Rhinoceros 3D

Last updated
Rhinoceros
Developer(s) Robert McNeel & Associates (TLM, Inc.)
Stable release
Rhino 7 / December 8, 2020;2 years ago (2020-12-08) [1]
Operating system Microsoft Windows, macOS
Available inMultilingual
Type 3D computer graphics, Computer-aided design
License Proprietary
Website rhino3d.com
mcneel.com

Rhinoceros (typically abbreviated Rhino or Rhino3D) is a commercial 3D computer graphics and computer-aided design (CAD) application software that was developed by TLM, Inc, dba Robert McNeel & Associates, an American, privately held, and employee-owned company that was founded in 1978. Rhinoceros geometry is based on the NURBS mathematical model, which focuses on producing mathematically precise representation of curves and freeform surfaces in computer graphics (as opposed to polygon mesh-based applications).

Contents

Rhinoceros is used for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), rapid prototyping, 3D printing and reverse engineering in industries including architecture, industrial design (e.g. automotive design, watercraft design), product design (e.g. jewelry design) as well as for multimedia and graphic design. [2]

Rhinoceros is developed for the Microsoft Windows operating system and macOS. A visual scripting language add-on for Rhino, Grasshopper, is developed by Robert McNeel & Associates.

Overview

Characteristics

Rhinoceros is primarily a freeform surface modeler that utilizes the NURBS mathematical model. Rhinoceros's application architecture and open SDK make it modular and enable the user to customize the interface and create custom commands and menus.

Since version 7, Rhinoceros has improved real-time rendering capabilities for improved lighting and shading.

File formats

The Rhinoceros file format (.3DM) is useful for the exchange of NURBS geometry. The Rhino developers started the openNURBS Initiative to provide computer graphics software developers the tools to accurately transfer 3-D geometry between applications. An open-source toolkit, openNURBS includes the 3DM file format specification, documentation, C++ source code libraries and .NET 2.0 assemblies to read and write the file format on supported platforms – Windows, Windows x64, Mac, and Linux. [3]

An example of artwork modeled in Rhino and rendered in Flamingo Robot image created in Rhinoceros 3D and rendered in Flamingo.jpg
An example of artwork modeled in Rhino and rendered in Flamingo

Compatibility

Rhinoceros offers compatibility with other software as it supports over 30 CAD file formats for importing and exporting. [4]

The following CAD and image file formats are natively supported (without the use of external plug-ins):

  • AI
  • RIB
  • POV
  • UDO
  • VRML
  • CSV (export properties and hydrostatics)
  • BMP

The following CAD file formats are supported with use of external plug-ins: [5]

When opening CAD file formats not in its native .3dm file format, Rhinoceros will convert the geometry into its native format; when importing a CAD file, the geometry is added to the current file.

When Autodesk AutoCAD's file format changes (see DWG file format for more information), the Open Design Alliance reverse engineers the file format to allow these files to be loaded by other vendors' software. Rhinoceros's import and export modules are actually plug-ins, so they can be easily updated via a service release. Rhinoceros Service Releases (SR) are frequent and freely downloadable. Rhinoceros 5 SR10 can import and export DWG/DXF file formats up to version 2014.

Scripting and programming

Rhinoceros supports two scripting languages, Rhinoscript (based on VBScript) and Python (V5.0+ and Mac). It also has an SDK and a complete plug-in system.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AutoCAD</span> Commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application

AutoCAD is a 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) software application for desktop, web, and mobile developed by Autodesk. It was first released in December 1982 for the CP/M and IBM PC platforms as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. Initially a DOS application, subsequent versions were later released for other platforms including Classic Mac OS (1992), Microsoft Windows (1992), web browsers (2010), iOS (2010), macOS (2010), and Android (2011).

MicroStation is a CAD software platform for two- and three-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems and used in the architectural and engineering industries. It generates 2D/3D vector graphics objects and elements and includes building information modeling (BIM) features. The current version is MicroStation CONNECT Edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">QCAD</span> CAD software

QCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) software application for 2D design and drafting. It is available for Linux, Apple macOS, Unix and Microsoft Windows. The QCAD GUI is based on the Qt framework.

CAD data exchange is a method of drawing data exchange used to translate between different computer-aided design (CAD) authoring systems or between CAD and other downstream CAx systems.

Navisworks is a 3D design review package for Microsoft Windows.

