User Manual

MAXSURF Modeler CONNECT Edition V23

MOSES Modeler CONNECT Edition V12
SACS Hull Modeler CONNECT Edition V15
26 November 2021
License & Copyright
Modeler Program & User Manual
Copyright © 2021 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Licensing
For licensing information look at the latest release note or Installation guide
(InstallationGuide.pdf stored in same location as the executable).

The MAXSURF Worksuite is available in two “Edition” levels: MAXSURF Advanced

and MAXSURF Ultimate. A different license is used for each Edition and for some
Modules (e.g. Modeler, Stability and Motions) additional functionality is available in the
higher level Editions. Prior to version 21.01 it was necessary to select the Edition at the
time of installing MAXSURF and this would then install the appropriate Edition of each
of the Module executable files. (Prior to version 23.00 MAXSURF was available in thee
Editions: MAXSURF, MAXSURF Advanced and MAXSURF Enterprise - now
Ultimate)

From Version 21.01 onwards we have simplified the installers and Modules so that the
Edition and license level to be used is selected at run-time (rather than at installation
time). This means that only one executable for each of the MAXSURF Modules is
installed and the Edition and license level of the Module to be used can be selected when
the Module is started. So where previously there were several executables for the
MAXSURF Stability Module (Advanced and Enterprise) there is now only one, and
similarly for MAXSURF Modeler, MAXSURF Structure, MAXSURF Motions and
MAXSURF Multiframe. Although the “Advanced” or “Enterprise” nomenclature has
been dropped from the names of the Modules no functionality has been lost; the
additional features provided by the Advanced and Enterprise versions are now
determined at run-time based on the Edition and license chosen. Furthermore,
MAXSURF Link and MAXSURF Fitting Modules have been deprecated, and their
functionality has been incorporated into MAXSURF Modeler (see below for further
details). As a result of this change the installer no longer asks you which Edition you
wish to install, and we are now able to offer automatic updates of future versions through
the CONNECTION Client.

When starting a Module, you will be shown the License dialog which allows you to
select which Edition of the Module you wish to use and license to be used. This dialog
can also be selected at any time from the Edit | License Preferences menu. (However you
will need to restart the Module for any changes to take effect.) The functionality
available will be reflected in the Edition selected.
License selection
You mush choose exactly which license you wish to run the software under, the dialog
now shows the status of each of the applicable licenses. The application cannot be run
unless a valid license selection is made. Please review the licenses your organization has
purchased and those currently in use by you colleagues so as to prevent overusage.

iii
 License dialog will always be displayed if the
last used license is not valid for the application being launched

You will also be asked to confirm any license changes:

iv
MAXSURF Editions
The following table shows which Modules are available in each MAXSURF Edition:

Stored licensed selection

The last used license information is stored in the Windows registry and this information
is shared between all Module applications of the MAXSURF Worksuite (Previously
Multiframe had used a different location). This has been done to ensure that the same
license is always used (unless the user chooses otherwise). If you are switching between
standalone licenses of Modeler and Stability, you will be automatically shown the dialog
if you attempt to run a Module which cannot run under the current license and will be
required to change the selected license.

v
Contents
License & Copyright ........................................................................................................ iii
Licensing ................................................................................................................ iii
Contents ........................................................................................................................... vii
Differences between versions ........................................................................................... 15
Coordinate System ................................................................................................. 15
MAXSURF Modeler.................................................................................... 15
MOSES Hull Modeler ................................................................................. 15
SACS Hull Modeler ..................................................................................... 16
About This Manual ........................................................................................................... 17
Chapter 1 Introduction...................................................................................................... 18
Modeler .................................................................................................................. 18
Structure ................................................................................................................. 18
Definitions ................................................................................................... 19
Concepts....................................................................................................... 19
Workflow ..................................................................................................... 20
Chapter 2 Basic Principles................................................................................................ 21
The Spline and Spring Analogy ............................................................................. 21
B-Spline Properties ................................................................................................ 24
Bibliography........................................................................................................... 24
Chapter 3 Getting Started ................................................................................................. 26
Installing Modeler .................................................................................................. 26
Learning Modeler ................................................................................................... 26
Chapter 4 Modeler Windows............................................................................................ 27
View Windows - General ....................................................................................... 27
Modeler Coordinate System ........................................................................ 27
Setting the Frame of Reference.................................................................... 28
Setting the Zero Point .................................................................................. 30
Setting the Vessel Type ............................................................................... 31
Setting the Windage Surfaces ...................................................................... 32
Modeling windage profile shape on CL....................................................... 35
Setting Units ................................................................................................ 37
Taking Measurements .................................................................................. 37
Setting up the Grid ....................................................................................... 38
Drawing Settings.......................................................................................... 43
Displaying Contour Lines ............................................................................ 44
Zoom, Shrink, Pan and Home View ............................................................ 48
Saved Views ................................................................................................ 50
View Windows ....................................................................................................... 52
Body Plan Window ...................................................................................... 52
Plan and Profile Windows ........................................................................... 56
Perspective Window .................................................................................... 57
Part Window ................................................................................................ 62
Tool Panes .............................................................................................................. 62
Assembly Pane ............................................................................................. 62
Properties Pane ............................................................................................ 65
Table Windows ...................................................................................................... 68
Table Windows – General ........................................................................... 68
Control Points Window ............................................................................... 74
Markers Window ......................................................................................... 76
Curves Window ........................................................................................... 76
Surfaces Window ......................................................................................... 76

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 Offsets Window ........................................................................................... 76
Part Window ................................................................................................ 79
Graph Windows ..................................................................................................... 80
Graph Windows - General ........................................................................... 80
Curve of Areas Window .............................................................................. 82
Calculations Window ............................................................................................. 83
Expressions .................................................................................................. 84
Statement Syntax ......................................................................................... 84
Built-in Variables ......................................................................................... 84
Built-in Functions ........................................................................................ 85
Calculation Units ......................................................................................... 85
Solving Calculations .................................................................................... 85
Saving Calculations ..................................................................................... 86
Modeler Settings .................................................................................................... 87
Modeler Preferences .................................................................................... 87
Colour and Font ........................................................................................... 88
Auto-saved backup recovery files ................................................................ 89
Chapter 5 Using Modeler ................................................................................................. 91
Working with Markers ........................................................................................... 91
Working with Markers – Concepts .............................................................. 91
Working with Markers - Procedures ............................................................ 92
Generating Markers for Developable Surfaces .......................................... 102
Marker to Surface Measurements .............................................................. 103
Working with Curves ........................................................................................... 105
Curve Types in Modeler ............................................................................ 106
Curve Stiffness........................................................................................... 107
Curve Properties ........................................................................................ 108
Curve Operations ....................................................................................... 110
Working with Surfaces ......................................................................................... 117
Surface Types in Modeler .......................................................................... 118
Surface Stiffness ........................................................................................ 119
Surface Appearance ................................................................................... 122
Surface Properties ...................................................................................... 122
Outside Arrows .......................................................................................... 125
Surface Materials and Skin Thickness ....................................................... 126
Surface Precision ....................................................................................... 127
Displaying Curvature on Contours ............................................................ 129
Rendering a Surface ................................................................................... 130
Surface Operations ..................................................................................... 134
Surface Creation ........................................................................................ 145
Trimming Surfaces .................................................................................... 150
Bonding Surfaces ....................................................................................... 161
Working with Trimesh Surfaces .......................................................................... 169
Add Trimesh from 3 or 4 markers ............................................................. 169
Trimesh from simple geometry.................................................................. 170
Add Trimesh from planar curve ................................................................. 174
Add Trimesh from extruded curve ............................................................. 176
Extrude Trimesh ........................................................................................ 178
Trimesh visibility ....................................................................................... 179
Locking/Unlocking a Trimesh ................................................................... 179
Deleting a Trimesh..................................................................................... 179
Importing a Trimesh .................................................................................. 179
Exporting a Trimesh .................................................................................. 179
Adding a node to a Trimesh ....................................................................... 179

viii
 Deleting a node from a Trimesh ................................................................ 180
Snap Node(s) to Surface ............................................................................ 180
Selecting a triangle from a trimesh ............................................................ 180
Deleting a triangle from a trimesh ............................................................. 181
Flip adjacent tri pair ................................................................................... 181
Trimesh node properties ............................................................................ 181
Outside Arrows .......................................................................................... 181
Inverting a Trimesh .................................................................................... 182
Compact Trimesh nodes ............................................................................ 182
Moving a Trimesh Surface......................................................................... 182
Move Trimesh Freeform ............................................................................ 182
Size a Trimesh Surface .............................................................................. 183
Flip a Trimesh Surface ............................................................................... 183
Rotate a Trimesh Surface ........................................................................... 184
Align Trimesh Surfaces ............................................................................. 184
Offset a Trimesh Surface ........................................................................... 185
Split a Trimesh ........................................................................................... 186
Join Trimesh Surfaces ................................................................................ 188
Boolean operations for closed Trimeshes .................................................. 188
Trimesh Repair .......................................................................................... 191
Trimesh bonding ........................................................................................ 192
Trimesh meshed from a NURB surface ..................................................... 197
Trimesh from Parametric-based NURB Surface mesh .............................. 201
Tips for creating a NURB surface that will mesh well .............................. 203
Trimesh from Structural Parts.................................................................... 207
Detailed Trimesh Statistics ........................................................................ 208
Trimesh rendering options ......................................................................... 209
Working with Control Points ............................................................................... 212
Adding Control Points ............................................................................... 212
Deleting Control Points ............................................................................. 213
Control Point copy and paste ..................................................................... 214
Moving Control Points............................................................................... 214
Align Control Points To First Selected ...................................................... 215
Aligning Control Points ............................................................................. 216
Smooth Controls or Straighten Controls .................................................... 219
Manipulating Groups of Control Points ..................................................... 221
Compacting Control Points ........................................................................ 225
Grouping Control Points ............................................................................ 228
Displaying Control Points .......................................................................... 228
Control Point Weight ................................................................................. 229
Advanced - Transpose ............................................................................... 234
Surface Fitting ...................................................................................................... 234
Surface Fitting – Concepts ......................................................................... 235
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers (Manual fit) ...................................... 239
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers (Automated fit) ................................ 244
Fititng a NURB Surface to Marker stations (Automated fit) ..................... 246
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers (Least squares fit)............................. 249
Measuring Surface Error ............................................................................ 249
Trimesh Surface from Markers .................................................................. 250
Calculations .......................................................................................................... 262
Hydrostatics ............................................................................................... 262
Calculate Girth ........................................................................................... 264
Calculate Areas .......................................................................................... 265
Using Parametric Transformation ........................................................................ 266

ix
 Parametric Transformation - Concepts ...................................................... 266
Parametric Transformation – Procedures................................................... 267
Search Parameters ...................................................................................... 267
Scaling factors............................................................................................ 270
Hull Shape Comparison ............................................................................. 271
Parametric Transformation Restrictions .................................................... 272
Americas Cup Yachts ................................................................................ 273
Working with Structure ........................................................................................ 273
Preparing the design for generating structure ............................................ 273
Working with Frames ........................................................................................... 275
Adding a Frame ......................................................................................... 275
Adding a Frame Opening ........................................................................... 279
Calculating Frames .................................................................................... 283
Frame Visibility ......................................................................................... 284
Deleting Frames ......................................................................................... 285
Modifying Frames...................................................................................... 285
Moving Frames .......................................................................................... 285
Copying Frames ......................................................................................... 285
Working With Decks............................................................................................ 286
Adding a Deck ........................................................................................... 287
Deleting a Deck ......................................................................................... 287
Adding a Deck Opening ............................................................................ 288
Drawing Decks .......................................................................................... 288
Deck Visibility ........................................................................................... 288
Modifying Decks ....................................................................................... 289
Moving Decks ............................................................................................ 289
Copying Decks ........................................................................................... 289
Deck Limitations........................................................................................ 289
Working with Stringers ........................................................................................ 289
Stringer Tips and Tricks ............................................................................ 290
Adding Stringers ........................................................................................ 290
Generating Stringers .................................................................................. 291
Generating a Family of Stringers ............................................................... 293
Modifying Stringers ................................................................................... 293
Longitudinal Girders .................................................................................. 294
Adding Points To Stringers........................................................................ 299
Moving Stringer Points .............................................................................. 300
Deleting Stringer Points ............................................................................. 302
Modifying Stringer Points ......................................................................... 303
Duplicating Stringers ................................................................................. 304
Breaking Stringers ..................................................................................... 305
Joining Stringers ........................................................................................ 306
Breaking Stringers at Bulkheads ................................................................ 306
Mirroring Stringers .................................................................................... 308
Girth Centreline ......................................................................................... 309
Calculating Stringers.................................................................................. 309
Calculating Stringer Inverse Bending Lines .............................................. 310
Working with Stringer Shapes ............................................................................. 312
Sections Library ......................................................................................... 313
Setting Shapes & Cutouts .......................................................................... 313
Stringer Orientation ................................................................................... 314
Working with Upstands........................................................................................ 315
Calculating Upstands ................................................................................. 315
Upstand Cutouts......................................................................................... 316

x
 Upstand Orientation ................................................................................... 316
Working with Inclined Sections ........................................................................... 316
Adding Inclined Sections ........................................................................... 316
Displaying Inclined Sections ..................................................................... 317
Working with Plates ............................................................................................. 318
Working with Plates - Concepts ................................................................ 318
Working with Plates – Procedures ............................................................. 318
Plating a Whole Surface ............................................................................ 318
Adding a Plate............................................................................................ 321
Deleting a Plate .......................................................................................... 324
Defining Triangular Plates ......................................................................... 324
Plate clash detection................................................................................... 325
Plate Development Methods and Options.................................................. 326
Calculating Plates ...................................................................................... 330
Girth Differences ....................................................................................... 332
Plate Strain ................................................................................................. 333
Plate Development and Rolling Jigs .......................................................... 334
Plate User Coordinate Systems (UCS) ...................................................... 336
Plate Inset Lines ......................................................................................... 337
Plate Templates .......................................................................................... 337
Plate Pin Jigs .............................................................................................. 338
Shell Expansion ......................................................................................... 339
Plate Displays ............................................................................................ 340
Working with Parts .............................................................................................. 344
Calculating Part Weights ........................................................................... 344
Exporting Parts .......................................................................................... 344
Materials and Section Libraries ........................................................................... 346
Materials Library ....................................................................................... 346
Sections Library ......................................................................................... 348
Data exchange ...................................................................................................... 349
Input of Data ........................................................................................................ 350
Pasting (General) ....................................................................................... 350
Importing Background Images .................................................................. 350
Importing DXF splines and polylines as curves ........................................ 355
Importing DXF background ....................................................................... 355
Importing DXF Markers ............................................................................ 355
Importing IGES Curves and Surfaces ........................................................ 357
Importing Rhino .3dm files ........................................................................ 358
Output of Data ...................................................................................................... 369
Printing....................................................................................................... 369
Copying...................................................................................................... 371
Export Lines Plan....................................................................................... 372
Offsets Data Output ................................................................................... 373
Animation Files.......................................................................................... 374
Exporting a Modeler Design ...................................................................... 374
Exporting Parts to Rhino............................................................................ 381
Exporting Parts to Multiframe ................................................................... 381
Chapter 6 Modeler Reference ......................................................................................... 386
Toolbars ............................................................................................................... 386
Customising Toolbars ................................................................................ 386
Modeler Toolbars ....................................................................................... 389
Menus ................................................................................................................... 391
File Menu ................................................................................................... 392
Edit Menu .................................................................................................. 394

xi
 View Menu ................................................................................................ 395
Marker Menu ............................................................................................. 397
Trimesh Menu ............................................................................................ 398
Controls Menu ........................................................................................... 401
Curves Menu .............................................................................................. 403
Surfaces Menu ........................................................................................... 405
Frame Menu ............................................................................................... 408
Deck Menu................................................................................................. 408
Stringer Menu ............................................................................................ 409
Plate Menu ................................................................................................. 411
Display Menu............................................................................................. 412
Data Menu.................................................................................................. 415
Window Menu ........................................................................................... 417
Help Menu ................................................................................................. 417
Bentley Cloud Services Menu ................................................................... 418
Right Click Menu ................................................................................................. 418
Surface Selection Right Click Menu.......................................................... 418
Ribbon .................................................................................................................. 419
Appendix A – Data Export ............................................................................................. 420
Supported File Formats ........................................................................................ 420
Importing ................................................................................................... 420
Exporting ................................................................................................... 420
Pictures and Text .................................................................................................. 421
Copying the drawing .................................................................................. 421
Copying Text ............................................................................................. 421
2D Drafting Data .................................................................................................. 422
3D Drafting Data .................................................................................................. 423
3D Surface Definition .......................................................................................... 424
Exporting to ShipConstructor Hull ............................................................ 425
Appendix B – Surface Algorithms ................................................................................. 426
Appendix C – Command Keys ....................................................................................... 427
Modifier Keys ...................................................................................................... 427
Special Keys ......................................................................................................... 427
Control Point Weights .......................................................................................... 427
Menu Shortcuts .................................................................................................... 428
Appendix D – Moving Files Across Platforms .............................................................. 429
Moving Files From Macintosh to Windows ........................................................ 429
Moving Files from Windows to Macintosh ......................................................... 430
Appendix E – MOSES Objects ...................................................................................... 432
User Interface ....................................................................................................... 432
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 433
MOSES Model ..................................................................................................... 433
Hydrodynamic model ................................................................................ 434
Structural model ......................................................................................... 434
Definition of MOSES Objects ............................................................................. 434
Automatic PART, COMPARTMENT and PANEL objects ...................... 435
Geometry symmetry of PLATE and PANEL objects ................................ 435
Node Reuse ................................................................................................ 437
Verifying the Model and Object data......................................................... 438
Saving Model and Object data ................................................................... 438
Table UI and Column editing .................................................................... 440
Common columns ...................................................................................... 443
BODY table ............................................................................................... 443
PART table ................................................................................................ 444

xii
 COMPARTMENT table ............................................................................ 444
Piece: PLATE table ................................................................................... 444
Piece: PANEL table ................................................................................... 444
Piece: TUBTANK table ............................................................................. 445
BEAM table ............................................................................................... 445
CLASS table .............................................................................................. 446
POINT table ............................................................................................... 446
Index ............................................................................................................................... 447

xiii
 Differences between versions

Differences between versions

There are several different versions of Modeler; here the differences between them are
explained.

Coordinate System
All Modules: Body plan, view from behind (stbd side of vessel on right-hand side of
screen)
All Modules with the exception of Stability:Plan view from bottom (stbd side of vessel
on upper half of screen); Stability has the Paln view from top (stbd side of vessel on
lower half of screen)
All Modules:Profile view from stbd (bow on right-hand side of screen)
MAXSURF Modeler

Longitudinal: +ve forward -ve aft

Transverse: +ve stbd -ve port
Vertical: +ve up -ve down

The zero-point can be defined at any location in the model

MOSES Hull Modeler

x-Axis (longitudinal): +ve aft -ve forward

y-Axis (horizontal): +ve stbd -ve port
z-Axis (vertical): +ve up -ve down

The zero-point should be defined to coincide with the furthest forward and the lowest
part of the model.

15
Differences between versions

SACS Hull Modeler

x-Axis (longitudinal): +ve aft -ve forward

y-Axis (horizontal): +ve stbd -ve port
z-Axis (vertical): +ve up -ve down

16
 About This Manual

About This Manual

This manual describes the Modeler program and is divided into five chapters. It
introduces you to the features of Modeler in a step-by-step manner. Many of the
examples given use designs supplied with your Modeler application and contained in a
folder titled 'Sample Designs'.

If you are unfamiliar with your computer you should read your owner's manual. This will
introduce you to commonly used terms such as click and drag, and the basic methods for
using any Windows application.

