form·Z 4.0: Modeling
  form·Z 4.0 has introduced one additional pair of rows to the tool bar and 22 new tools. In addition, quite a few of previously existing tools have been enhanced with more options and capabilities. New is row 7 and most of the tools on that row. Other new tools are placed on different rows in the tool bar.

One more editing tool has been introduced to row 4 right. It is called Edit in Parameter Space and it is intended to be used with the new curves on nurbz and trimmed nurbz.

A new derivative tool has been introduced to the 5th row left: Point Cloud. It derives a point cloud object (unstructured collection of coordinate points) from entities at different topological levels.

The Parallel tool on row 5 left has been enhanced with a new group of options that offer control over the placement and density of controls of parallel nurbz objects.

A new Loft tool has been introduced to row 5 right. It generates objects by lofting sets of either open or closed shapes, some of which may be edges of other surface objects.

Two more rounding tools have been added to row 6 right. Blend connects the ends of two surface objects in a more or less smooth manner, depending on the selection of available options. Fillet generates a rounded surface between two surface objects that may or may not intersect.

The new row 7 left contains 7 new tools that create, reconstruct, and operate on NURBS curves. The operations include attaching, blending, merging, extending, and breaking the smooth curves. The previously existing C-curve tool has also been appended at the end of this row.

The new row 7 right contains 11 new tools that create, reconstruct, and operate on NURBS surfaces. At the end of this row the previously available C-mesh tool has also been appended. The operations for NURBS surfaces are mostly analogous to those for the NURBS curves. They include extracting, attaching, blending, merging, extending, and splitting. They also introduce the ability to draw curves on NURBS surfaces and to trim/untrim NURBS surfaces.

The Metaformz Evaluate tool on row 8 right can now also generate nurbz objects, in addition to the previously available facetted objects.

The Line of Intersection tool on row 9 left has been extended and can now also be applied to curves, including NURBS curves, to derive the line of intersection from their extrusions. In practical terms, this derives a curve in 3D space from its two projections.

The Text Line Edit tool has been deleted from the 10th row left of the tool palette and the Edit Controls tool is now used instead to edit the control curves of the on line, between parallel lines, and between lines types of text. Any kind of a smooth curve, in addition to the facetted, can now be used to place text.

The Symbols tools on row 10 right have been extended and can now both define and place symbols that include lights. In practical terms, this makes it possible to represent light fixtures complete with their shapes and light emission parameters.

The Place tool on row 13 right has been extended and it can now optionally generate nurbz objects from profiles placed on a line in a variety of ways.

In addition to these specific enhancements, v. 4.0 has picked up some general benefits, especially in the smooth modeling areas, thanks to the incorporation of a newer version of the ACIS libraries. These benefits include correction of irregularities and efficiency improvement. In addition, v. 4.0 has made smooth modeling optional. As already mentioned in the general Introduction, smooth modeling has been very much appreciated by many of our users, while other users consider it a burden and wish to only work with facetted modeling. These users can now choose not to install smooth modeling.

 

 

For a list and abstracts of the v4.0 enhancements and new features per category go to:

About Version 4.0:

Interface

Menus

Modeling

RenderZone

RadioZity