Open Design Alliance is a nonprofit organization creating software development kits (SDKs) for engineering applications. ODA offers interoperability tools for CAD, BIM, and Mechanical industries including .dwg, .dxf, .dgn, Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Navisworks, and .ifc files and additional tools for visualization, web development, 3D PDF publishing and modeling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T-FLEX CAD</span> Parametric CAD software application

T-FLEX CAD (T-FLEX) – is a Russian-made parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software application for 2D design, drafting, and 3D solid modeling based on commercial Parasolid geometric kernel. It's primarily developed and distributed by Russian software company Top Systems based in Russia. Supported platforms are limited to Microsoft Windows. Amongst features T-FLEX offers support for various CAD formats and diverse localizations.

The table below provides an overview of notable computer-aided design (CAD) software. It does not judge power, ease of use, or other user-experience aspects. The table does not include software that is still in development. For all-purpose 3D programs, see Comparison of 3D computer graphics software. CAD refers to a specific type of drawing and modelling software application that is used for creating designs and technical drawings. These can be 3D drawings or 2D drawings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BricsCAD</span> Computer-aided design software

BricsCAD is a software application for computer-aided design (CAD), developed by Bricsys nv. The company was founded in 2002 by Erik de Keyser, a longtime CAD entrepreneur. In 2011 Bricsys acquired the intellectual property rights from Ledas for constraints-based parametric design tools, permitting the development of applications in the areas of direct modeling and assembly design. Bricsys is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, and has additional development centers in Nizhny Novgorod and Novosibirsk, Russia; Bucharest, Romania and Singapore. Bricsys is a founding member of the Open Design Alliance, and joined the BuildingSMART International consortium in December 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FreeCAD</span> Free and open-source 3D CAD software

FreeCAD is a general-purpose parametric 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeler and a building information modeling (BIM) software application with finite element method (FEM) support. It is intended for mechanical engineering product design but also expands to a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or electrical engineering. FreeCAD is free and open-source, under the LGPL-2.0-or-later license, and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. Users can extend the functionality of the software using the Python programming language.

HOOPS Visualize is a 3D computer graphics software designed to render graphics across both mobile and desktop platforms. HOOPS Visualize provides 3D Graphics API to render CAD models. It's part of the HOOPS 3D Application Framework SDK. Since June 2018 it's licensed via Siemens PLM Software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SprutCAM</span> Computer-aided manufacturing software

SprutCAM is a high-level Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software that provides off-line features for programming of various CNC machines used for cutting, wire electrical discharge (EDM), 2, 3, and multi axial machining.

PartXplore is a computer aided design (CAD) file viewer developed by Sescoi for reading, analyzing, and sharing 3D and 2D CAD files without requiring the original CAD application. It was introduced in 2008 and is supported from local Vero offices. The software is available as a viewer and an evaluation version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital Geometric Kernel</span>

Digital Geometric Kernel, is a software development framework and a set of components for enabling 3D/CAD functionality in Windows applications, developed by DInsight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alibre Design</span> CAD software

Alibre Design is a 3D parametric computer aided design software suite developed by Alibre for Microsoft Windows. Available in fifteen languages. Alibre is a brand of Alibre, LLC, a company based in Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SolveSpace</span> Open-source computer-aided design software

SolveSpace is a free and open-source 2D/3D constraint-based parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software that supports basic 2D and 3D constructive solid geometry modeling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LibreCAD</span> Free and open-source 2D CAD software

LibreCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) application for 2D design. It is free and open-source, and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KeyCreator</span>

KeyCreator is a commercial software application for 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting available since 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Onshape</span> Computer-aided design software system

Onshape is a computer-aided design (CAD) software system, delivered over the Internet via a software as a service (SAAS) model. It makes extensive use of cloud computing, with compute-intensive processing and rendering performed on Internet-based servers, and users are able to interact with the system via a web browser or the iOS and Android apps. As a SAAS system, Onshape upgrades are released directly to the web interface, and the software does not require maintenance work from the user.

References

  1. "Download Rhino 7 for Windows". Robert McNeel & Associates.
  2. "Rhino 3D 6 for Windows and Mac". NOVEDGE. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  3. "The file format on supported platforms" . Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  4. "Index of import/export file types". Rhinoceros Help. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  5. Thuilier, Félix. "Rhino plug-ins to convert, import and export files" . Retrieved May 21, 2020.