The chapters in this manual are as follows:

Chapter 1 Introduction: What is Modeler?

Chapter 2 Basic Principles: An introduction to the concept of the NURB surface and how
its shape is controlled by a net of control points.

Chapter 3 Getting Started: Directs you to sources for installing and learning to use
Modeler.

Chapter 4 Modeler Windows: Outline of different features available in each of the

windows in Modeler.

Chapter 5 Using : Further explanation on how to manipulate surfaces, do calculations

and import and export data.

Chapter 6 Modeler Reference: A list of each menu item and command, which may be
used as a quick reference whenever you are using the program.

Many of the examples given in the manual have intentionally been kept as simple as
possible so that you can clearly see how each of Modeler's functions behaves. By reading
the manual and experimenting with the sample designs, you will very quickly become an
expert user.

Note
In case you are new to Modeler it is highly recommended to read the first
two chapters of this manual. This will give you a good understanding of
fundamental concepts and functions in Modeler.

17
Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 1 Introduction

Modeler
Modeler is a powerful three-dimensional surface modelling system for use in the field of
marine design. It provides you with a clear and familiar environment in which to work,
allowing for systematic experimentation and rapid optimisation of any new design.

Modeler's multiple surface capabilities, allowing any number of surfaces to be modelled

in any given design, offer scope for the creation of a wide range of hull forms. Combined
with the built-in hydrostatic calculations, you have the tools to experiment with shapes
and explore design parameters.

Highly accurate output is produced in the form of hull lines, transfer files for other
programs, and comprehensive offsets tables. Data transfer to other programs in the
Modeler suite is from a Modeler design file, alleviating the need for the re-entry of data
once a design has been finalized, and removing the possibility of loss of accuracy
through the use of incomplete hull offset files.

The above features offer you a truly integrated system. Each of the modules in the
Modeler range work from the same data file and each share a common user interface.

Modeler, as well as its downstream analysis modules, offers an Automation interface.

There are also several automation samples available in the Modeler program files
directory.

Structure
The integration of the structural modelling capability (previously in the Structure
module) provides the flexibility of creating the vessel primary structure while you are
designing and fairing the hull shape. In this manual, w hen refering to this aspect of
Modeler we shall refer to Modeler-Structure.

Modeler-Structure is a structure modelling utility that allows the designer to model the
primary structure within the 3D NURB surface model. All parts created in Modeler-
Structure are parametric, meaning that the parts will automatically update to changes in
the surface model. This allows the designer to model the structure concurrently with the
hull shape. For example, the designer can start defining structural elements while the hull
form still requires final fairing.

It is important to realise that Modeler-Structure is a naval architecture tool which

compliments a traditional CAD package such as Microstation. It allows the primary
structure to be modelled in earlier stages of design and thus contributes to the
optimisation/iteration routine; not only by optimising the structural arrangement but also
indirectly by providing accurate and up-to-date weight calculations for stability and
performance analysis. Finally it can then be used to produce highly accurate production
output, such as developed plates, stringers and frame contours, when the design is
finalised. Modeler-Structure has several export formats available that allow the designer
to work in a flexible CADCAM environmen.

Modeler-Structure's features include:

18
 Chapter 1 Introduction

 Automatic or manual generation and fitting of stringers.

 Stringer shape and cutout definition.
 Stringer development.
 Frame generation.
 Deck generation.
 Plate development of developable plates.
 Plate expansion of non-developable plates.
 Plate forming templates.
 Plate pin jigs.
 Export of all parts to ShipConstructor, Autocad and other CAD or CAM systems.
Definitions

Stringers – stiffeners of hull shell plate. Wherever stringers pass through a frame a
cutout will be placed in the frame to allow the stringer to pass through. The stringer paths
may also be used as plate boundaries or as reference lines on plate developments.

Cutouts - The Section Library contains a database of stringer shapes and cutouts. When
a stringer passes through a frame, one of the cutouts from the library will be used to
place the cutout in the frame. The library also contains a list of materials.(see below)

Upstands - An upstand is a short line that runs from the intersection of a stringer and a
frame in the orientation-direction of the stringer. It allows you to override the orientation
and cutout shape of a stringer at a particular frame.

Frames – Frames are transverse or inclined structural components located at a particular

section or inclined section. They can contain any number of openings including an
interior opening at a particular web depth.

Decks – Decks are horizontal components located at a particular waterline. They can
contain any number of openings.

Plates - Plates are 4 sided regions on a NURBS surface defined by four contours which
form its boundaries. Plates have a thickness which is defined by their material types.

Materials - Each part is made from a particular material. A database of materials is

stored in the Section Library which is opened automatically when the program starts up.
The library also contains a list of shapes and cutouts. (see above)
Concepts

Modeler-Structure allows you to define where parts will be located by referring to

construction lines on the surface of the hull. The construction lines you can use are
sections, waterlines, buttocks, diagonals, inclined sections, feature lines, parametrics,
intersections, surface curves and edges. Using Modeler-Structure involves selecting one
or more construction lines to define the location on the design where each part is to be
created.

Modeler-Structure allows you to create a complete and accurate set of parts including
stringers, frames, decks and plates. You can then export these parts via DXF file to a
CAD system for further detailing or directly to an NC CAM system for cutting.

19
Chapter 1 Introduction

Modeler-Structure does not include every detailing feature you may require. It is
designed to be used in conjunction with a CAD system such as ShipConstructor or
Autocad so that any additional special details can be added after the basic part geometry
has been created in Modeler-Structure. You can also use your CAD system to prepare
stringer shapes and cutout shapes. These shapes can be imported into Modeler-Structure
via DXF files.
Workflow

The procedure for using Modeler-Structure to build up a complete structural model is as

follows;
 Define where frames will be located and what shape they will be by selecting
sections and using the Add Frame command.
 Define where stringers will be located by drawing or generating stringers.
 Assign cutout shapes to stringers by selecting stringers and using the Shape &
Cutout… command.
 Calculate the stringer shapes by using the Calculate Stringers command.
 Calculate the upstands at the intersection between the stringers and the frames
using the Calculate Upstands command.
 Use the Calculate Frames command to generate the frame shapes including
cutouts for stringers which pass through them and cutouts for internal spaces.
 Define where decks will be located and what shape they will be by selecting
waterlines and using the Add Deck command.
 Define plates by selecting four contours defining the plate boundary and using the
Add Plate command.
 Develop plates by using the Calculate Plates command.
 Copy frames, stringers, decks and plates to DXF files using the Export command.

The suggested procedure above is just one way of building up your parts. In fact you can
use any command in any order and add and delete any type of part at any time. The
suggested sequence above simply ensures that you have created frames before generating
stringers between frames, created stringers before finding upstands and so on. As you
become more proficient with Structure, you will probably want to define all of your parts
and then use the Calc All Parts command to calculate everything in the design at highest
precision.

20
 Chapter 2 Basic Principles

Chapter 2 Basic Principles

This chapter outlines the concepts on which the program is based.

Hulls, appendages and superstructures are defined in Modeler using one or more
surfaces. Typically a surface is used between discontinuities in the design. For example,
a three surface design of a sailing yacht might be made up of one surface for the hull, one
for the keel and one for the rudder. A five surface design for a workboat might use one
surface for the upper hull from sheer line to chine, a second surface for the chine, a third
surface for the lower hull from chine to keel, a fourth surface for the deck and a fifth
surface for the transom. Designs may contain up to 1200 surfaces in Modeler Advanced
and up to 20 surfaces in Basic Modeler.

Surfaces are defined in Modeler by the position of a set of control points that collectively
form a control point net. Movement of these control points allows you to manipulate a
surface into a desired shape.

Central to the process of modelling designs using Modeler is an understanding of how

control points may be used to attain the surface shapes that you wish to achieve, and this
is best explained by the following analogy.

In this chapter:
 The Spline and Spring Analogy
 B-Spline Properties
 Bibliography

The Spline and Spring Analogy

Historically, naval architects have used flexible battens, or splines to draw smooth two-
dimensional curves. By fixing the end points of the spline and applying a load at one or
more points along the spline, a curve is created that can then be traced onto a drawing.
The curve's smoothness will depend on the stiffness of the spline and the exact placement
of the loads, but as long as a few simple rules are followed, the resulting curvature will
be smooth.

The spline will initially lie straight on the drawing board.

After dragging the spline at a number of points, the natural stiffness of the spline will
result in the smooth curve used for drawing.

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Chapter 2 Basic Principles

To generate its curves, Modeler uses a mathematical equation, the B-spline, which is
analogous to this procedure. As with drafting splines, curves are defined by the position
of their end points, the location and number of controlling points along the curve, and the
stiffness of the spline.

Rather than a row of weights that sit along the spline, Modeler's curves are shaped by
control points, which can be thought of as being attached to the spline by springs. When
the control points are moved the inherent stiffness of the spline and the springs combine
to keep the curve smooth. An obvious effect of this is that the control points do not lie on
the curve created but rather the curve is attracted toward the position of the control
points.

Thus, a spline, which is initially straight, is dragged to a new shape at a number of

points.

The resulting curve is smooth with only the two end control points lying on the curve.

By moving the controlling points about, you can bend the spline to a given shape. The
curvature of the spline would be free from irregularities, due to the elasticity of the
springs and the stiffness of the spline itself. If the spline were made more flexible or
stiffer, the curvature would correspondingly increase or decrease.

Although this is a two-dimensional example, Modeler uses an analogous procedure to

generate its splines in three dimensions to form a surface.

Just as a row of two-dimensional control points can define a two-dimensional curve, a

network of three dimensional control points can define an entire three-dimensional
surface.

If you consider a network of three-dimensional controlling points, you can imagine that
splines could be held along and across the net, hence defining a surface. Modeler does
just this, and uses a network of three dimensional control points to generate a surface.

22
 Chapter 2 Basic Principles

The net is formed by rows and columns of control points and has four edges and four
corners. Any number of rows and columns of control points may be used, depending on
the complexity of the desired surface. However it is usually desirable to use as few rows
and columns as possible. The surface may have different stiffness in the row and column
directions.

A surface is created by the generation of splines in three dimensions from the control
points that make up the net.

The effect a control point has on a surface depends firstly on whether it is a corner, edge
or internal control point.

 Corners of a surface are defined exactly by the position of the corresponding

corner of the net.
 Edges are defined only by the control points on the corresponding edge of the net.
 Internal points of the surface may be influenced by many or all of the control points
in the net.

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Chapter 2 Basic Principles

Any number of independent surfaces may be used in the definition of a design in

Modeler, each with its own control point net. A control point only influences the surface
to which it belongs. The only exception to this is the case where two surfaces are bonded
together along a common edge. If a control point is moved on a bonded edge it will
affect both of the surfaces sharing the bonded edge.

When using Modeler, remember that you are changing the position of control points
relative to one another in the net to achieve a desired change in the surface. Modeler will
then recalculate and display the new surface shape. Just as in the spring analogy you may
only change the shape of a surface by moving control points in the net rather than
directly moving the surface itself.

Continue reading B-Spline Properties on page 24.

B-Spline Properties
B-spline curves are “Variation Diminishing”, meaning that it is guaranteed not to have
more inflections than its net of control points. This means that if you reduce the number
of inflections in a surface net to zero, there will be no inflections in the underlying
surface.

Variation Diminishing, End Slope and Convex Hull (area highlighted in grey) properties of a B-spline

B-spline curves and surfaces always start and finish with the same slope as the start and
finish of the accompanying net. The slope of the start and end points of the edges of a
surface can always be exactly controlled using this property.

B-splines are also guaranteed not to extend outside of the convex hull (area highlighted
in grey in the image above) of its control point net. This means that the surface cannot
have bulges or hollows greater than the deflections of the control points.

Note
These properties combined make the Net an excellent fairness indicator. In
general: if the Net is fair, then the underlying surface will also be fair.

More information on NURB surfaces can be found in the Working with Curves section
on page 105.

Bibliography
D F Rogers and J A Adams
'Mathematical Elements for Computer Graphics'
McGraw Hill Book Co., New York, 1976.

D F Rogers

24
 Chapter 2 Basic Principles

'B - spline curves and surfaces for ship hull definition'

Proceedings 1st Int. Symposium for Computer Aided Hull Surface Definition Annapolis,
Maryland, USA (1977)

D F Rogers and S G Satterfield

'B-spline surfaces for Ship Hull Design'
Computer Graphics (Proc. Siggraph 1980),Vol. 14, No. 3, July 1980

D F Rogers and S G Satterfield

'Dynamic B-spline surfaces'
Conference on Computer Applications in the Automation of Shipyard Operation and Ship
Design (ICCAS ) (1982)

F C Munchmeyer, C Schubert and H Nowacki

'Interactive design of fair hull surfaces using B-splines'
Conference on Computer Applications in the Automation of Shipyard Operation and Ship
Design (ICCAS ) (1982)

N G Fog
'Creative definition and fairing of ship hull using a B-spline surface'
Computer Aided Design, Volume 16, Number 4, July 1984

L Piegl and W Tiller

'Curve and surface construction using rational B-splines'
Computer Aided Design, Volume 19, Number 9, November 1987

L Piegl and W Tiller

‘The NURBS Book’
Springer 2nd Ed 1996

25
Chapter 3 Getting Started

Chapter 3 Getting Started

This chapter briefly describes where to find the relevant resources to
 Installing
 Learning

Installing Modeler
Install Modeler by inserting the CD and running the Setup program, then follow the
instructions on screen.

Learning Modeler
The best way to learn to use Modeler is to start the tutorials online at
Bentley student center (youtube)
Formsys webinars (youtube)
www.bentley.com .

Both new users as well as experienced Modeler users will benefit from working through
the videos.

Continue reading:
 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows
Outline of different features available in each of the windows in Modeler.
 Chapter 5 Using
Further explanation on how to manipulate surfaces, do calculations and import and
export data.
 Chapter 6 Modeler Reference
A list of each menu item and command, which may be used as a quick reference
whenever you are using the program.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

This chapter explains the many functions available in the Modeler windows.

View Windows - General: Generic features in Modeler that apply to all view windows, ie
Body Plan, Profile, Plan and Perspective window.

View Windows: A detailed explanation of the different windows that Modeler uses to
display hull shapes, together with explanations of the various controls within the each of
them.

Tool Pane: Describes how to use the Assembly Pane to organise and manipulate curves
and surfaces and the Properties Pane to view the properties of selected items..

Table Windows: Explains both generic features available when working in any of the
Table windows in the Modeler suite, together with explanations of Table window –
specific features.

Graph Windows: Explains both generic features available when working in any of the
Graph windows in the Modeler suite, together with explanations of the Curve of Areas
graph in Modeler.

Calculations Window: Explains how to use the Calculations window to create custom
calculations inside Modeler.

Modeler Settings: Explains the Modeler preferences and display settings.

View Windows - General

The purpose of this section is to cover the various controls and special features that each
of Modeler’s graphical windows contain.

This section describes:

 Modeler Coordinate System
 Setting the Frame of Reference
 Setting the Zero Point
 Setting the Vessel Type
 Setting the Windage Surfaces
 Taking Measurements
 Setting up the Grid
 Displaying Contour Lines
 Zoom, Shrink, Pan and Home View

Modeler Coordinate System

Modeler has defined its views to be consistent with Naval Architecture standards
throughout all view windows.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

+ve forward -ve aft

+ve starboard -ve port
+ve up -ve down

Window View direction

Body plan Looking forward from the stern
Profile view Looking from starboard, bow to the right
Plan view Looking from below, starboard above the centreline
Setting the Frame of Reference

Frame of Reference - Concepts

The Frame of Reference dialog is used to specify the positions of the key locations used
in ship design. These positions are:
 Forward Perpendicular
 Aft Perpendicular
 Amidships
 Datum Waterline (DWL)
 Baseline

The DWL is used for all calculations in the Calculations window, calculation of the
Sectional Area Curve in the Curve of Areas window and calculation of surface areas.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

The Frame of Reference dialog has functions to automatically locate the Baseline at the
lowest point of the hull (the Find Base button) and to set the Fore and Aft Perpendiculars
to the extreme ends of the DWL (the Set to DWL button).

In all cases where the Forward or Aft Perpendicular is updated, the Amidships position is
calculated to be at the midway position between the perpendiculars.

Note:
All values are entered relative to the Zero Point. However, it may be that the
zero point is set to the position of one of the elements in the Frame of
Reference. In this case, the Zero Point is not updated until you click OK in
the Frame of Reference dialog. See Setting the Zero Point below for more
information.

Frame of Reference – Procedures

To set the Frame of Reference
 Click the Find Base button
This will find the lowest point of your surface model.
 Enter the DWL height relative to the current zero point:
For example: when your baseline is at -0.85 m and your draft is 0.5 m then you
should enter -0.35 m.
 Press the Set to DWL button to set the Fwd perpendicular to the DWL.
 Press the Set to DWL button to set the Aft perpendicular to the DWL.
Alternatively you can manually update the Aft perpendicular to eg the rudder stock
location if needed.
 Click OK
Please note that your Frame of Reference position values are dependent on the location
of the zero point and changes when Setting the Zero Point will affect the Frame of
Reference.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Setting the Zero Point

The zero point is the reference point that all measurements are taken from. You may
choose the position of the longitudinal zero coordinate by selecting from the available
options:
Forward Extremity.
The forward most point of all existing surfaces.
Forward Perpendicular.
This is specified in the Frame of Reference dialog where it may be automatically
positioned at the intersection of the design waterline with the bow.
Amidships.
Midway between the fore and aft perpendiculars.
Aft Perpendicular.
This is specified in the Frame of Reference dialog where it may be automatically
positioned at the intersection of the design waterline with the stern.
Aft Extremity.
The aft most point of all existing surfaces.

The vertical position of the Zero Point may be set to the Datum Waterline or to the
Baseline. The positions of the forward and aft perpendiculars, Datum Waterline and
Baseline are all specified in the Frame of Reference dialog.

The forward and aft extremities are recalculated every time you change the design. If you
have used either of these points to define the longitudinal position of the zero point, then
the zero point will move as the design is changed unless it is locked. Even if locked, the
zero point will be recalculated if you set the frame of reference again.

The Zero point is always displayed in the Plan, Profile, Body Plan and Perspective
Windows as a small vertical cross.

When the model zero datum is moved by the user in the Frame of Reference dialog, only
the single value of the internal model zero point (x,y,z) is changed (as opposed to
moving all objects in the design). Coordinate data displayed to the user are adjusted by
this internal model zero:
user_x (longitudinal direction, positive forward) = internal_x - zero_x
user_y (transverse direction, positive starboard) = internal_y - zero_y
user_z (vertical direction, positive up) = zero_z - internal_z
Very occasionally, it is useful to be able to view the internal model zero point This is
probably only useful if you are directly accessing the Stability results database where
some of the data are stored in internal coordinates. It is possible to view the internal zero
point in the About | Sys.Info dialog and in the Frame of Reference dialog (if the Shift key
is held down when launching the dialog). The COM automation interface includes
InternalZero property (FrameOfReference) which can be used to obtain the internal zero
point.

Also see:
Modeler Coordinate System on page 27.
Setting the Frame of Reference on page 28.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Setting the Vessel Type

The vessel type: monohull, catamaran or trimaran, is defined in the Vessel Type dialog.
This additional model information is used in other programs in the Modeler suite.
Currently Resistance uses this information to define the panel arrangement for the
slender body analysis. The other programs in the Modeler suite do not use the vessel type
information yet.

You should set up the Frame of Reference and Zero Point first. Then, when the design is
finished, the Vessel Type can be setup. None of this data is changed automatically, so if
you were to increase the demihull separation of a catamaran, it would be necessary to
return to this dialog to update the data manually.

