepObject
2)  End capping 		   
Viewport Display Settings 1) Choose display type: Iso-Curve & Mesh, Mesh Only, Iso-Curve Only
2) Display Curves at Surface Knots
3) Create a Quadrilateral Mesh suitable for Sub-D (Mesh Smooth and conversion to Editable Poly)
4) Select Iso-Curve display parameters
5) Set Viewport Mesh Creation Tolerances
6) Use "Coarse", "Medium" or "Fine" defaults for Mesh 		   
BrepObject Query 1) Extracts selected faces to new BrepObject
2) Extracts selected curves into NURBS curves
3) Extracts selected faces into NURBS surfaces
4) Displays Current Version Numbers
   


Power NURBS vs Power Translators
The following chart shows the differences between Power NURBS, Power Solids, and Power Translators. 
Tool: Power NURBS Power Translators    
NURBS Brep Import   X     
NURBS Brep Export X  X     
Pwr_Join X X    
Pwr_Assembly X X    
Pwr_NURBS X X    
Pwr_EditNRB X X    
Pwr_Sketch X      
Pwr_EditSkt X      
Pwr_FaceSkt X      
Pwr_Boolean X      
Pwr_Fillet X      
Pwr_Shell X      
Pwr_Extrusion X      
Pwr_Revolve X      
Pwr_Sweep X      
Pwr_Skin X      
Pwr_Swung X      
Pwr_Pipe X      
Pwr_Planar X      
Pwr_Blend X      
Pwr_CmpSkt X      
Pwr_CrnrBlnd X      
Pwr_Cutter X      
Pwr_FaceEdit X      
Pwr_Detailer X      
Pwr_HelixSwp X      
Pwr_IsoCurve X      
Pwr_OffSkt X      
Pwr_RailSwp X      
Pwr_SrfFillet X      
Pwr_Surface X      
Pwr_XCurve X      


Renderer's
Power NURBS flexible tessellation enables users to automatically customize the rendering meshes for a particular rendering engine.  The Radiosity algorithms in MAX 5 and VIZ work best with smaller uniformly shaped triangles.  In Power NURBS you can specify a maximum edge length in the rendering tessellation to prevent long skinny triangles on large planar faces typically used used to model floors and walls.
 

Bike modeled entirely with Power NURBS and rendered with V-Ray from the Chaosgroup. The original rendering was done at 10,000 by 10,000 pixels and rendered using 20 machines with V-Ray's distributive rendering.

The ability to adjust the chord height in view space enables the rendering engines to produce images of amazing quality with exceptionally smooth looking surfaces.  Most of the images in the gallery were produced with a chord height of 1/2 pixel.  This is very important for animation where polygonal artifacts will become apparent when objects move and when the camera zooms in for a close view.  Having the appropriate mesh density is also very important when doing ray tracing on reflective surfaces.

Power Solids produces exceptional images the Chaosgroup's V-Ray renderer and Cebas' Final Render.