Monohull

For the monohull vessel type there is nothing more to specify other than that the vessel is
a monohull from the ‘Number of hulls’ radio items.
Catamaran

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

In the case of a catamaran, you should select the appropriate radio button and specify the
offset of the local demihull centreline. Analysis programs, such as Resistance, will use
the local demihull centreline when computing the analysis mesh for the model.
Trimaran

For trimarans, you must specify the centreline offset location of the outer hull and also
the transverse extents of the main hull. Again these data are used in analysis programs
such as Resistance. The transverse extents of the main hulls are used to clip the sections
used in the analysis programs so it is generally sufficient to only include the underwater
part of the main hull.
Setting the Windage Surfaces

Windage areas and underwater projected areas definitions have been added to the vessel
model. These data may be defined and edited in both Modeler and Stability via the
Windage Surfaces dialog in the Data menu.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Windage Surfaces dialog (Data menu)

If no Windage groups are defined, then the older system for the calculation of windage
and lateral projected underwater area is used. That is the hydrostatic sections are
projected into the transverse plane. The outer perimeter formed by joining the upper and
lower limits of these projected sections is then used to calculate both the windage area of
the hull and the underwater projected area. The zero-trim waterline at the current midship
draft is used to determine which part of the projection is underwater and which part is
windage area. Because of these limitations, the effects of vessel trim and "holes" in the
model are not accounted for by this older method. The new method overcomes these
limitations as well as adding new features.

Windage Groups
The concept of a Windage Group has been added. This groups together model surfaces
which should be treated as a single object. There are always at least two Windage Groups
and the first one defines the surfaces that should be used to calculate the underwater
lateral projected area. Individual surfaces may be included in multiple Windage Groups.
Apart from the underwater group, Windage Groups have various factors associated with
them:
 F_drag: winage drag factor; default value 1.0
 F_shield: shielding factor; default value 0.0
 F_user: a user-defined factor; default value 1.0
 Ftotal  Fdrag .1.0  Fshield .Fuser

Windage Groups may be added and deleted with the respective buttons in the dialog. The
surfaces to be included in each group are defined in selected by double clicking in the
"Surfaces" cell in the table, in a similar manner to the selection of boundary surfaces for
Tanks and Compartments.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Windage Group definition and Surface selection

The color of the Windage Profile outline can be changed in the Colors dialog; the
underwater profile is shown using the "Immersed Sections" color.

Color selection

Wind direction

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

The Windage direction specifies the projection direction used for the surfaces: 90deg.
gives a projection in the lateral plane; 0deg. gives a direction in the longitudinal plane.
Angles between 0 and 180deg are allowed since the sign of the projection vector does
not matter.

Note that to improve performance, the projected windage contour uses a fairly coarse
surface mesh. This may result in the projected windage contour not exactly
corresponding with the surface edges, but the effect on projected area and center of area
is negligible. Due to the calculation method used for the projected conoturs, it is possible
that some visual artifacts may be present but again these have negligible effect on
projected area and center of area.

Windage projections viewed in profile at 90deg (upper) and 70deg (lower)

The windage profile may be displayed in Modeler by turning on "Windage Profile" in the
Display | Contours dialog:

Modeling windage profile shape on CL

An effective way of modeling the vessel’s windage profile is as an asymmetrical trimesh

on the CL buttock plane. If you have a DXF or set of points defining the profile, this can
be achieved quite simply:

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Import the DXF or point data to Marers

Create an exact linear curve from the imported Markers

Create a planar, linear Curve from the Markers

Finally, create a trimesh from the planar curve, ensuring that the remesh option is
not selected, this ensures an exact fit to the curve points with the minimum number
of triangles, thus making the calculation of projected area as fast as possible:

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Generate a Trimesh from the planar Curve without remeshing

Add a Windage group and add the new Trimesh to it

Setting Units

The Units that Modeler will use to display measurement data and calculation results can
be set in the Units dialog from the Data menu.

Also see the Units section on page 415 on how unit conversion is done in Modeler.
Taking Measurements

In the design views, other than the perspective view, Modeler displays a number of co-
ordinates and measurements in the bottom-left corner of the design views:

These give you the horizontal and vertical co-ordinates of the cursor and the angle and
distance from the last clicked position. These are displayed in the current units. The
angle is measured counter-clockwise from the positive horizontal axis.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

The horizontal and vertical measurements depend on the current view: If you are in the
plan view, they will be the longitudinal and transverse co-ordinates; in the profile view,
the longitudinal and vertical co-ordinates; and in the body-plan view the transverse and
vertical co-ordinates.

Both the Profile and the Body Plan windows display a horizontal line representing the
Datum Waterline (DWL). The DWL is set using the Frame of Reference dialog in the
Data menu. It is used as the waterline for computation of all data listed in the
Calculations window, as well as the sectional area curve in the Curve of Areas window.
Setting up the Grid

Setting up the Grid - Concepts

The positions of the Sections, Waterlines, Buttocks, and Diagonals form what is called
the Grid. The grid can be displayed on any window by selecting the Grid command from
the Display menu. Elements can be added to the Grid by using the Design Grid function
from the Data menu.

The positions for each of the grid elements are stored in individual lists, which may be
selected by clicking on the labelled buttons in the top right hand corner of the Design
Grid dialog box (region 1 of the dialog in image below).

The Design Grid dialog can be divided up into the following regions:
 Select the type of grid you want to work on, i.e. Sections, Buttocks, Waterlines or
Diagonals
 Commands to Add, Delete, Sort or Space the grid type selected in 1
 Displays the current grid locations for the grid type selected in 1
 OK and Cancel to confirm or undo any changes made in the dialog

The positions of Grid elements are as follows:

Sections
Position of each section relative to the longitudinal zero point. Positive numbers
are to the right (forward), negative numbers to the left (aft) of the zero point.
Buttocks
Position of each Buttock relative to the centreline of the hull.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Waterlines
Position of each waterline relative to the vertical zero point. Positive numbers are
above, negative numbers below the zero point.
Diagonals
Two columns of figures are provided, centreline height and angle. The centreline
height is the position of the origin of each diagonal relative to the vertical zero
point. Positive numbers are above, negative numbers below the zero point. The
angle is the angle between the diagonal and the centreline as shown below. Angles
above 90 degrees will give diagonals above the centreline height.

Adding Grid Lines

To add one or more grid lines
 Select the row after which the new grid lines are to be added.
 Click the Add button.
 Enter the number of grid lines to be added to the list.

All new position fields will be initialized to zero.

The number of Grid elements is limited to the following maxima:

 1000 Stations
 100 Waterlines
 100 Buttocks
 50 Diagonals

Spacing Grid Lines

To space a group of stations along the Datum Waterline or overall length of the design,
 Click the Space button.

A dialog will appear with options for spacing the stations.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

 Select Evenly Along Datum Waterline or Evenly along the length of the model, as
desired.
 Click OK.

To space grid lines at a specific intervals

 Select From and enter the numbers of the grid lines to space

 Enter the required interval between grid lines.

 Enter a starting position to space from.
 Click OK.

You may also specify the range of grid positions by simply selecting those rows in the
Design Grid dialog. In this case, the start and finish grid lines, a default spacing and a
starting position are set up automatically.

Similar functions are available for spacing the waterlines and buttocks.
Editing Grid Lines
To edit a grid line position
 Select the cell corresponding to the position you wish to edit.
 Type in a new value.

Dimensions entered in units other than the current units are converted automatically.

Grid Labels can be specified by entering text into the first column of the table. Grid
labels are used for labelling the grid when printing or plotting, and for inclusion in the
Table of Offsets.
Sorting Grid Lines
To sort grid lines

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

 Click the Sort button.

Sorting occurs as follows:

Stations: Longitudinally.
Buttocks: Transversely.
Waterlines: Vertically.
Diagonals: Vertically - centreline height only.
Copying and Pasting Grid Lines
The Design Grid dialog allows copy and paste operations to take place on the tables of
grid names and positions. As the main menu bar is not accessible from within the dialog,
copy and paste are achieved using the standard command key equivalents, Ctrl C for
copy and Ctrl V for paste.
Deleting Grid Lines
To delete one or more grid lines
 Select the row corresponding to the last of the set of grid lines to be deleted.
 Click the delete button.
 Enter the number of grid lines to be deleted.
 Click OK.

If a range of rows is selected in the Design Grid dialog, the corresponding number of
rows is automatically set in the deletion dialog. These rows will be deleted when you
click the OK button.

Setting visibility of individual contours

Individual Sections, Waterlines, Buttocks and Diagonals can be switched on or off via a
visibility flag in the Design Grid dialog:

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Generating a Grid from Markers

If you have imported or defined markers with common longitudinal, transverse or
vertical positions, you can automatically generate a grid from these markers. The
Generate Grid from Markers command will automatically generate the grid (sections,
buttocks and waterlines) based on the marker data and also associate markers with the
correct marker station index. (See Working with Markers on page 91). Sections are
generated at the markers’ longitudinal position; buttocks at their transverse offset; and
waterlines at their vertical location:

Using the checkboxes you can select which items of the grid to generate (i.e. stations,
buttocks and waterlines). Then, using the radio buttons, you have the option of deleting
and replacing the existing grid data or adding to the existing grid data. You can also
specify how many markers must be at the same longitudinal position, transverse offset or
vertical location for a station, buttock or waterline (respectively) to be added. Finally,
you can specify a tolerance for markers to be considered at the same plane: for example
if the Marker plane separation tolerance were set to 0.001mm then markers up to 1mm
apart (in longitudinal position, transverse offset or vertical location) would be considered
to be in the same plane and the station, buttock or waterline location would be averaged.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

When Importing DXF Markers or GHS markers, Modeler can automatically generate the
grid. The section grid is generated automatically only if no existing sections are defined.
If sections are already defined then imported markers that lie within 1cm of a section will
be allocated to that section, otherwise they will be left unallocated.

Also see Displaying Contour Lines on page 44.

Drawing Settings

The Drawing Settings dialog box contains settings that aid in the drawing process. The
dialog may be accessed from the menu (Display | Drawing Settings…) or from the tool
bar button in the Data EX toolbar. Settings are grouped into the object snap settings and
the drawing grid settings:

Object snap
When drawing a curve or moving a surface via dragging the control point it is sometimes
useful to be able to snap the point exactly to an existing location, such as a marker. To
do this you can use the object snap settings. To turn object snap on you can do it via the
radio button in the drawing settings dialog or toggle it by pressing the f3 key. The f3 key
can be toggled during drag and curve creation commands. The current status of the
object snap is displayed in the bottom right hand corner of the application pane. You can
select which objects you wish to snap to by checking the boxes in the “Sanp to” section
of the drawing setting dialog box. The screen settings for how close the mouse needs to
be to an object to snap is set in the snap tolerance edit box. The tolerance is measured in
pixels and is set to 7 by default.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Drawing grid
Drawing a 3 dimensional object, such as a boat hull, in a 2 dimensional environment,
such as the computer screen, can present visualisation and manipulation problems. In
Modeler there is the concept of a drawing gird. The drawing grid comprises of three
orthogonal planes, the section plane, the waterline plane and the buttock plane. These
planes are the “depth” value on which you are currently working. For example, any
control points added in the perspective view when the drawing grid is on will be added at
the “depth” location of the grid. The grid can be switched on or off via the radio buttons
(the drawing grid may also be displayed from the Display | Grid | Show Current Drawing
Plane command from the menu). The grid depth is then set by entering values in the x, y
and z edit boxes. The x value denotes the depth of the section drawing plane, the y value
denotes the depth of the buttock drawing plane and the z value denotes the depth of the
waterplane.

The grid increment distance is set in the “Major Grid” edit box. The “Minor Grid” is the
value that a point position will be rounded to when dragged and dropped. For example if
the minor grid is set to a value of 1mm and a control point is dropped at (3.2456 m,
1.9467 m, 2.9542 m) the point will be moved to the nearest 1mm Minor Grid point i.e.
(3.246 m, 1.947 m, 2.954 m).

When the drawing plane is switched on and the perspective window is active, the most
perpendicular plane to the current view angle is displayed. To check which plane is
currently displayed you can refer to the UCS icon displayed in the bottom right hand
corner of the screen:

The two bold lines indicate the currently active plane, so for example in the above
orientation the section plane would be the current working plane. The position of the
cursor will be displayed in the bottom left of the perspective window only when the
drawing grid is displayed.

By default the drawing grid depth values are automatically snapped to the last selected
control point or marker. To turn this feature off check the “Lock Depths” option in the
dialog.
Nudge Increment
This is the value used when nudging a control point using the arrow keys. This number
should be fairly low as nuding is normally used for the final fairing of the surface. If the
ctrl key is held down when nudging there will be a 10 fold increase in the nudge
increment.
Displaying Contour Lines

Contour Lines – Concepts

Contours may be passed through your design to give greater definition of the surface. For
example, you might wish to see your design with the sections displayed at the frame
spacing you have chosen. To do this you would set the Grid to the required frame
spacing and then show the section contours for the design. The selected contours are
displayed on all visible surfaces.

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 Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Displaying Contours - Procedures

The Display | Contours option allows you to select which contours are drawn on the
screen at any given time. Any combination of contours may be chosen from the contours
dialog.

You can set the colour and thickness of of contour lines by selecting Colours and Lines
from the View menu. When drawing the contours on the surface, Modeler uses the
Precision as set in Display | Precision. See Surface Precision on page 127 for important
information on precision.

For information about inserting sections, buttocks, waterlines and more, see the Setting
up the Grid section on page 38.

You may choose to display:

Sections
When the Sections are activated, all sections will be shown in the Body Plan and
Perspective windows, otherwise only the current section will be displayed.

Shown below is a design with 100 stations auto-spaced along the Datum
Waterline.

Sections

Buttocks
Buttocks can be displayed in the Profile and Perspective windows.
Datum Waterline
The shape of the Datum Waterline will be displayed in the Perspective window.

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Chapter 4 Modeler Windows

Waterlines
Waterlines can be displayed in the Plan and Perspective windows.
Diagonals
When the Diagonals are activated, Diagonals will be displayed in the Plan, Profile
and Perspective windows. Diagonals are shown as true diagonals in all windows,
except for the Plan view where they are displayed as perpendicular projections so
that the diagonal's transverse offset in the Plan view is in fact the distance along
the diagonal from the centreline to the hull surface.

When both waterlines and diagonals are selected, the Plan will separate them with
the waterlines above the centreline and the diagonals below the centreline, in the
traditional manner.
Edges
Normally all surface edges will be displayed. However in some cases you may
wish to hide the surface edges in order to show only the sections. In this case,
turning off the Edges display will give the following result.

Bonded Edges
Show or hide all bonded edges.
Feature lines
Feature lines are created whenever sufficient control points are compacted together
to form a hard edge within the surface. To display these features, select the feature
lines option. The illustration below shows the use of a feature line to create a
knuckle in a set of bow sections.

Parametrics
Selecting Parametrics displays the parametric surface, or the surface data
calculated by Modeler from which other surface contours are derived. This view is
useful for the examination of the surface as a whole.

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Parametric lines do not lie in any particular plane and give a good indication of
any inconsistencies in surfaces that might arise due to misplaced control points.

The colour of the parametric curves may be either the colour of the surface or the
colour defined for parametric curves. Use the option in the Preferences dialog to
select which you prefer.

Intersections
Selecting Intersections calculates and highlights all intersection lines between
surfaces in the Plan, Profile, Body Plan, and Perspective windows.

The intersection line (red) of a bowthruster with the hull.

Trimming curves
Trimming curves are curves on the surface that can be used to define the
boundaries of regions used to trim the surface. Trimming curves are created in 2
ways. Either they can be projected onto the surface from a Curve, else they can be
imported from Rhino using the File | Import | .3DM Rhino file format. See
Importing Rhino .3dm files on page 358 for more information.
Inclined Sections
Structure also allows the intersection of arbitrarily inclined planes with the hull.
The resulting inclined sections can be displayed in Modeler.
Deducted Sections
These are sections, which have had the skin thickness of intersecting surfaces
deducted. Skin thicknesses are calculated perpendicular to the surface. For more
information, see Outside Arrows on page 125 and Surface Materials and Skin
Thickness on page 126.

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Selecting Contour Lines

You may select contours in the same way as you select control points (by clicking on
them or by dragging a selection box around them). Once selected, it is possible to look at
the curvature of the contour, see Displaying Curvature on Contours on page 129.

When the pointer is over a contour or surface edge, the name of the contour or edge will
be displayed in the status bar at the bottom left of the main window.
Zoom, Shrink, Pan and Home View

The Zoom, Shrink, Pan and Home View commands allow you to change the size of the
drawing in the front window.
Zooming
The Zoom function allows you to work on any part of your design by enlarging a
particular area to fill the screen.

The zoom function works in any of the Modeler drawing windows. To zoom in on a
design:
 Select Zoom from the View menu (or the keyboard equivalent Ctrl E).

A set of cross hairs will appear that follow the movements of the mouse. These are used
to set the starting position of the zoom rectangle.
 Click and drag the mouse in any direction.

The zoom rectangle will appear and grow as the mouse moves.

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 Release the mouse button.

The view contained in the zoom rectangle will be enlarged to fit the screen.

There is a limit on how far you can zoom, and you will find that after continual zooming
the image will not enlarge any further.

Note:
If, before releasing the mouse button, you decide that you do not wish to use
Zoom, or that you wish to change the starting position of the zoom
rectangle, simply return the cursor to within a few pixels of the starting
position, release the mouse button, and the cross hairs will reappear.

Shrinking
Choosing Shrink will reduce the size of the displayed image in an active drawing
window by a factor of two.

To shrink the displayed image:

 Select Shrink from the View menu
or
 Use the keyboard equivalent, Ctrl R.

Multiple shrinks may be achieved by striking key R the amount of times that you wish to
shrink while holding down the Ctrl key.
Panning
Choosing Pan allows you to move the image around within a drawing window.

To Pan an image:
 Select Pan from the View menu.

Move the arrow cursor to anywhere within the window.

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 Click and drag to a new position.

The image will move with the cursor until the mouse button is released.
Mouse Wheel Support
You can use the mouse wheel to easily zoom into and out of a design. You can use this
feature if you have a mouse with a ‘wheel’ in the centre of the mouse, i.e. Microsoft
Intellimouse or Logitech Wheelmouse.

Holding down the mouse wheel to pan is also supported.

Zooming will be directed towards the current mouse position, for example if the mouse
is above the bow zooming will be directed towards the bow.
Home View
When you select Home View a zoomed or panned image is returned to its original state.
This state may be set at any time for any combination of zooming and panning by
selecting Set Home View from the View menu.

Modeler starts up with default Home View settings, which are based on the Home Views
in use the last time the program was operated.
Saved Views

Saved Views extends the Home View existing functionality.

Home View Rotations
When setting the Home View in the Perspective window the view rotations are now
stored as well as the zoom settings. All of these settings, and those of the Saved Views
are saved to the model file.
Saved Views Dialog
In addition to the Home View for each of the view windows (Perspective, Section,
Profile, Plan and Expansion it is possible to save any number of user defined views.

The perspective angle is included in the model file Saved Views and these views are
available in all MAXSURF applications when a model file is loaded. You can select a
custom view by using the Saved Views dialog. The Saved Views for a model will be
updated when the model file is saved. Because the model file is only saved from Modeler
and Stability, changes made to the Saved Views in other applications are only temporary.

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To add, edit or delete these views open the Saved Views dialog by clicking on “Saved
Views” in the View menu. The following dialog will be displayed:

Default (bold) and Customized (rows 5, 6) Saved Views

Add Current View

To add the current view to the Saved Views list click on the Add Current View button
and it will be added to the bottom of the list with the name “View n”.
Edit a Saved View
The Title, Horizon, Centre Line, Zoom Factor and all three Angle fields are manually
editable. Changes will be saved when you press “OK”. Pressing “Cancel” will discard
your most recent changes.
Delete View
To delete a Saved View click anywhere in its row and click the Delete View button. The
Home Views for each window, shown in bold, cannot be deleted. If you have
accidentally deleted a view, click “Cancel” to exit the dialog and your most recent
changes will be discarded.
Switch View
To switch the current view to a Saved View click anywhere in the row of the view you
would like to switch to and click the Switch View button. You can only switch to a
Saved View that is in the same window that you are currently working in.

If you switch a view and then leave this dialog by clicking “Cancel” you will be
prompted if you would like to revert to the view last shown before you opened the
dialog.

Revert view dialog

Update to Current
It is possible to update the view settings (zoom and rotation) of a row/view in the table to
those of the window that you are using by clicking the Update to Current window.

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View Toolbar Saved Views combo box

Rather than having to open the Saved Views dialog when you would like to switch Saved
Views you can do so using the combo box in the View Toolbar.

View Toolbar Saved Views combo

Only the Saved Views that relate to the top window are shown.

View Windows
The Modeler application consists of a number of windows. Some windows contain tables
with design data or calculations while others allow you to view the shape of your design.
Modeler uses four of these “view windows” and each is slightly different to the other;
not only in the direction from which the window allows you to view the model, but also
in functionality. For example: in Perspective view, you can rotate and view the model in
3D whilst in the Profile view window you only get a 2D view of the side of the vessel.

In this section the different view directions and view window specific functionalities are
described:
 Body Plan Window
 Plan and Profile Windows
 Perspective Window

Body Plan Window

The body plan window displays the transverse sections as seen from aft of the model.
Starboard is on the right of the centreline and Portside on the left.

The number of sections and their longitudinal positions is specified in the Design Grid
dialog in the Data menu.

In body plan view there are a number of options to visualise the model shape
 Display all sections
 Display one section at a time and use the control box to navigate through the
sections
 Display half of the model, with or without split sections

Display All Sections

To display all the sections, simply tick the sections box in the Contours dialog in the
Display menu.

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If the stations are turned off, only the current station will be displayed in the Body Plan
and Perspective windows. In the Body Plan window the control box in the top right hand
corner is used to navigate through the sections.
Control Box
In the top right hand corner of the Body Plan window is the control box containing a
miniature view of the plan shape of all currently visible surfaces. The purpose of the
control box is to allow you to specify precisely what part of a surface you wish to view
or modify, by allowing you to select different cross sections and columns of control
points in that surface.

At the top of the control box several short vertical lines are drawn. These are the station
indicators; there is one indicator for each of the stations specified in the Design Grid
dialog.

The section marker line shows which section is currently displayed.

The “triangles” on the bottom display the control point columns for the surface you are
currently working on. The triangles are spaced evenly along the bottom of the control
box.

By selecting the triangles you select a column of control points and display the section
that is closest to that column. Alternatively, a column is made the current column of its
respective surface whenever one of its control points is selected in any of the drawing
windows.

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By clicking at the desired longitudinal position well inside the control box, the section
closest to that longitudinal position is displayed. By using the arrow keys on your
keyboard you can then scroll through the sections. The right arrow displays the next
station forward and the left arrow displays the next station aft.

Note
When the cursor is within the control box the horizontal cursor coordinate at
the bottom of the window refers to the cursor’s longitudinal position on the
plan shape.

Markers Display Options In Body Plan Window

If markers are defined, there are three display modes, chosen from the Markers sub-menu
in the Display menu:
 Hide all markers — all defined markers are invisible
 Markers for current station —only markers with the same longitudinal position as
the current station are displayed
 Show all markers — all defined markers are displayed

These display modes are particularly useful when trying to fit a surface to a table of
offsets.
Half Hull Display
The half hull display selects whether both halves of a symmetrical surface are displayed.
If half is turned on, only the starboard side of symmetrical surfaces will be displayed.

When the Half function is not activated, both sides of each symmetrical surface will be
displayed. However, when Half is activated, the Body Plan window will show either a
split section view or all sections on one side depending on whether Split Section Display
is setup correctly. The Split Section Display option is described in greater detail in the
next section.

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Note
Activating Half function changes the hull display in all view windows.

Split Section Display

The Split Section Display affects the way in which sections are displayed in the Body
Plan window; if enabled, aft sections are displayed on the left and forward sections on
the right.

The Split Section Display option is only enabled when the half hull display is turned on.
If Split Section Display is chosen for any surface, it will be displayed with the forward
side of the hull on the right of the centreline and the aft half of the hull on the left. The
split section option is specified independently for each surface in the surface's Properties
dialog and the Surfaces window.

If Split Section Display is not chosen, all stations will be drawn over half of the hull on
the right hand side of the centreline.
Defining Section Splitting
It is possible to specify at which section the body plan view will be split using a column
in the Design Grid titled Split. Clicking in this column selects the station where the
displayed station will change side in the Body Plan window.

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The Control box in the body plan window will be drawn with the sections staggered to
show where the split has been placed:

Plan and Profile Windows

Plan Window
The plan window displays the model as seen from below, with Starboard above the
centreline and Portside below.
Profile Window
Displays the hull as seen as seen from the Starboard side, with the bow to the right of the
screen.
Compress Function
By choosing Compress it is possible to foreshorten the display of the design in the Plan
and Profile windows. This foreshortened display is valuable for fairing long slender hulls
on screen.

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The vertical axis is expanded relative to the longitudinal axis by a factor of four.
Perspective Window

Perspective Window – Concepts

The Perspective window is bordered by three sliders containing pointers that control the
rotation of the displayed design. The model is rotated by dragging the sliders to the
desired angle. The zero position for each ruler is at its centre and markers are given at
10°. The sliders also have elongated markers at 30° intervals. You may rotate the design
in the Perspective window within the following limits:

Yaw ± 180°
Pitch ± 180°
Roll ± 180°

The view direction sliders have several special features listed below:
 Left-clicking in an empty part of the slider with move the slider thumb one degree
towards the mouse; you can hold the left mouse button down for the model to
slowly rotate as the slider thumb moves towards the mouse position.

Mouse left-click or left-button-held-down in slider: thumb moves towards mouse

 Left-double-clicking on the slider thumb will move the thumb to the nearest 15
degree position

Mouse left-double-click on slider thumb: snap to nearest 15 deg. position

 Shift-left-double-clicking on the slider thumb will move the thumb to the zero
degree position

Mouse shift-left-double-click on slider thumb: snap to zero deg. Position

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The view may be rotated about the three major axes using the slider controls located on
the sides and bottom edge of the window. The model is first rotated around the yaw axis,
then pirch and finally roll. This can lead to ‘gimbal lock’ when the pitch angle is +/- 90.
In this situation a degree of freedom is lost because the yaw rotation axis is aligned with
the roll rotation axis

Slider for rotations around main axes

Virtual trackball view orientation control (for explanation only; not shown on screen)

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Rotation about an arbitrary axis can be effected using the Virtual Trackball (either via the
View | Rotate menu; Ctrl+Q shortcut or shift+middle mouse button). Conceptually you
click on a point projected onto a virtual trackball sphere located at the centre of the
screen and drag point on the sphere to another location. The rotation is about an axis is
normal to the two vectors connecting the click-down and click-up points on the sphere to
the centre of the sphere; the angle of rotation is the angle. It should be remembered that
the virtual sphere is used only to determine the rotation axis and angle, the rotation
always occurs about the same point located roughly at the centre of the model.

The Virtual Trackball can exhibit some slightly unexpected behavior if the path between
the click-down and click-up points crosses the sphere boundary. To effect rotations about
the axis perpendicular to the screen, it is best to click and drag outside the sphere (ie near
the edges of the window); for rotations about axes in other directions, click and drag
fairly close to the window centre.
Rotate
Whilst the view direction can be changed using the sliders on the left, right and bottom
of the window, some users may find it more convenient to use the Rotate command.

The Rotate function in the view menu activates the Rotate command, which is a virtual
trackball, which lets you freely rotate a design in the perspective view.

After selecting the Rotate tool, move the mouse to a location in the Perspective window
and press the left mouse button. With the left button depressed, you can rotate the image
by dragging the mouse around and the rotation is performed by projecting the
movements onto a virtual sphere on the screen – essentially like a virtual trackball.
Generally speaking, moving the mouse left and right rotates about a vertical axis while
moving the mouse up and down rotates about a horizontal axis. The Rotate mode is
exited when the left button is released.

The rotate function may also be initialised via the mouse. Hold the shift key down while
pressing the middle mouse button to rotate the model.
View rotation centre auto update
The centre about which the view rotates in the perspective view can be made to update
automatically so that it is always approximately about the middle of the window. This
means that when you are focused in on a part of the vessel near the bow, then when
rotating, the vessel will rotate about a point which maintains the bow on the window.
The rotation point is updated automatically by projecting a point in the middle of the
window onto the vessel centerline plane. The projection direction used depends on the
view orientation and is in the longitudinal, transverse or vertical direction, which ever is
closest aligned with the current view direction.

To enable this automatic movement of the rotation centre use the command in the View
menu (with the Perspective window active) or the Ctrl+0 (zero) shortcut.

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View | Auto (update) Rotation Center command

When rotating the model you will see the rotation centre and orientation icon. (The
rotation center may be dislayed permanently; the Ctrl+9 shortcut is used to toggle the
permanent display)

Rotation centre icon is visible during rotations with sliders or virtual trackball

Perspective camera angle (field of view angle)

The perspective camera angle (field of view angle) can be changed; the default value is
20 degrees. An angle of zero will produce an isometric view without any perspective
distortion whilst an angle of 130 degrees will produce a fish-eye view with a high degree
of perspective distortion. You can change the value in the View | Perspective dialog:

View | Perspective (options) dialog

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The default perspective angle is stored as a common preference for all MAXSURF
applications and the value may only be changed in Modeler (as described above). This is
the default value that will be used when creating new models or when loading older
model files. From version 23.03 onwards, the model file includes the perspective angle
along with the other view settings, and the value in the model file will override the
previous default value.
Moving and manipulating mode objects in Perspective view
As it is not possible to uniquely determine a three-dimensional coordinate from a two-
dimensional screen position, Modeler limits movement of control points to a particular
plane. It does this by determining which plane is most perpendicular to the direction of
view, and only allows movement in that plane. You will see an axis indicator in the
lower right corner of the window showing the current plane of movement.

For example, if the bow of the hull was pointing almost towards you, the sections plane
would be most perpendicular, and points could be moved in the same plane as they could
be in the Body Plan window (i.e. transversely and vertically, but not longitudinally).

In the perspective view, the control point constrain function (holding the Shift key whilst
dragging the control point) constrains movement to longitudinal, transverse or vertical
motion in the design's co-ordinate system (not the screen's horizontal and vertical
directions).

An axis indicator is shown in the bottom right of the screen. This indicates the orientaton
of the main model axes in reference to the screen. The ‘most normal’ plane (the plane in
which objects will be manipulated) is shown by the two axes which have the higets
saturation (the pale axis is the one which is most perpendicular to the screen in the
current model orientation).

Axis indicator (wireframe and rendered) ‘Stbd’ and ‘Up’ are saturated (‘Fwd’ is pale) so active working plane is
equivalent to working in Body-Plan view

Also see:
Rendering a Surface on page 130.

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Part Window

The Part window displays a 2D view of each part. You can select different surface
contour lines to be displayed in the Part window. This may be helpful when exporting
plate parts.

The Part window acts differently depending on the part that is displayed.
 When frames are displayed, the grid may also be displayed behind the frame.
 When plates are displayed, the Part toolbar will enable you to select different plate
views. Also see: Plate Displays on page 340.
Up/Left and Down/Right arrow keys can be used to move back and forth between parts
in the Part window.

When exporting from the Part window, there is an option to Copy All Parts. Each part
will be placed on a separate layer in the DXF file named with the part's name.

Also see:
Exporting Parts on page 344

Tool Panes
Modeler has two Tool Panes to help you manipulate and organise your model more
efficiently.
 Assembly Pane
 Properties Pane
Assembly Pane

The Assembly Pane adds the ability to organise surfaces into groups (or: “assemblies”)
and a quick access to surface related commands and settings such as visibility, locking
and trimming through a right click menu. Grouping surfaces enables you to change the
settings for several surfaces with one right click action.

The Assembly Pane in Modeler can be in different states:

 Floating
 Docked
 Pinned – Auto Hide
 Hidden

Floating Docked Pinned -

Auto Hide

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Opening the Assembly Pane

The Assembly Pane may be brought to the front by selecting View | Assembly Pane,
pressing F2, or using the button on the view toolbar.

The Assembly Pane contains a tree view of the surface hierarchy. This pane can be
docked into the application window, or floating above it.
Docking the Assembly Pane
To dock a floating Assembly Pane, simply left click on the top window border and drag
it onto any of the stickers that appear.

Drag the Assembly Pane onto the sticker to dock it.

When the Assembly Pane is docked, this process can easily be reversed to switch back to
a Floating Assembly Pane. Simply select the top border of the docked window and drag
it to any location on the screen.

Tip: when the Assembly Pane is docked, you can use the “Tile Horizontal” or “Tile
Vertical” commands from the Windows menu to automatically fill the rest of the window
with your favourite working windows.
Pinning or Auto Hiding the Assembly Pane
You can change the Assembly Pane from Docked to Pinned or Auto Hide and visa versa
by clicking on the Pin icon on the top right of the window.

When the Assembly Pane is in the Auto Hide state, it will automatically hide itself to the
outside of the screen if it is not being used. To show the dialog again, simply move your
mouse cursor over the bar on the side of the screen (or click on it) and it will appear.
Editing Surfaces and Assemblies
The tree view has full support for inline editing, so names of assemblies and surfaces can
be changed easily simply by slowly clicking twice on the name. Surfaces properties can
also be edited by double clicking on the name, which then brings up the Surface
Properties dialog box. You can also right-click on any item in the tree to modify it via
context sensitive menus. Further, a surface’s properties may be edited by double clicking
on the surface name in the Assembly Pane.

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Drag and Drop

You can move a surface into an assembly by dragging and dropping the surface icon in
the tree onto the assembly. You can move an assembly into another assembly in the same
way.

You can repeat this process as required to create any arrangement of assemblies you may
require.
Context Sensitive Menus
Right clicking on an item in the tree view brings up a menu with commands for that item.

For surfaces this context sensitive menu contains:

Add Assembly Adds a new assembly

Rename Renames the currently selected surface or assembly
Show/Hide Shows or Hides the currently selected surface
Lock/Unlock Locks or unlocks the currently selected surface
Show Intersecting Shows only surfaces that intersect with the currently
Surfaces selected surface(s).
Trimming Modify trimming on the currently selected surface, see
Trimming Surfaces on page 150.
Properties Shows Surface Properties Dialog for the current surface

Assembly Pane – Context Sensitive Menu for Surfaces

For assemblies this context sensitive menu contains:

Add Adds a new assembly, with the same parent as the
current assembly
Delete Deletes the currently selected assembly
Rename Renames the currently selected assembly
Show / Hide Shows or Hides all surfaces that belong to the currently
selected assembly, including any surfaces belonging to
sub-assemblies of this assembly.
Show Only Shows only the selected assembly items. All remaining
assembly items are hidden.
Lock / Unlock Locks or Unlocks all surfaces that belong to the
currently selected assembly, including any surfaces

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belonging to sub-assemblies of this assembly.

Surface Icons in Assembly Pane
Icons are used next to each item to show its current state – i.e. unlocked/locked,
visible/hidden, and also for assemblies, i.e. collapsed/expanded. Icons allow you to see at
a glance what state a surface is in at any time. The tick icon indicates that the surface is
visible; the padlock icon indicates that the surface is locked.

Also see: Properties Pane.

Properties Pane

Properties Pane – Concepts

The Properties Pane allows you to manipulate properties of the currently selected item in
the view windows.
Opening the Properties Pane
The Properties Pane can be shown by selecting Properties from the View menu, or
pressing the F3 function key on your keyboard.
Properties Pane Options
The Properties Pane works very similar to the Assembly Pane in the way that it can be
floating, docked or set to auto hide. The Assembly Pane and the Properties Pane can also
be docked together into one pane (one above the other or side by side) or as tabbed panes
behind each other.

Regular docking and floating options for Properties Pane;

same as for the Assembly Pane.

When you drag the Properties Pane on top of the docked Assembly Pane, you will see
the following:

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Properties Pane docking position:

1: Above Assembly Pane
2: To the right of Assembly Pane
3: Below Assembly Pane
4: To the left of Assembly Pane
5: To the left of Assembly Pane as a separate
pane
6: Underneath the Assembly Pane into a tabbed
pane.

Properties Pane docking in the same area as the Assembly Pane has different options.

Closing the Properties Pane

The Properties Pane can be closed by clicking on the cross in the top right of the Pane.

Closing when docked Closing when floating

Working with the Properties Pane

The Properties Pane can be used to view and modify the properties of the following
objects:

Object Selection method

Surfaces Assembly Pane and rendered Perspective view
One single surfaces can be selected at any time
Control Points Multiple control points selection from any view window
Markers Multiple control points selection from any view window

Single object selected

The image below shows a single control point selected in Perspective view. The
Properties Pane can be divided up into two areas that show the following:
1. The object selected. In this case the row 1, column 4 control point on the
Bullwark_Trim surface.
2. The properties of the object selected.
a. Some fields are greyed out which means they are read-only and cannot be
edited. For example, in case of a control point object, these are the
Surface that the control point belongs to and the row and column
numbers.

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b. The fields that can be edited are the position and the weight of the control
point. For example, you can move the control point fwd to 55 m by
simply selecting the Long Pos. value field and typing 55. The position of
the control point will be updated in the view windows as soon as you hit
enter or click outside of the Long Pos. value field.

The Properties of the selected control point are listed in the Properties Pane on the left.

Multiple Control Points Selected

The image below shows multiple control points selected. The Properties Pane now
allows you to modify the properties of the entire selection, or select one particular object
to be modified individually using the drop down in area 1.

When multiple control points have been selected, you can modify the properties of
the selection or switch to individual control points using the drop down.

Only values that are the same for all selected objects are shown in area 2 in the
Properties Pane. For example: all selected control points in this image share a control
point weight 1.

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You can modify the properties of a group of control points in a selection by typing in the
value fields. For example, if you would like all control points to move to a Long Pos. of
60 m, you can simply type 60 in the Long Pos. field and all control points will move as
soon as you hit enter or click outside the field.

Selecting, viewing and modifying the properties of surfaces and markers works in much
the same way.

Note
You can not select more than one surface simultaneously.

Also see: Assembly Pane.

Table Windows
There are several windows in Modeler and other programs in the Modeler suite that
display tabulated data.

This section will first discuss the generic features available when working in Table
windows in the Modeler suite and then discuss the following specific Table windows
available in Modeler:
 Control Points Window
 Markers Window
 Surfaces Window
 Offsets Window
 Structure Windows
Table Windows – General

This section describes general features of tables in the Modeler suite.

Display Area
Using the scroll bars on the right and bottom-right of the window changes the displayed
area. These will disappear if the whole table is visible. In addition, it is possible to use
the zoom and shrink functions to increase or reduce the size of the table.
Selection
There are a number of ways of selecting data from the tables. You may wish to select
data for copying or pasting to or from another application.
Single Cell
A single cell is selected simply by clicking once in the cell. The selected cell will be
highlighted with a bold outline:

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Single Row
A single row is selected by clicking once in the grey, row number cell in the left-most
column. The selected row will be highlighted by making the background black and the
text white:

Single Column
A single column is selected by clicking once in the grey, column-heading cell in the top-
most row. The selected column will be highlighted by making the background black and
the text white:

Contiguous Rows and Columns

Contiguous rows or columns are selected by clicking in the grey, row number cell or the
grey, column heading cell and dragging the mouse over the other rows or columns to be
selected. Alternatively, you may click in the first row or column header and then click in
the final row or column header with the Shift key depressed. All the columns between,
and including, the first and last will be selected. You may also use the scroll bars if you
use the second method.

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Block of Cells
A rectangular block of cells may be selected by clicking and dragging over the cells to be
selected. Alternatively you may click in the first cell and then click in the final cell with
the Shift key depressed. You may also use the scroll bars if you use the second method.

Complete Table
The complete table may be selected simply by clicking in the blank, grey, top-left cell:

Sizing Columns
The width of the columns may be adjusted by two different methods. In either case, the
column widths will be save when you exit the program. When you re-start the program,
the saved column widths will be re-loaded.

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Dragging
The column widths may be adjusted by placing the cursor over the line between the two
columns, in the greyed column heading area. The cursor will chance to a re-sizing cursor
and the column may now be re-sized by clicking and dragging the line to the new desired
position. The column to the left will be adjusted. You may re-size several columns
together by first selecting a group of columns and then adjusting the width of any of
them. When you release the mouse, all the selected columns will be re-sized.
Size to Text
Alternatively, the column widths may be sized according to the width of the text
displayed in the column's header. To do this, select the columns to be re-sized and then
right-click in one of the grey header cells of one of the selected columns. Select Size
Column/s to text from the context menu:

Customizing the Display

In some tables the format of the displayed data may be customised. In most tables it is
possible to hide columns and sort rows. Some programs also have additional features, for
further details of these additional functions please see the documentation for the relevant
program.
Column Hiding
To hide a column or selection of columns, select the columns and right-click in one of
the grey header cells of one of the selected columns. Choose Hide Column/s from the
context menu:

To unhide the columns, select the columns on each side of the hidden columns, right
click and choose Show Column/s:

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If all the columns are hidden, right-click in the top-left grey cell and choose Show All
Columns from the menu:

Row Sorting
The rows may be sorted according to the data in a particular column. Right-click in the
grey header row of the column you wish to sort by, then select Sort Rows ascending or
Sort Rows descending as required. To return the rows to their original order, right-click
anywhere in the grey column header row and select Unsort Rows
Font
The font used in the table may be changed using the Font command in the View menu.
Editing
There are several tools which aide editing data in a table. These are described in greater
detail below.
Typing
Data may be typed in a cell by clicking in the cell and typing in the new data. This will
overwrite the original entry in the cell. If you wish to edit the data in a cell, double-click
to place the cursor at the position in the cell where you wish to start typing. Once editing,
you can use the mouse to move the cursor by clicking once at the new insertion point or
you can use the left and right cursor keys. If you wish to select certain characters in the
cell, click and drag the mouse over the characters to be selected, these will be highlighted
with a blue background and white text.

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Copy
The entire contents of a cell or group of cells may be copied to the clipboard for pasting
into another application or Modeler table. Select the cells to be copied and choose Copy
from the Edit menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Ins.

If a group of cells have been selected, they will be copied in tab delimited format which
enables direct pasting into applications such as MS Excel.

Note
Use Ctrl+Shft+C to include the table column-headings.

Paste
Data may be pasted from other tables or other applications such as MS Excel. Once the
data has been copied, select the top-left cell of the area you wish to paste the data into.
Choose Paste from the Edit menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V or Shift+Ins.

Make sure the table you are pasting into contains more or an equal number of rows and
columns as the table you copied the data from.
Fill Down
The data from a cell, or group of cells, may be copied into the cells below it. Select the
group of cells you wish the new data to be copied into; include also the cells which
contain the data you wish to fill down with. Right-click and select Fill Down or use the
keyboard shortcut Ctrl+D.

Selection and data before Fill Down

Modified data after Fill Down

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Fill Right
In a similar manner, data may be filled to the right using the Fill Right command:

Selection and data before Fill Right

|
Modified data after Fill Right

Multiple Tables
The tables used in the Modeler suite are similar to the Worksheets in MS Excel. Just like
in Excel, you can switch between tables by clicking on the tab of the desired table at the
bottom of the window (if there are multiple tables available in that window). Use the
scroll arrows in the bottom left hand corner to view more tabs. The scroll bar on the
bottom right is used to scroll through the currently displayed table.

Example of multiple tables in one window (from Stability).

Control Points Window

The Control Points window allows the user to specify the control point positions directly
using the keyboard rather than by using the mouse in one of the design windows.
Whenever the Control Points window is selected the highlighted row is that of the
current control point in the Current Surface.

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Only the control points of visible surfaces will be displayed. Those of locked, visible
surfaces will be displayed in grey and cannot be edited. Only the control points of
unlocked, visible surfaces can be changed.

The position, offset and height of a control point may be edited by selecting the relevant
cell. It is also possible to copy and paste data from other applications such as
spreadsheets. You may select rows, columns, the whole window, or an individual cell by
using the mouse.

The Surface, Column, and Row columns are not editable. The Surface column displays
the surface name as specified in the Properties dialog. The Column and Row columns
specify the row and column numbers in the same order as their position in the net.
Editing Control Points
To edit a control point position numerically
 Select the control point you wish to edit.
Select the control point from any of the drawing windows.
 Select the Control Points window.
 Scroll through the list.
The selected control point will be highlighted.
 Edit the control point position.

Note:
Addition and deletion of control point rows and columns may not be
performed in the Control Points window. To add and delete rows use the
Add and Delete functions from the Controls menu in their respective
drawing windows.

Setting Control Point Display format

In the Control Points window it is possible to view the points listed by row then column
or by column then row. This is achieved by setting the Row then Column or the Column
then Row items in the Preferences dialog (in the View menu).

This is an advantage when you wish to paste a single row of data into a surface such as in
the case of an airfoil section being imported from a spreadsheet. In other cases you may
wish to paste only a single column of data.

Alternatively, you may sort the data by any column by right clicking in that column's
header and selecting from the pop-up context menu. Or you may sort in ascending order
by double clicking the column's header.

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Synchronization of Control Points and Design windows

Single control points selected in the design view are selected in the Control Points table
and control points selected in the Control Points table will be selected in the design
views. This can make it easier to verify visually which control point is which.
Markers Window

See section on Working with Markers.

Curves Window

The curves window provides quick and flexible access to all the curves’ properties.

Column hiding and sorting may be used in this window and this may be used to reduce
the size of the window. This window may then be used as a very convenient way of
turning on and off the visibility and locking of curves in a complicated design. Copy,
Paste and Fill down may also be used in this table.
Surfaces Window

As with the curves window, the surfaces window provides quick and flexible access to
all the surfaces' properties.

Column hiding and sorting may be used in this window and this may be used to reduce
the size of the window. This window may then be used as a very convenient way of
turning on and off the visibility and locking of surfaces in a complicated design. Copy,
Paste and Fill down may also be used in this table.
Offsets Window

The Offsets window allows you to view the offsets for a design. Offsets are found for the
given station (or: section) as set in the Design Grid dialog from the Data menu.

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The offsets are displayed for one station at a time. See the Displaying Offsets section for
instructions on how to change this display.
Calculating Offsets
To calculate offsets
 Select the Offsets window.
 Select Calculate Offsets from the Data menu.

A dialog will appear allowing you to choose whether or not to include skin thickness
deduction and/or to automatically create a table of markers from the calculated offset
points.

Offsets calculation may take some time depending on the number of surfaces and grid
lines in use. Offsets are sorted by station position.

Note:
If your model contains bonded edges and you would like these to be
included in the offsets calculation, you have to make sure the bonded edges
are visible. Same for feature lines to calculate offsets at the position of a
knuckle.

Skin Thickness Deduction for Offsets

Offsets can be calculated after deducting the skin thickness. The skin thickness is
deducted on a surface-by-surface basis. In order to ensure this is done correctly please
check the following:

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 Thickness specification of each surface

 Thickness direction of each surface, see Surface Materials and Skin Thickness.
 Outside Arrows direction of each surface

If you have chosen to deduct skin thickness, Modeler will add or deduct that thickness
perpendicular to the surface at each point on the hull, so that areas of the hull that are not
parallel to the centreline will be correctly calculated.

Where an offset is for an edge or feature line, the following rules apply:
Edges
Skin thickness is taken along the surface perpendicular at the edge, rather than
along a waterline, buttock or diagonal. An example of this would be for a sheer
line, where the topside was not vertical, with the resulting offset higher than the
original point. Builders should be made aware that the height specified does not
correspond to the height of the sheer line.

Feature lines
Offsets at feature lines such as knuckles and chines within a surface are taken at
the intersection of the projection of the deducted surface, rather than on a radius
around the feature point.
Displaying Offsets
To display different pages of the offset table:
 Choose Go To Offset… from the Data menu

 Enter the number of the station whose offsets you wish to view.
 Click OK

The Offsets window will change to display the offsets for the station requested.
Copying Offsets
Offsets may be copied for transfer to other programs. To do this

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 Click in the top left hand corner of the Offsets table.

This selects and highlights the entire Offsets window for copying.
 Select Copy from the Edit menu.

Switch to your word processor or spreadsheet and choose Paste.

Customizing Offsets
Once a table of Offsets has been calculated in Modeler, it is possible to customize the
names used for waterlines, buttocks, diagonals, feature lines and edges. Simply type the
text required into the required cell in the Offsets window. These names will be used
when the table of offsets is printed or written to a file.
Writing an Offsets File
It is also possible to write out a text file of the complete table of offsets. This can be read
directly into other programs such as word processors or spreadsheets. To do this
 Make sure the Offsets window is in front.
 Select Save Offsets from the File menu.
 Specify a name for the offsets file and click on the save button.

The offsets will be saved in a TEXT file of that name and may be opened by any word
processor or spreadsheet.
Part Window

The menu items for the tables in the Data window appear in the Window menu.
Stringers table
Stringer names and stringer properties can be edited in the Stringer table in the Data
window.
Stringer points table
Stringer points names and associated properties can be altered in the Stringer Point table.
Girths are displayed in the table of stringer points.
Upstands table
Upstands are sorted by frame and girth in the Upstand table.

Upstand girth locations and girth spacing’s are displayed in the Upstand table.
Frames table
Frame names, positions and limits can be edited in the Frame table in the Data window.

Frames may be selected by highlighting the corresponding rows in the Frames table. You
may then recalculate or delete these selected frames.
Decks table
Deck names, positions(heights) and limits can be edited in the Deck table in the Data
window.
Plates table
Plate names and properties can be edited in the Plate table in the Data window.

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Plates may be selected by highlighting the corresponding rows in the Plates table. You
may then recalculate or delete these selected plates.
Plate Dimensions table
The diagonal dimensions of plates are displayed in the Plate Dimensions table.
Pin Jig table
Heights and edge distances for all the pins in the jig can be viewed in this table. The pin
jig information is displayed for the plate currently being viewed in the Part window.
Parts table
The Parts provides weight, area, CG and perimeter information of the calculated parts as
well as a summary total for the design. Perimeter and area values for Stringers refer to
the perimeter and area of the stringer web.
The weight of a stringer is calculated

Note
The weight, area and perimeter information for parts on symmetrical
surfaces will display the values for both sides combined. The CG however
will be for one side of the vessel.

Graph Windows
There are several windows in Modeler and other programs in the Modeler suite that
display Graph data. The Graph Windows - General section discusses generic features of
graph windows in the Modeler suite. You can also find specific information on how to
select different view options for the Curve of Areas Window.
Graph Windows - General

Data Interpolation
Data may be read off the graph by clicking on the curve of interest. A slider is then
displayed which may be dragged along the curve. The abscissa and ordinate are
displayed in the bottom-left corner of the window.
Graph data
The graphed data in any graph can be displayed in tabulated format by double clicking
on the graph. This can be used to obtain the sectional area curve data for example. The
complete set of data can be copied by right clicking on the top left grey cell to select the
entire table, then selecting copy from the menu. If you wish the Copy operation to
include the column headings, hold down the Shift key at the same time as you select the
Copy command. The dialog may also be resized to best display the tabulated data.

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Graph legend
A graph legend may me displayed in the various graph windows. Right click in the graph
view to obtain the context-menu that gives the various display options:

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Scaled graph printing

You can specify whether a graph should be printed to a scale (to facilitate taking
measurements from the graph). Holding down the Shift key while selecting Print from
the File menu, or using the toolbar button will display the following dialog. Answering
“Yes”, will mean that the graph is scaled so that one grid unit is a sensible number of
centimetres or inches: either 1, 2, 2.5 or 5. The use of centimetres or inches will depend
on whether the units used for length are metric or imperial. The setting will be
remembered once the selection has been made; to change the setting, hold down the shift
key again when selecting print to display the dialog. Choosing “No” will cause the graph
to be printed filling the page and is the default behaviour.

Scaled print dialog if length units are metric

Curve of Areas Window

When a design is open the Curve of Areas window may be used to determine the
Sectional Area Curve for the current datum waterline.

The form of Sectional Area Curve displayed may be chosen in the Preferences dialog in
the View menu.

Three choices exist:

 Section Area.
Graphs sectional area against longitudinal position from the zero point.
 Section Area / Maximum Section Area.
Graphs sectional area normalised by maximum sectional area to allow the
comparison of sectional area curves from different designs of similar
displacement.
 Section Area / Volume.
Graphs sectional area normalised by volume2/3. This allows the comparison of
sectional area curves of designs with different displacements.

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The Sectional Area Curve is made up from a number of sectional areas. Most are spaced
equally along the datum waterline with additional half stations at each end. You can
specify the number of sections used to display the curve by choosing the appropriate
Sectional Area Curve Stations button in the Preferences dialog.

To display sectional area values along the curve, simply click on the movable crosshair
and move it to the required position. The station position and current value for the curve
will be displayed in the bottom left hand corner of the window.

Calculations Window
Modeler has two ways of performing calculations on the model:
 Calculations from the Data menu
 Calculations in the Calculations Window

In this section the Calculations window will be discussed. For more information on the
calculations available from the data menu, see the calculations section.

In the Calculations window, Modeler is capable of evaluating calculations entered by the

user and solving them in a form much like a simple programming language. These
calculations may be simple arithmetic expressions, or may include variables that are pre-
calculated by Modeler. Formulae, together with relevant comments, are displayed on the
left, with the result of each calculation displayed in the second column. You can also add
comments (e.g. units of the result) in the right hand column.

Note:
- Although the calculations window allows user customisable calculations,
more accurate results can be achieved by using the calculations from the
data menu. This is recommended in case there is no need for customised
calculations.

- The calculations sheets provided with Modeler are examples only. They
should be checked thoroughly before use in your office, and your attention
is drawn to the conditions of use outlined in the disclaimer at the front of
this manual. Also ensure that you are using the Calculation sheet consistent
with your current Units setting.

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Expressions

Expressions use standard arithmetic notation and are evaluated based on the level of
precedence of their operators, and their left to right ordering. Precedence levels
determine the order of computation of expressions. For example, a multiplication (level
three) would be computed before an addition (level four). The operators and their
precedence levels are:

() PARENTHESES Level one

^ EXPONENTIATION Level two
*, MULTIPLICATION, DIVISION Level three
/
+, ADDITION, SUBTRACTION Level four
-
Statement Syntax

Syntax for each statement should be similar to the following:

Built-in Variables

Built-in variables contain information about the volume enclosed by the surfaces being
designed, and the plane specified by the Datum Waterline (DWL). Once the DWL has
been positioned and the Frame of Reference set up correctly, Modeler determines the
waterline length and calculates data for 13 immersed stations (stations 0 to 10, plus half
stations 0.5 and 9.5), in addition to several general variables. Station 0 is the forward-
most station and Station 10 the aft-most. The variables available to be included in
calculations are:

SPACING Immersed Station Spacing

MAXA Maximum Immersed Sectional Area
MAXB Maximum Waterline Beam
MAXD Maximum Draft
STAT0. .STAT10 Immersed Station Position
SA0 . . SA10 Immersed Sectional Area
DR0 . . DR10 Draft
WLB0 . . WLB10 Waterline Beam
IGIR0 . . IGIR10 Immersed Girth
TGIR0 . . TGIR10 Total Girth
CAH0 . . CAH10 Transverse Centre of Immersed Area
CAV0 . . CAV10 Vertical Centre of Immersed Area (above
DWL)

Half stations at 0.5 and 9.5 have the following variable names:

STAT0.5 Immersed Station Position at position 0.5

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STAT9.5 Immersed Station Position at position 9.5

Likewise for the SA, DR, WLB, IGIR, TGIR, CAH, CAV.
fields :

Note:
- The station positions used for the volumetric analysis of the hull in the
calculations are completely independent of the station positions set up by
the Design Grid function from the Data Menu. Modeler determines the
position of the STAT0 to STAT10 variables, and therefore the SPACING
variable, purely on the position of the Datum Waterline you have specified.

- The calculations performed in the Modeler calculations window use 13

sections. The Hydrostatic and Area calculations available from the data
menu use a number of sections that is dependent on the precision setting in
Modeler, where for example medium uses 50 sections. The calculation
results will be different each time a different number of sections are used.
The hull shape is approximated most accurately at highest precision (200
sections).

Built-in Functions

Built-in functions provided are:

PI Pi
SIN(x) Sine of x
COS(x) Cosine of x
TAN(x) Tangent of x
LN(x) Logarithm to base e of x
ARCTAN(x) ArcTangent of x
SQRT(x) Square root of x
Calculation Units

Calculations are solved in the current units as set by the Units function in the Data Menu.
Please ensure that any expressions used are correct for the units in use.
Solving Calculations

To open and solve an existing calculations sheet

 Select the Calculations window.
 Select Open Calculations from the File Menu.
 Select a file of calculations to open from the disk. (Samples are provided in the
Modeler\Calcs directory.)
 Click Open and the calculations sheet will be opened and displayed in the
calculations window.
 Choose Solve Calculations from the Data menu.
A dialog appears that allows you to specify a longitudinal range over which to perform
calculations. The dialog will have the Use current DWL option selected. If you click the
OK button, calculations will proceed using the current waterline length of the hull.

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If, however, you select the Set range option and specify new fore and aft limits for the
analysis, the calculations performed when you click OK will be restricted to this zone of
the hull. The Simpson's stations created by Modeler are displayed on the screen as a
visual check. Note that calculations using Simpson’s stations are approximate. While
these are usually sufficient for initial design checks, for accurate calculations you should
use Stability, which uses more accurate integration and allows a much larger number of
stations to be used.

Note: When you are setting the range you may refer to stations on the grid directly by
typing S followed by the number of the station you want. For example, if S3 is typed in,
the longitudinal position for Station 3 of the grid will be automatically substituted.
When you click OK, Modeler will evaluate the arithmetic expressions in each statement
of the calculation window and calculate the result, which is displayed in the second
column.

Modeler also assigns the result to the variable name on the left, so that the result may be
referred to in later statements.

If a division by zero has been found, NAN (not a number) will be displayed in the results
column. If there is an error in your entered expressions, an error message will be
displayed. Locate and correct the error and solve again to continue.

You may insert comments into your calculations by preceding a comment line with a $
symbol. This line will then be ignored by the calculations routines.

There is no practical limit to the size of the calculations sheet that can be solved. To
enable you to see all of a large sheet of calculations you may use the scroll bar on the
right hand side of the Calculations window.
Saving Calculations

To save a calculations sheet

 Select the Calculations window.
 Select Save Calculations or Save Calculations As from the File menu.

If you choose Save As you will be prompted to enter a name for the new calculations
sheet.

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Modeler Settings
Modeler has a number of settings that give you control over how the program operates
and displays results:
 Modeler Preferences
 Colour and Font
Modeler Preferences

Modeler has a number of global preferences, which affect how the program works. These
may be changed by selecting Preferences from the Edit menu.

The different settings are described below:

Control Point Size
The control point size may be set to either: huge (6 pixels), large (4 pixels), or
small (2 pixels).
Graph Type
The Sectional Area Curve graph may be set to be a filled graph, a line graph, or a
graph made up of discrete data points.
Sectional Area Curve Type
The sectional area curve may be set to graph:

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 Section Area.
 Section Area / Maximum Section Area.
 Section Area / Volume2/3.
Control Point Window Column Ordering.
In the Control Points window it is possible to view the points listed by row then
column or by column then row. The reason for doing this is to simplify the pasting
of single rows or columns into the Control Points window.
Sectional Area Curve Stations.
The sectional area curve may be set to use 25 or 39 stations or use the “auto”
setting. The “auto” setting will increase the number of sections when you increase
the Surface Precision. Medium precision uses 50 sections and highest uses 200.

For complex hulls it is better to use more stations, while for simple hulls it will be
faster to calculate fewer stations.
Refresh Options
Depending on the speed of your computer, select between: Update Frontmost
Window Only; Update All Windows or Update All Windows Dynamically. On a
slow computer, Update All Windows Dynamically may be too slow to use the
program effectively.

Curve of Areas Window Auto Update specifies whether the window is updated
every time the design is modified. If disabled the window is updated only when
the curve of areas windows gets focus. This option should only be enabled if
required as it will affect application performance.
Contour Tolerance
This value is used when computing surface contours using Highest Precision. A
lower tolerance value will give more precise contours.
Curvature Porcupine Size
This value is used to scale the curvature porcupines displayed on contours.
Outside Arrow Size
This value is used to scale the outside arrows displayed on surfaces.
No. of Undo Levels
This sets the maximum number of ‘undos’, which are stored and may be set to a
value between 2 and 100. Setting too high a value may cause your computer to
slow down since this will require considerable memory, the amount of memory
used depends on the complexity of the model.
Sub-menu Length
This sets the maximum number of items in the surfaces sub-menus before the
More Surfaces… item is displayed.
Use Surface Colour for Drawing Parametrics
The parametric surface contours may be displayed in the global parametric contour
colour or in the colour of the surface. This option can be useful for better
visualising the design and distinguishing the different surfaces.
Colour and Font

The colour and font used in the windows may be changed with the Colour and Font
commands in the View menu.

The Colour command allows you to set the colour of lines, controls, and graphs.

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Remember to always be careful when using colour. It is very easy to get carried away
with bright colours and end up with a garish display that is uncomfortable to work with.
In general it is best to use a neutral background such as mid Gray or dull blue and use
lighter or darker shades of a colour rather than fully saturated hues.

To change the colours, select Colour from the View menu.

From the scrollable list, select the item whose colour you wish to change. The item’s
current colour will be displayed on the left of the dialog. To change the colour, click in
the box and select a new colour from the palette. To change the thickness of a line select
the contour type in the list and then choose the thickness of the line from the “Thickness”
drop down control.

The colours of items in the four design views are all consistent. The colours used in the
graph window may also be changed with the colour command.

The Font command allows you to set the size and style of the text in the current window;
the font may be independently set for all the windows.

Select Font from the View menu and select the desired font, style and text size.

Auto-saved backup recovery files

Recovery files are automatically saved. These files are typically:

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They are time-stamped in the format yy-mm-dd_hh-mm-ss and located in the first folder
from the folling list which to which the user has write permission:
1. user’s temp folder (%TEMP%); typically
C:\Users\USER.NAME\AppData\Local\Temp
2. the applicaton folder; typically
C:\Program Files\Bentley\Offshore\MAXSURF CONNECT Edition Vxx
3. the user’s Documents folder; typically
C:\Users\USER.NAME\Documents
4. a folder selected by the user

The default auto-save interval is 120s. If necessary, these settings may be modified with
the following registry entries in
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Bentley\MAXSURFCommon23:
TempBackupFile_AutoBackupIntervalSeconds
TempBackupFile_DoAutoBackup

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Chapter 5 Using Modeler

The previous chapter covered a lot of the functions that are available to you when you
are working in any one of the windows. This chapter will discuss specific functions in
Modeler to manipulate the shape of the design, do calculations and work with external
data.

Working with Markers: Especially when you are planning to fit a NURB surface to a set
of data points, this is a useful section to read.

Working with Curves: The characteristics of the surfaces used in Modeler, commands
that apply to surfaces such as trimming and bonding.

Working with Control Points: Tools available for manipulating a control point or group
of control points to achieve the desired surface shapes.

Calculations: How to calculate hydrostatics, girths and surface areas in Modeler.

Surface Fitting: Extensive guide covering the different tools that Modeler offers to fit
NURB surfaces or a TriMesh surface to existing design data.

Using Parametric Transformation: Numerical modification of critical design parameters.

This function is available in Modeler Advanced only.

Input of Data: Different types and methods of input data.

Output of Data Different types and methods of output data.

Working with Markers

Markers are reference marks displayed on the screen. They may be offset data that has
originated from an existing hull or simply limiting dimensions that need to be visible
while developing a design.

See:
 Working with Markers – Concepts
 Working with Markers - Procedures
 Generating Markers for Developable Surfaces
Working with Markers – Concepts

Markers are purely graphical and have no effect on the calculation of surfaces. The
maximum number of markers you may use is 30000. In practice you will usually use
many fewer than this.

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Markers may either be read in with a design from Fitting, read directly from a text file or
by Importing DXF Markers. Markers can also be entered manually using the Add Marker
function in the Edit menu or copied and pasted into the markers table from another
application such as a spreadsheet. They are stored as three-dimensional points in space
and may be added, moved or deleted. All marker positions are stored in the design file
whenever you save a design.

Each marker can be associated with a station in your design. Usually if you are importing
markers that form the offsets of an existing design, you will set up the grid in Modeler to
match the station spacing of the original design, and then set the station number of each
marker to match its station in the offsets table. See Move Selected Markers on page 397
for information on automatically generating a grid from a set of markers.

Markers may also be associated or linked to a specific surface and location in that
surface. Once linked to a surface, the marker takes on the colour of that surface. This
function may be controlled with "Use Surface Colour for Drawing Parametrics" control
in the Edit | Preferences dialog. If this control is turned off, markers that have been
linked to a surface will be displayed in the same colour as the surface parametrics. This
is not only useful for display purposes but can also be used to Measuring Surface Error
and utilise for Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers.

Next: see Working with Markers - Procedures.

Working with Markers - Procedures

In this section:
 Displaying Markers
 Marker Selection
 Adding Markers one by one on screen, in the markers window
 Pasting Markers from Excel, paste a large number if markers from an excel
spreadsheet.
 Deleting Markers
 Modifying Markers
 Sorting Markers
 Linking Markers to a Surface
 Linking Markers to a Section
 Saving Markers
 Reading Markers Files

Also see
Marker Menu on page 397; summary of commands in Markers menu.
Generating Markers for Developable Surfaces on page 102
Surface Fitting on page 234
Trimesh Surface on page 250
Displaying Markers
To turn all markers on or off
 Select the Markers function from the Display menu.
You can choose to display all markers or no markers, or you may choose to only show
those markers whose station number is the same as the current station.

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Other Markers display features, which are designed to assist when fitting surfaces to
large Marker datasets (for example from laser scans), are available. The first is an option
to color-code the Markers by their distance from their assigned surface. Ensure that all
the markers of interest have the correct surface associated with them (Markers table, or
Markers properties); then select Measure Surface Error from the Markers menu:

Measure the distance of the Markers from their associated Surfaces.

Then in the Edit Preferences dialog, select “Show Marker Error with color gradient”

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Markers are now color-coded according to the distance from the surface (dark blue: closest; red: furthest away)

The second option is to hide markers that are below an acceptable distance from the
surface. Enter the acceptable distance in the Markers table (the fill-down option can be
convenient to do this). Then choose “Hide Acceptable Markers” from the Display |
Markers menu:

Hide Markers that are within an acceptable distance of their associated surface.

Marker Selection
In the design views, markers may be selected in a similar manner to the control points:
by simply clicking on them with the left mouse button or by dragging a box around them.
Holding down the Shift or Control key while making the selection allows you to add
more markers to the current selection or remove previously selected markers from the
selection.

Selected markers are highlighted in the highlighting colour.

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Note:
You may have to lock the surfaces to hide the control points, as selection of
control points takes precedence over selection of markers; i.e. if the drag
box contains control points, these will be selected rather than the markers.

In the Markers table, you may only make a continuous selection. However, data may be
sorted by right clicking in the column header and choosing from the pop-up menu to sort
ascending or descending based on the contents of that column. The markers may be
unsorted by right clicking in any of the column headers and selecting Unsort Rows from
the pop-up menu:

Adding Markers
To add a marker to a drawing window
 Select Add Marker from the Marker menu or use the Ctrl+M shortcut key.
A pencil cursor will be displayed.

 Click the mouse at the position of the new marker.

Use the position indicators to place the marker at the required position. The added
marker will be associated with the current station as displayed in the control box.

Markers may also be placed graphically in the Plan or Profile views. For these 2D views,
the third dimension takes the value of the last entered marker. For example, if you
wanted to enter makers on the 2m waterline, first switch to the Plan view. Add a marker
in the Plan view; double click the marker so that you can specify its height as 2m, then
any subsequently added markers (in the Plan view) will have their height at 2m. Markers
on Buttock lines may be entered in a similar fashion in the Profile view.

Alternatively, a marker can be added directly into the Markers window. To do this

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 Select the Markers window

 If there is no Markers file yet, select File | New
 Highlight a row by clicking in the far left hand column.

 Select Add Marker from the Edit menu.

 Enter the number of markers you wish to add and hit Return.
Rows will be added after the row selected, with cells initialised to zero.

Note:
You must have a design open before you can add markers.

Pasting Markers from Excel

If you have for example an excel spreadsheet with for example 1284 rows with
offset points:
 Make sure the columns in Excel are sorted the same as the marker window i.e.
Long pos. Offset, height.
 Copy all rows in Excel
 Edit | Add Marker and specify the number of markers you wish to add (1284)
 Click in row number 1 cell in the Long Pos. column in the Markers window
 Paste
 Check that all markers have been imported.

Deleting Markers
To delete a marker from a view window
 Select the marker(s) to be deleted
 Select Delete Marker from the Marker menu or use the Delete key on your keyboard
 Click yes to confirm you want to delete the selected markers.

The marker will be deleted.

To delete a marker from the Markers window

 Select the Markers window
 Select the row(s) of the marker(s) that you wish to delete
 Select Delete Marker from the Marker Menu or use the Delete key on your keyboard
 Click yes to confirm you want to delete the selected markers.

Rows will be deleted from the Markers window.

Modifying Markers
The co-ordinates in the Markers window may be edited to move a marker in space. To
edit a marker

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 Click on a cell in the Markers window.

 Enter the changed Station Number, Longitudinal Position, Offset, or Height.

Alternatively, to edit a marker directly from a view window

 Double click on a marker in one of the drawing windows.

A small dialog box will appear containing data about the marker. You may select and
edit any of the marker's co-ordinates. When you click OK the marker will be updated to
the new position.

You may also set the data for a number of markers together:
 Select the markers in one of the drawing windows.
 Select Properties from the Markers menu.
If you have selected several markers, those fields that contain exactly the same data for
all the selected markers will be displayed with the common data. If the data differs, the
field will be left blank. Editing the data in any field will update all the selected markers.
This can be useful for making sure that all the markers on one station have identical
longitudinal positions, or for specifying which section they should be linked to.
Sorting Markers

When to sort markers

The order in which markers are sorted along a section line is important when:
 the marker data is used in Fitting standalone to automatically generate a surface
 when you want to use the Display | Connect Marker Stations as a reference during
manual surface fitting tasks
 When Trimesh Surface

The order of the markers is irrelevant when you are using the Fitting a NURB Surface to
Markers command in which case you can skip this section.

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Sorting Markers - Concept

Markers that have been assigned to the same Station Index (see Linking Markers to a
Section) can be sorted for each station using the Sort Marker Stations command from the
Markers menu. This uses a nearest neighbour sort, which works in most instances, but
can be confounded if the section shape is complex and/or the spacing between markers
varies significantly. To view the connectivity (and ordering) of the markers turn on the
Display | Connect Marker Stations option: Ctrl+J, . This is best done in the Body
Plan view, with the Display | Show Markers for Current Station option selected ( ).
Sorting Markers - Procedures
To re-order a range of markers, select them in the new desired order (from the keel
outwards towards the deck edge (or deck centre line) and select Markers | Re-order
Selected Markers (Ctrl+Shift+R). If the new order is the reverse of what is required,
simply repeat the command without changing the selection, and the order will be
reversed.

Markers incorrectly ordered Start selecting Markers in correct order

Start with marker that should be closest to keel in the Markers selected in correct order. Use Re-Order
group Selected Markers command to re-order

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Points are now ordered in the selection order, if this is the inverse of what is required, simply repeat the Use
Re-Order Selected Markers command without changing the selection.

When a marker is added, it will be inserted to so as to minimise the increase in section

length. This normally ensures that it is inserted in the correct location.

Keyboard tools for Sorting Markers

A single marker can be moved along the ordering by using Ctrl+Cursor keys; left and
down keys move the point one positions towards the start of the ordering whilst up and
right keys move the point one position towards the end of the ordering; the Home key
makes it the first point and the End key makes the it the last point:

Before and after:

Moving the selected point one position towards the start of the curve corrects the marker ordering

Re-Sort selected markers

If the marker data is evenly spaced and regular you may wish to use the Re-Order
selected markers command. This command differs to re-order selected markers as it is
an automatic process. This command will automatically reorder the markers in each
station starting from the centreline lowest via a nearest neighbour approach. If you have
a number of stations then you can select all the markers across all the stations and run
this command. Modeler will automatically reoreder the markers according the station
they are associated with.
Linking Markers to a Surface
Unless you have used the Generating Markers for Developable Surfaces to create your
marker data, you will have to link the markers to the surface manually. To do this,

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 Select the marker in any view window

 Select Marker | Marker Properties (or use the Properties Pane)
 And use the drop down selection list to select the surface you wish to link the
marker to:

After a marker has been linked to a surface, its colour changes to the surface colour.

Location
The location of the marker on the surface can either be:
 Internal (in the middle of the surface)
 Edge (either Top, Bottom, Fwd or Aft egde)
 Corner point (either Top/Aft, Bottom/Aft, TopFwd or Top Aft)

For most surface fitting cases it is not necessary to set the Location for each marker and
just linking it to the surface will suffice. Once markers have been associated with a
particular surface edge, you can fit the surface edge to its markers by simply selecting a
control point in the edge and selecting Markers | Fit edge to markers (see below). This is
very useful as it allows you to easily change an edge’s properties (number of control
points or stiffness) and refit the edge to obtain the best possible fit to the markers without
having to always reselect the markers. It also makes it very easy to add or remove
markers to those used for the edge fitting.
Linking Markers to a Section
In order to be able to compare the marker data with the surface sections, Modeler allows
you to link markers to a section using the “station index”. The station index is the
number to the left of the Design Grid dialog:

St 5 has station index number 7.

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Linking the markers to each section is best done in Profile or Plan view using a selection
window:

A group of markers that have been linked to one section is called a “Marker Station”.
Once a marker has been linked to a section, you can display each section and the
associated markers (Marker Station) in the body plan view:

Displaying the markers for each section makes manual fitting of

a surface to a set of markers a lot easier.

Automatically linking the Markers

Manually linking the markers to each section can be a tedious process. A very
powerful tool to automatically link the markers to each section is the Generating a
Grid from Markers command.

Also see
Display | Markers on page 413
Body Plan Window on page 52
Saving Markers
When the Markers window is frontmost, you save the Marker data as a txt file:

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 File | Save Markers

Reading Markers Files

It is possible to read a text file of markers into Modeler. This text file may be created
from the Save Markers or Save Offsets commands in Modeler or created in a
spreadsheet, word processor or other application.

To open a marker file:

 Switch to the Marker window
 Select File | Open and specify the text file you would like to open

The format for the Markers file is tab delimited text. Each coordinate is separated by a
Tab character, and each line ends with a Carriage Return character. An example would
be:

1 2.33 -0.2 1.2

1 2.33 0.1 2.4
2 4.66 -0.7 1.0
3 7 0.3 1.4

Column 1 is the station number with which the marker is associated. This controls when
the marker is displayed and when it is hidden when the Show Markers for Current
Station command is active. Column 2 is the longitudinal position from the zero point,
Column 3 the offset from the centreline and column 4 the height above the zero point.

Alternatively, you may create markers by Importing DXF Markers. The DXF file is
imported by choosing File | Import | DXF markers.

Also see: Adding Markers.

Generating Markers for Developable Surfaces

To generate markers that describe the shape of the developable surface you have to first
set the surface type to Developable. This will create ruling lines from the surface edges
from which the markers can be generated using the Markers | Generate Markers for
Developable Surfaces command. This command is only available if there is at least one
surface in the design with the surface type set to developable surface (see Surface Types
in on page 118).

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Markers are calculated for the surfaces selected in the list on the left of the dialog (only
developable surfaces are listed). Markers can be generated where the ruling lines
intersect stations previously defined in the Design Grid dialog, or at equal intervals along
the ruling lines. The number of ruling lines calculated depends on the current surface
precision setting, but during the generate markers command the precision is increased
temporarily to highest.

Markers generated at equal intervals along the ruling lines – this is useful for the automated surface fitting
(Markers | Fit surface to Markers) as it ensures that markers are generated even when the rulings are vertical
and do not interest stations.

Markers generated where they intersect the sections. This is useful when manually fitting the surface to the
markers in the body plan view.

The Markers generated by this function will be linked to the surface and sections
automatically.

Marker to Surface Measurements

Two features are available which are designed to assist when fitting surfaces to large
Marker datasets (for example from laser scans).

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The first is an option to color-code the Markers by their distance from their assigned
surface. Ensure that all the markers of interest have the correct surface associated with
them (Markers table, or Markers properties); then select Measure Surface Error from the
Markers menu:

Measure the distance of the Markers from their associated Surfaces.

Then in the Edit Preferences dialog, select “Show Marker Error with color gradient”

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Markers are now color-coded according to the distance from the surface (dark blue: closest; red: furthest away)

The second option is to hide markers that are below an acceptable distance from the
surface. Enter the acceptable distance in the Markers table (the fill-down option can be
convenient to do this). Then choose “Hide Acceptable Markers” from the Display |
Markers menu:

Hide Markers that are within an acceptable distance of their associated surface.

Working with Curves

A Modeler design may contain any number of Curves. Curves are generally used in
Modeler to aid in the creation of surfaces as well as trimming of surfaces. In this section
the different curve types, operations and uses will be explained:
 Curve Types in
 Curve Stiffness
 Curve Properties
 Curve Operations

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Curve Types in Modeler

All curves in Modeler are Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline curves (NURBS for short).
For more information on NURBS see the section in working with surfaces (NURBS
Surface on page 118 ).

The two main distinctions of curves within Modeler are curves generated from the user
entering the position of the control points (termed “control point curves”):

and curves generated from the user entering the position of points through which the
curve must pass (termed “data point curves”):

Data points added are actually a special type of marker that retain a link to the curve. So
if a marker that is linked to the curve is moved the resulting curve shape will also adapt
to the new position.

For more information on control points and how they are used to generate the curve
shape see Section “Working with Control Points” on page 212.

Three other curve types that can be created with Modeler, that are a subset of the above
two curve types, are linear curves (or polylines), circles and arcs.

Linear curves are control point curves that have their stiffness (see Curve Stiffness on
page 107) set to 2. In this case the curve is linear between control points and the curve
passes directly through each control point:

A circle is defined by its centre point and radius. Modeler will then create a control point
curve with the appropriate control point positions and weights to define a circle:

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The final curve type is an arc. An arc curve is defined by a centre, start point and end
point. The radius of the arc is determined from the distance between the centre point and
start point. The angle of the arc is determined by the angle between the lines defined
from the centre to the start point and the centre to the end point. Arcs between 0-90
degrees are defined by a 3 point NURB curve, arcs between 90-180 degrees are defined
by a 4 point NURB curve. To create an arc choose Curve | Add curve | Arc from the
menu or click on the add arc button from the curve tool bar. The three points can be
defined either by entering the positions of the three points in the dialog or by clicking the
“pick ->” button and graphically picking the points with the mouse.

Curve Stiffness

The stiffness of the curve is one of the parameters that defines the curve shape and is
analogous to the selection of a different weight of spline when drawing a curve on the
drawing board. For more information on stiffness and how it effects a NURBS curve or
surface see Surface Stiffness on page 119.

Below is a series of pictures demonstrating the effect changing the curve stiffness has on
the shape of the curve:

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Stiffness 2 (Linear):

Stiffness 3 (Flexible):

Stiffness 4:

Stiffness 5:

Stiffness 6 (stiff):

Curve Properties

Each curve that is created within a Modeler design has a unique set of properties
associated with it. The Properties command allows you to view and modify these
properties.

Note:
The properties of all the curves may be quickly viewed and modified in the
Surfaces window or by right clicking on the surface from the Assembly
Pane or in any view window. When a curve is selected its properties are
also displayed in the property sheet.

Properties as viewed in the properties dialog:

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And in the property sheet:

Curve Name
This may be any name typed in from the keyboard up to twenty characters long.
Stiffness
The curve stiffness. For more information see Curve Stiffness on page 107.
Projection Direction
When a curve is used to trim a surface the projection direction is used to determine how
the curve cuts the surface. The default projection direction is dependent on the view in
which the curve was created. If the curve was created in the body plan view the curve
projection direction will be longitudinal, in the plan view, vertical and in the profile view
horizontal. If a curve is created in the perspective view then the most perpendicular
plane is taken as the projection direction. For more information on projection direction
and trimming surfaces with curve see Trimming Surfaces with Curves on page 99.
Use for Trimming
Clicking on this button in the properties dialog will bring up a dialog containing a list of
surfaces. From this list you can check the surfaces which you wish to trim by using this
curve.
Visible
This determines whether the curve is visible or not. Visibility may also be set in the
Visibility dialog from the Curves Menu.

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Locked
This determines if the curve is locked or not. If a curve is locked none of its control
points are displayed, and the curve may not be modified. Locking may also be set by
right clicking on the curve in the assembly tree or from the property sheet.
Symmetry
This determines whether a curve is displayed with its image reflected about the
longitudinal centreline or not. This property may also be set by right clicking on the
object in the assembly view or from the property sheet.
Curve Operations

Adding curve
One of four different curve types can be added from the Curve | Add Curve menu item
(for more information on the curve types see Curve Types in on page 106). Each of the
curve types may also be added from the Curve toolbar. In addition a Curve may be added
from a Surface contour and a linear Curve may be added using a selection of Markers.

When manually adding Curves, they are constrained to be planar and in one of the
principle orthogonal planes. Which plane they are added on depends on the current
view. For example if the user is in the plan view then the curve will be added in the x-y
plane. By default the z value of the plane will be 0.0m. However this z value may be set
prior to positioning the curve (see Setting the depth value of a curve drawing plane on
page 111).

A curve drawn in the perspective view will be added on the plane that is most
perpendicular to the current point of view. To display the current drawing plane go to
Display | Gid | Show Current Curve Drawing Plane. Then when you begin adding a
curve the drawing plane will be indicated by the grid:

As with adding a curve in any of the orthogonal views the plane depth value may be
specified by holding the shift key down when selecting an add curve command.

Curves can only be added on orthogonal planes (i.e. xy, yz, or xz planes), if a planar
curve is required that is not on an orthogonal plane create the curve as normal and use
rotation and translation operations to position the curve in the correct location.

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Setting the depth value of a curve drawing plane

To set the depth value (for example the z value of an x-y plane) hold down the shift key
when selecting an add curve command from either the toolbar or the menu item. This
will activate a dialog box asking you to enter the appropriate depth value (for example
longitudinal position in the body plan view) for the drawing plane of the curve:

Add Curve on Contour

When one or more contours on a surface are selected then the Add Curve on Contour
function becomes enabled from the Curve menu. When the command is executed the
following dialog will appear:

The user has two options, “Exact Fit”, which allows Modeler to choose the stiffness and
number of control points of the resulting curve or “Least Squares Approximation” which
allows the user to set these variables. If the Least Squares option is selected then
Modeler will fit the closest curve according to the parameters set by the user. A fitting
tolerance may also be set. If this option is set Modeler will determine if the resultant
curve lies within this tolerance from the original contour. If it does not then Modeler
automatically adjusts the number of control points until the curve fits within the specified
tolerance.
Deleting curve
There are several ways to delete a curve. Graphically you can select a curve (or multiple
curves) with the mouse and hit the delete key.

In the Assembly tree a curve can be deleted by right clicking on the curve and choosing
delete.

In the Curve window a curve can be deleted by highlighting the Curve rw and hitting the
delete key.

A curve can also be deleted by selecting the curve and choosing the Curve | Delete Curve
menu item.
Add data point
A data point can only be added to a data point curve. In one of the orthogonal views
(plan, profile or body plan), select a curve and choose Curves | Add Data Point from the
menu. The cursor will change to a pen and the user may now add the new data point.

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Note:
When adding a data point to the curve the depth will be set at the same
depth as the other data points in the curve. If there are a range of depths for
the other data points in the curve then the depth value will be set to 0.0m

Add control point

A control point can only be added to a control point curve. In one of the orthogonal
views (plan, profile or body plan), select a curve and choose Curves | Add Control Point
from the menu. The cursor will change to a pen and the user may now add the new
control point.

Note:
When adding a control point to the curve the depth will be set at the same
depth as the other control points in the curve. If there are a range of depths
for the other control points in the curve then the depth value will be set to
0.0m

Move Curve
This command moves the selected curves.

 Select move Curve from the Curves menu.

 Select the curves to be duplicated.
 Click OK

A number of duplicates may be made at one time and these can be offset from the
original, and one another, by the specified longitudinal, transverse and vertical spacing’s.
In this way a linear array of the curves may be created. The curves that are selected in
the dialog box by default are those which are currently selected in the drawing windows.
To selected/deselect curves click to the left of the curve name.

The Size function allows a designer to scale and re-proportion a curve or group of curves
by their principle dimensions. To resize the curves:

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 Select Size from the Curves menu.

 Select which curves you wish to resize.

Do this by selecting the curve names from the check boxes on the left hand side of the
dialog. When a single curve is selected the size displayed will be the overall dimensions
of that curve. When multiple curves are selected the size displayed will be the overall
dimensions of all selected curves.
 Select whether you wish to use proportional scaling.

For example, if you wish to maintain a length/beam ratio, tick the boxes of the dimension
to be scaled proportionally (length and beam). When any of the dimension boxes are
changed all boxes selected for proportional scaling will be changed in proportion.

 Select and edit the appropriate size boxes to alter the size.

You may do this by either editing the text directly or by using the scale up / scale down
arrows at the right hand side of the size boxes. Dimensions may be entered in any units
by specifying the appropriate suffix.
Flip Curve
Curves may be flipped about specified planes: longitudinally, transversely or vertically.
The actual mirror plane may also be specified, and need not be about the origin. At the
same time you may also create a duplicate of the original curve.

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 Select Flip Curve from the Curves menu.

 Select the curves you wish to flip.

If you are duplicating the curves, they need not be unlocked since the original curves will
remain unchanged. If you are not duplicating the curves then they must be unlocked.
Rotate Curve
The rotation dialog allows multiple curves to be rotated simultaneously around a
specified centre of rotation. Curves to be rotated are selected by clicking in the list of
surface names (default curves that are checked when the dialog is opened are those
which are currently selected in the drawing windows).

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Reverse Curve
The reverse curve command will reverse the order of the control points in a curve, so that
the first becomes the last and visa versa. This command will only become enabled when
a curve is selected. The results of some functions that use curves (for example the
surface skinning function) are dependent on the curve direction. In these cases the
reverse curve function may be useful to orientate the curve in the correct direction, rather
than creating a new curve. To determine current direction of the curve highlight an end
curve control point, if in the properties window the Column is zero then that end is the
start of the curve.
Project Curve onto Suface
A curve can be projected onto a surface. This function is available from the Curve menu
and is enabled when there is at least one surface and at least one curve in the design.
When the function is executed a dialog will appear:

The user needs to specify which curve is to be projected onto which surface and in which
projection direction.
Break Curve
This command will break the curve into two curves at the currently selected control
point. Both the newly created child curves will have the same properties (where
possible) of the parent curve. Each of the child curves does not have end constraints
imposed. The command will only be enabled in the menu if a curve control point is
selected.
Join Curves
The join curves command will join the multiple selected curves into one curve. If two
control points or two data points are selected from two separate curves the selection
order is important as the second selected control point (data point) will be moved to the
first selected control point (data point). When multiple curves are selected for joining,
the properties of the first selected curve will be assigned to the joined curve. When
multiple curves are joined they are joined end to closest end.

This command will only be enabled in the menu if two end control points from two
separate curves are selected, two end data points from 2 different curves are selected, 2
or more curves are selected, 2 or more control points from different curves are selected.
Fit Curve to Markers
To enable the fit curve to markers menu option, 2 or more markers need to be selected.
When the menu item is selected the following dialog will apprear:

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There are two options when fitting a curve to Makers, either and exact fit or a least
squares approximation. The exact fit will create a control point curve of stiffness
specified by the user that passes exactly through each of the markers selected in the order
that they were selected.

If a least squares approximation fit is chosen then Modeler will fit a curve of best fit
through the data points based on the information provided in the dialog box. When this
type of fit is chosen the user may also specify the number of control points of the new
curve as well as a fit tolerance. If the least squares curve deviates from the markers by
more than the specified tolerance then Modeler will automatically raise the number of
control points until the specified tolerance is met.

An ‘Exact Fit’ using a linear (Stiffness=2) curve can be used to create a curve that goes
exactly though all the markers. For example, as the initial step for creating a windage
profile trimesh from an imported DXF profile drawing:

An exact, linear Curve fitteld to selected Markers (imported from a DXF file)

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Fit Curve to Markers Stations

If Markers are assigned to stations and 2 or more markers are selected for a station then
the fit curve to marker stations option will be enabled from the curve menu. The same
dialog will appear as for Fit Curve to Markers. Modeler will automatically arrange the
markers for each station so that they are in order from centreline lowest and fit the curve
through each set of markers for each station according to the parameters speicified by the
user.

To run this command, first ensure each marker you wish to fit a curve through is
assigned to a station. Next select all the markers you wish to fit curves through:

From the Curves menu select Fit Curve to Marker Stations and the fit curve to Markers
dialog will appear (see above). Specify the fitting requirements and click OK, Modeler
will then fit a curve to each of the set of markers for each station:

These curves may then be used to skin a surface. See Skinning Curves to Create a
Surface command in the Surfaces section of the Manual.

Working with Surfaces

A model in Modeler can be made up of any number of surfaces. This section will explain
all about the different surface types and surface operations available in Modeler.

In this section:

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 Surface Types in
 Surface Stiffness
 Surface Appearance
 Surface Properties
 Outside Arrows
 Surface Materials and Skin Thickness
 Surface Precision
 Displaying Curvature on Contours
 Rendering a Surface
 Surface Operations
 Trimming Surfaces
 Cutting Surfaces
Surface Types in Modeler

Modeler allows you to create complex designs using any number of a range of surface
types. The two main types that are supported in Modeler are:
 NURBS Surface
 Trimesh Surfaces

NURBS Surface
NURB stands for Non Uniform Rational B-spline. The shape of a NURB surface is
calculated mathematically from the following properties only:
 Control point positions
 Control point weights
 Surface stiffness in transverse and longitudinal direction

The principle behind NURB surfaces is explained in chapter 2 in the section The Spline
and Spring Analogy on page 21.

Modeler is capable of creating complex models using any number of NURB surfaces
with up to 25 rows of control points. Modeler allows the use of four surface types, which
are all members of the NURB family:

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B-Spline
This type of NURB surface has all control point weights set to unity. B-spline
surfaces are ideal for many applications of ship design. However, they can not
precisely represent simple conics such as circular, elliptical or parabolic curves.
Modeler offers an alternative surface definition (Conic) that overcomes this
disadvantage and allows you to combine conic curves with free form surfaces at
will.
NURB
With this surface type, it is possible to precisely represent conic curves and
surfaces. This is achieved by the addition of weights, which may be varied for
each control point.
Conic
When this surface type is selected, a NURB surface is used and the control point
weights are automatically calculated by Modeler to produce a precise conic
surface. Use this surface only if you require precise conic surfaces, such as for a
bow cone.

Note
The control point weights are only computed automatically for 3-point
forms. If you are using 4-point forms you will need to make your surfaces
NURB surfaces and type in the weights manually.

Developable
A developable surface is one that can be formed from a flat sheet without
stretching the material. This material may be aluminium, steel, wood or even paper
- the material chosen has no effect on whether or not the surface is developable.
Examples of simple developable surfaces are cylinders and cones, as opposed to a
sphere which is clearly not developable. A developable surface is created from the
edges of a B-spline surface and a set of offset points can be generated at each
station, See Generate Markers for Developable Surfaces on page 397. These
offsets can then used to manually or automatically fit the B-spline surface to the
developable shape. This allows you to create a surface that is developable within
practical tolerances. Modeler can give you an indication of the level of
developability by displaying a Gaussian curvature rendering of the surface. See
Curvature Display Using Rendering on page 130.

The actual plate expansion calculation and export of the expanded plate shape to a
CNC cutting machine or other CAD software, can be done by creating a plate ot
plates from the surface.
Surface Stiffness

Surface Stiffness – Concepts

The choice of surface stiffness is analogous to the selection of a different weight of
spline when drawing a curve on the drawing board. When drawing a smooth shallow
curve you would select a stiff spline, and when drawing a curve featuring a high rate of
change of curvature you would select a flexible spline.

Flexible splines are useful for modelling knuckles and discontinuities, otherwise try and
work with the stiffest spline possible. Often a good compromise is to use flexible splines
transversely and stiffer splines longitudinally.

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Two factors influence the stiffness of a surface:

Setting of stiffness through the Properties dialog.
A number of stiffness settings allow for the specification of stiffness in the
longitudinal (row) or transverse (column) direction.

Linear Order 2
Flexible Order 3
…. …..
Stiff Order 10
There is no absolute value for the recommended surface stiffness since it is very
much dependent on the surface shape you wish to achieve. In general, a
longitudinal stiffness of 5 and a transverse stiffness of 4 offers a good starting
point from where you can go up or down dependent on the surface shape you wish
to achieve.
The stiffer the surface, the easier it is to get a fair surface. At the same time, a stiff
surface is more difficult to achieve high curvature shapes with.
Number of control points.
You need at least the same number of control points in the direction of the surface
stiffness. For example: for a longitudinal stiffness of 6 you need at least 6 columns
of control points and for a transverse stiffness of 5 you need at least 5 rows of
control points.

To get an idea why this is necessary, imagine a 2 column surface (only a forward
and an aft edge column without any control points columns in between): the
surface stiffness can only be linear.

Modeler will make sure the stiffness of the surface cannot be greater then the
number on control points in that direction; i.e. if you have an order 6 surface and
you reduce the number of columns from 6 to 5, Modeler automatically reduces the
surface stiffness from 6 to 5.

Tip:
Use as little control points as possible on a surface that is as stiff as possible
whilst achieving the required shape. This will result in a fair surface model.

The example below shows a surface with the same net but with two different stiffness’s.
One surface is set to flexible in both the longitudinal and transverse directions and the
other is set to stiff.

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Local Influence
When using few control points, a control point movement may influence the whole
surface, but when using many control points the control point's area of influence
will be more local.

This is illustrated below, showing the extent to which the surface deforms due to a
control point movement using a rectangular 3*3 control point net.

The movement of the middle control point on the top edge would result in, the
following deformation.

Note:
The influence of the control point movement may be seen across the full
width of the parametric surface.

If the net is increased to 9*3, keeping the stiffness (as set in the Properties dialog)
the same, the result of a similar control point movement would be as follows.

Through the addition of extra control points:

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 the surface has become more flexible

 the influence of the control point movement is much more localized.

Note:
The surface stiffness actually relates to the number of continuous
derivatives of the surface. There are two special cases:
1. If the spline is order 4, the curvature is continuous and the spline is the
same as a piece-wise cubic spline.
2. If the order is one less than the number of control points, it is a Bezier
spline.

Surface Appearance

The surface appearance may be used to change the colour of the smooth rendered view
and the parametric curves of the surface.

To change the surface appearance:

 Select Appearance from the Surfaces menu.
 In the dialog, select the surfaces whose appearance you wish to modify.
 To modify the colour, click in the coloured square and select the new colour from
the pallet.

Note:
Some graphics cards may ignore the transparency option.

Surface Properties

Each surface that is created within a Modeler design has a unique set of properties
associated with it. The Properties command allows you to view and modify these
properties.

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Note:
The properties of all the surfaces may be quickly viewed and modified in
the Surfaces window or by right clicking on the surface from the Assembly
Pane or in any view window.

It is possible for you to modify:

Surface Name
This may be any name typed in from the keyboard up to twenty characters long.
Surface Type
May be set to conventional B-spline, NURB, Conic or Developable surface.
Surface Use
This tells Modeler and Stability whether the surface is an internal structure or not.
Surfaces that are to be used for internal tank or compartment walls in Stability
must be defined as Internal Structure.

Note:
It is very important to specify “surface use” in order for Stability and
Structure to interpret the Modeler model correctly.

Visibility
This determines whether the surface is visible or not. Visibility may also be set in
the Visibility dialog from the Surfaces Menu.
Locking
This determines if the surface is locked or not. If a surface is locked none of its
control points are displayed, and the surface may not be modified. Locking may
also be set in the Locking dialog from the Surfaces menu.
Symmetrical
This determines whether a surface is displayed with its image reflected about the
longitudinal centreline or not.

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Split Section Display

Split Section Display is only activated in the Body Plan window, when the Half
option is in effect. In this situation, if Split Section Display is activated, the surface
will be shown with the forward sections on the right hand side and the aft sections
on the left, as one would expect in a traditional hull body plan.

The position chosen for the break in the display of the sections depends on the
station you have selected in the Design Grid dialog.
Stiffness
Sets the surface stiffness in the longitudinal (row) or transverse (column)
direction. See also Surface Stiffness on page 119.
Material
This tells Modeler, Stability and Structure what material is used for construction,
and how the thickness is calculated in regards to the hull shape.

Note
A sections library file (*.slb) must have been loaded when Modeler was
started for there to be a list of materials to select. If no materials are
available, you may simply type in the thickness. A new library can be
loaded from the File | Load Sections Library… function. Further details are
in the next section, Surface Materials.

Surface use
The table below shows how different surface classes (NURBS and TriMesh) and surface
use (Hull and Structure) are used in the different MAXSURF modules.

Surface types in design

Surface types in NURBS Trimesh Both
design
Modeler Visible “hull” surfaces Visible “hull” Visible “hull”
Hydrostics at Trimeshes NURBS and
DWL Trimeshes
Modeler Selected surfaces n/a Selected NURBS
structural surfaces
elements
Stability Selected “hull” surfaces Selected “hull” Selected “hull”
watertight hull Trimeshes NURBS and
Trimeshes
Stability Rooms Selected “structure” surfaces Selected Selected “structure”
“structure” NURBS and
Trimeshes Trimeshes
Motions strip Selected “hull” surfaces Selected “hull” Selected “hull”
therory Trimeshes NURBS and
Trimeshes
Motions panel n/a Selected Selected Trimesh
method surfaces
Resistance Selected “hull” surfaces Selected “hull” Selected “hull”
regression Trimeshes NURBS and
Trimeshes
Resistance Selected “hull” surfaces Selected “hull” Selected “hull”
slender body Trimeshes NURBS and

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method Trimeshes
VPP All “hull” surfaces; longest surface n/a As for NURBS only
used for IOR girth station model
measurements

Outside Arrows

Another surface property is the Outside Direction. This direction is displayed in Modeler
with Outside Arrows, which can be displayed from the Display menu or the Outside
Arrows toolbar button.

The Outside Arrows tell Modeler which is the inside and which is the outside of a
surface. This is important for the following Modeler functions:
 Skin Thickness direction
 Curvature display
 Correct interpretation of model in Structure and Stability

Setting Outside Arrows

 Select Outside Arrows from the Display menu.

Selecting this menu item displays surface outside arrows in all of the display windows.

By clicking on the circles at the heads of these arrows it is possible to reverse their
direction. Do this until all arrows point to the outside of the hull. It may be necessary to
look at different views or to rotate the hull in the perspective window in order to see the
directions clearly. Once you have specified the outside directions, save the design; these
directions will be saved in the Modeler design file and are used automatically by
Structure and Stability.

Note:
The length of the outside arrow may be changed in the Preferences dialog.

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Surface Materials and Skin Thickness

Modeler provides a method for specifying skin thickness and material properties that are
consistent and compatible with both Stability and Structure. This also allows sections
with skin thickness deductions to be displayed in Modeler, printed from Modeler or
exported to a DXF file.

Thickness can be either specified directly or selected from the Material pop-up menu.
The Material pop-up menu will contain materials that have been loaded from the sections
library. Structure may be used to modify the library; users who do not have Structure will
have the default library.

The direction that the thickness projects from the line of the designed surface needs to be
specified. Three choices are available:
 inside the designed surface
 centred on the designed surface
 skin outside the designed surface.

To do this Modeler needs to know what the inside and what the outside of each surface
is. Make sure the Outside Arrows are set up correctly (pointing outwards, generally
towards the “wet side” of the vessel). For more information on outside arrows see
Outside Arrows on page 125.

Note: Skin thickness and hydrostatic calculations

In Modeler skin thickness is used for creating the table of offsets, however
for hydrostatic calculation purposes, skin thickness is ignored. Stability can
be used to calculate the effect of skin thickness on the vessel’s hydrostatics
by selecting “include skin thickness” in the opening dialog.

Skin Thickness Projected to the Inside

An example of a thickness deducted inside the hull would be a hull made of foam
sandwich, where the Modeler surface modelled the outside of the hull. The skin
thickness deduction would then give the line of the inside of the foam core and
laminations.

Maxsurf Surface section

line

Skin thickness
projected inside /
deducted section line

Female mould

Female mould GRP example

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Skin Thickness Projected to the Outside

A typical steel or aluminium boat is designed to a moulded line, to the outside of the
framing, but the inside of the hull plating. Another example is a GRP boat build from a
male mould. The Skin Thickness would then be added on to give the line of the outside
of the plating.

Skin thickness projected outside

/ Hydromax Section line with
surface thickness included.

Moulded line / Maxsurf surface

section line

Construction Frame

Frame construction method (Same for male GRP mould method)

Centred Skin Thickness

Plating centred around the designed surface would be unusual for the hull shell, but has
been included for possible use in the specification of internal structure.
Display Skin Thickness and Direction
You can see the effect of the skin thickness and direction you have specified by
displaying deducted sections. To display deducted sections
 Choose Contours from the Display Menu and select Deducted Sections.

If this option is selected, deducted sections will be displayed on screen and included in
DXF and IGES file output.
Modeling Skin Thickness for MOSES
When generating models for MOSES, you should create the NURB surfaces so that they
are on the outer part of the hull shell; so that the skin thickness (if applied) is projected to
the inside of the vessel. The reason for this is that the TriMesh used in MOSES will lie
on the NURB surface (the TriMesh cannot be automatically offset from the NURB
surface); however compartments (which are defined by sections in MOSES) can be
offset to account for the skin thickness of the hull-shell material.
Surface Precision

Surface Precision – Concepts

Each curve drawn by Modeler is made up of a number of short straight lines.

The precision selected corresponds directly to the number of line segments shown in a
surface edge or contour, and also equates directly to the number of parametric lines
shown when displaying parametric contours.
Lowest Precision
Lowest Precision may be used early in the design process for general design
layout. It allows for fast modification of the shape, but lacks the necessary detail
for optimising a design. It uses an 8 by 8 parametric mesh.

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Low Precision
Low Precision is the suggested working precision for your design development
and modification if you have a slow computer. It uses a 16 by 16 parametric mesh.
Medium Precision
Medium Precision is the suggested working precision for designs with more
curvature, or with discontinuities, which need more precision for display. It uses a
32 by 32 parametric mesh.
High Precision
High Precision may be used for complex shapes, or during printing or zooming
when more curve definition is needed. It uses a 64 by 64 parametric mesh.
Highest Precision
Highest Precision may be used when extremely high definition is required,
typically for plotting final lines plans. Highest Precision will take much longer to
calculate than Low precision.

High and Highest precision are not fixed precisions, but adapt the number of
segments to the amount of curvature in a surface.

Precision setting is saved with the model. If a model is saved in highest precision in
Modeler, it will be by default opened in highest precision. This is also true when porting
the design across applications (e.g. Stability, Structure etc).
Data Insertion
High and highest precisions start with a 64 by 64 parametric mesh and then insert
points into the curve to reach the curve tolerance you have specified using the
Contour Tolerance field in the Preferences dialog.

Data Reduction
At Highest Precision redundant points are also removed from the curve. For
example, if a surface is flat, all of the co-linear points along the middle of a line
will be removed, just leaving the required end points. This can considerably
increase display speed in Modeler and reduce the size of the DXF or IGES file.
This makes the curves much faster to manipulate in your CAD system.

Precision Number of segments Data reduction Data insertion

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Lowest 8

Low 16

Medium 32

High 64

Highest 64

The number of curve segments apply both to lines drawn to the screen, Clipboard, and
IGES files, as well as to output devices such as printers.
Surface Precision – Procedures
To change the precision that contours are calculated and displayed at:
 Select Display | Precision

All contours on all surfaces will be displayed at the same precision.

Displaying Curvature on Contours

A way to display curvature on a Modeler design is to select a contour or group of

contours, and use the Show Curvature command from the Display menu. Curvature may
be displayed on all surface contours except intersection lines.

This will display "Porcupines" perpendicular to the curve. The length of the porcupine is
inversely proportional to the square root of the radius of curvature at that point on the
curve. I.e. the longer the porcupine line, the smaller the radius and a smaller radius
means more curvature. The value of the smallest radius on a given curve is displayed
numerically at the end of the porcupine located at the corresponding position on the
curve. The number of porcupines is determined by the current Precision.

Curvature may be displayed on any plane or three-dimensional contours e.g. waterlines

or surface edges. Displaying the curvature of three-dimensional curves in the perspective
view will highlight any torsion in the curve.

Display Curvature – Procedure

 Select a contour by clicking on it.

It will be highlighted with a different line thickness and colour. To select more than one
contour, shift-click on other contours.
 Select Show Curvature from the Display menu
To hide the display of curvature porcupines,

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 Hide Curvature from the Display menu.

The lengths of the curvature porcupines may be scaled in the Curvature Scaling Factor
field in the Preferences dialog. See Modeler Preferences on page 87.

For other ways to display curvature on a surface, see Rendering a Surface on page 130.
Rendering a Surface

Rendering a surface can be used to display the shape and fairness of the surface. Modeler
has different rendering types available. Each rendering type can be used for different
purposes. See also: Perspective Window on page 57.
Curvature Display Using Rendering
Modeler has four different ways of calculating and rendering curvature on a surface. You
control these settings using the Rendering command from the Display menu. Render may
only be selected when the Perspective window is active.

To display the rendered view, turn on hidden surface elimination. It is then possible to
display a shaded view of the design, or to use false colouring to highlight the curvature
of the surfaces.
Hidden Surface Elimination
Selecting Hidden Surface Elimination performs surface shading over the surface,
using a fixed light source. If Smooth Shading is selected, the base colours of the
surfaces are those chosen in the Appearance option from the Surface menu.
Simple Shading
Shading using polygons is utilised. Surface contours may also be displayed with
this option.
Smooth Shading
An alternative shading algorithm is used to provide smoother rendering. The
colours of the surfaces may be changed in the Appearance dialog.

To examine the fairness of your design, Modeler can use false colouring to display
four types of surface curvature. These have different uses and are described below:
Gaussian Curvature
Is the product of the maximum and minimum curvatures at a point on the surface.
Gaussian curvature will indicate whether the surface is locally elliptical (positive
Gaussian curvature, i.e. both curvatures in the same direction), whether it is
hyperbolic (negative Gaussian curvature, curvatures with opposite signs i.e. saddle
shaped), or whether it is developable (zero Gaussian curvature).

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Gaussian curvature is a useful indicator of areas of twist in a surface, but is not

directly linked to surface fairness. It is possible for a surface to be quite unfair and
still be developable, yet the Gaussian curvature display will not reveal any
problems.

Gaussian curvature can be used as an indication of whether a surface is

developable. A developable surface is one that can be formed out of a flat sheet
material by bending or rolling, without stretching or distorting the material. In this
case, the surface will have a Gaussian curvature of zero at all points; i.e. the
surface is only curved in one direction and straight in the direction orthogonal to
that. See Surface Types in on page 118 for more information on what developable
surfaces are and Generate Markers for Developable Surfaces on page 397 for
information on how to model developable surfaces in Modeler.

You can adjust the brightness value to make the display more or less sensitive to
the Gaussian curvature values. See Brightness Level on page 132 for more
information.

Note:
The Gaussian curvature gives an indication of developability, but should
only be used to isolate areas where the plate will be less developable.
If you want to be certain of a plates’ developability, load the surface into
Structure and develop a surface plate. You can then examine the strain
distribution on the plate; the plate is developable if there is no strain. A
small amount of strain can be acceptable dependent on the builders’ plate
bending equipment and production techniques.

See the Structure manual for more information, especially regarding

precision settings during plate development.

Longitudinal Curvature
This is a display of the curvature of each longitudinal parametric curve, taken
perpendicular to the surface at each point along the curve.

This display is extremely useful for determining the longitudinal fairness of a

design. You should look for an even graduation of colour along the hull.
Inflections can be detected by looking for changes from blue (positive curvature)
to red (negative curvature). If you choose to show positive curvature values only,
do so by using the following settings:

This will reveal areas of negative curvature by painting them black.

Transverse Curvature
Is the curvature of each transverse parametric curve, also taken perpendicular to
the surface at each point along the curve.

This display is extremely useful for determining the transverse fairness of a

design. You can mask off areas of positive or negative curvature in the same way
as with the longitudinal curvature display.

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Convexity
The convexity check highlights any areas of negative curvature.

The convexity check calculates and displays the minimum curvature for each point
on the surface. If this minimum curvature is less than zero, the surface is locally
concave.

Note:
Before you use Rendering, make sure that you have set the direction of the
Outside Arrows (see page 125). When the Outside arrow points outwards,
positive curvature is displayed as blue and negative curvature as red.

Brightness Level
The brightness level referred to in the dialog affects the way in which the colours in the
display are mapped onto the curvature values.

Because the range of colours is small and the range of curvatures infinite you may need
to change the colouring to suit the curves you are looking at. Changing the brightness
level re-maps the colours - if the image is very dark and it is difficult to distinguish
different curvatures, try using a smaller number. On the other hand if the image tends to
be all pale colours, try a darker tonal value.

For Gaussian curvature, a higher brightness level will make the display more sensitive to
non-zero Gaussian curvature, highlighting more areas. See Curvature Display Using
Rendering on page 130 for more information.
Rendering
In the perspective view you can view the model as smoothly shaded objects; options
affecting the rendered drawing are set in the Rendering dialog.
Rendered Selection
When this option is selected, it is possible to select a rendered surface. This brings
up the surface properties in the Properties Pane. You can also use the right-click
menu to trim, lock or delete the surface etcetera.

When there are several surfaces directly behind each other, a Select option will
appear at the bottom of the right click menu which allows you to select any surface
in the menu.

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The colour of the selection highlighting can be set in the View | Colours and Lines
dialog.
Rendered Net Colour Coded
When this option is selected, the control point net is displayed in the rendered
surface colour. It may be desirable to set the surfaces transparency to for example
30% to avoid a control point being hidden by the rendered surface.

Colour coded control points.

Lighting Options
Modeler allows the user to edit the lighting settings used in the Perspective window
when rendering is turned on.
Light Positions
Modeler has the option to use four different light sources. These can be turned on
and off by clicking in the Render toolbar.

It is possible to vary the location of these lights by editing values in a lighting

dialog. This dialog is displayed by clicking on the right most icon in the Render
toolbar when the Perspective window is active and rendering is turned on.

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Each light is specified by three values, distance, bearing and elevation. Distance is
measured from the centre of the view in the perspective window. Bearing is taken
relative to the direction from the eye to the object being viewed. For example, a
light at 0 degrees is pointing in the same direction as the eye is looking at the
object, 90 degrees is to the right of the object, -90 degrees is to the left of the
object and 180 degrees is behind the object. Elevation is in degrees above the
horizontal. A negative elevation value defines a light shining up from below the
horizontal.
Light Intensities
Ambient, Diffuse and Specular values define what kind of reflection will be seen
on the surface. If only ambient light values are specified, the object will be lit
evenly from all directions and its reflected light will not appear to change in
brightness as it is rotated. This is analogous to the sort of light seen on an overcast
day. The result is no differentiation of colour or brightness across the surface.

Diffuse light is directional but is made up of parallel rays. The effect on an object
illuminated with a diffuse light is that it changes in brightness as it is rotated due
to the change in the incident angle of the surface.

A specular light is one that comes from a specific point such as a light bulb. When
an object is lit with specular lights, definite highlights will be seen moving across
the surface as it is rotated.

In practice, the ideal combination seems to be a small amount of ambient light, and
roughly equal contributions from the diffuse and specular lights.
Surface Operations

Modeler contains several commands that allow you to manipulate whole surfaces. These
commands generally apply to the Current Surface.
Current Surface
The current surface is the last surface selected or modified. If you are unsure which
surface is the current surface, you can check the list of surfaces in the submenu that
appears when you hold the cursor over Properties in the Surfaces menu. Alternatively,
you can ensure that the surface you wish to work on is the current surface by selecting
any control point in the surface.
Adding Shapes
Modeler has a number of standard shapes, which may be added to a design. They are as
follows:

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Box
This is a box shaped prism; the primary axis may be selected to be orientated in
the longitudinal, transverse or vertical direction, this will determine where the
open ends are. The length, width and height are the dimensions in longitudinal,
transverse and vertical directions respectively.

Additional surfaces to close the open ends of the prism may be added if desired.

The box is placed on the centre line of the design. If the Symmetrical box is ticked,
either a full or half model may be selected. For shapes that lie symmetrically on
the centreline, it is best to select the Half Model on Centreline option. To add a
complete box, away from the centreline, tick the Symmetrical box and select the
Full Model button, then move the box away from the centre line to its desired
location using the Move command from the Surfaces menu. If the box appears
symmetrically on both sides of the vessel, you can then turn on the symmetry flag
for the box's surfaces.
Cylinder
This is a circular or elliptical cylinder, the options work in the same way as the
box.
Sphere
This is a circular sphere of specified radius. The various symmetry options are the
same as for the box.
Hemisphere
This is a circular hemisphere of specified radius, which may or may not be closed
with a disk. The hemisphere may be orientated in the longitudinal, transverse or
vertical direction.

The illustrations below show the different effects that may be achieved with the
symmetry options. In addition, the front and back ends of the box could have been closed
with two additional surfaces if the Close Ends option had been ticked. (Box#1 is the top
part of the box and Box#2 is the bottom; Box#3 and Box#4 are the mirrored surfaces.)

Non-symmetrical model

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Symmetrical half model on centreline

Symmetrical full model on centreline made up of four non-symmetrical surfaces

Symmetrical model offset from centreline after move command and changing symmetry flags

Select Add Surface to add a surface shape to your design. It may be renamed through the
Surfacce Properties dialog. When adding one of the standard shapes such as a box or
cylinder, it is possible to specify:
 Shape center (rather than defaulting to model center always)
 Shape orientation other that along one of the principle axis directions.
 Orientation, center and length will be set automatically if you first select two
marker points which define the ends of the shape.

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Adding Surfaces
When adding a surface, it is possible to select from a range of different surfaces in the
Add Surface menu.

To add or delete surfaces from the list in the Add Surface menu, use the Edit Surface List
command from the Surfaces | Add Surface menu. You can add surfaces to this list by
holding down the shift key whilst saving the design.

To delete surfaces from the Surfaces list, select the surfaces to be deleted then click the
Delete button.

To add surfaces from your existing design to the surface list, click the Add button then
choose the surfaces from your design that you wish to add to the list.

Deleting Surfaces
Choosing Delete Surface presents a dialog that allows you to select surfaces for deletion.
Simply click on those surfaces you wish to delete and click OK.

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Multiple surfaces may be deleted at the same time, and a surface that is bonded to
another may be deleted without the need to unbond first.

You can also use right click command in the Assembly Pane to delete a surface:

Or you can delete any number of selected surfaces directly from the Surfaces window by
selecting the surface(s) and pressing the delete key on your keyboard.
Moving Surfaces
Surfaces may be selected and moved relative to one another. This can be achieved by
freeform dragging of the surface or by typing in a numerical offset.

Freeform Movement:
Movement is made in the plane of the window that is being used, or in the case of the
Perspective window, in the plane most perpendicular to the current view. To select a
surface for movement
 Select Move Surface - Freeform from the Surfaces Menu.

The move cursor will be displayed.

 Position the cursor over any control point.

 Click and drag the surface to the new location.

An outline of the surface will display the position of the surface while it is being moved.

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 Release the mouse button.

On releasing the mouse button the surface will be displayed again at the new location.

Move Surface will move all surfaces bonded to the surface that is being moved. Note that
all these surfaces must be unlocked.

Numerical Movement:
To move surfaces by a specified amount:
 Select Move Surface - Numerical from the Surfaces Menu.
 Select the surfaces to be moved and specify the amount that they should be moved
in the longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions.
Locked surfaces or those which are bonded to locked surfaces cannot be selected unless
duplicate is selected.

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Size Surfaces
The Size function allows a designer to scale and re-proportion a surface or group of
surfaces by their principle dimensions. This function is particularly useful when
modelling geometrically similar variations from a parent design, and also allows precise
specification of principle design parameters.
To resize a design
 Select Size from the Surfaces menu.

 Select which surfaces you wish to resize.

Do this by selecting the surface names from the check boxes on the left hand side of the
dialog. When a single surface is selected the size displayed will be the overall
dimensions of that surface. When multiple surfaces are selected the size displayed will be
the overall dimensions of all selected surfaces.
 Select whether you wish to use proportional scaling.

For example, if you wish to maintain a length/beam ratio, tick the boxes of the dimension
to be scaled proportionally (length and beam). When any of the dimension boxes are
changed all boxes selected for proportional scaling will be changed in proportion.

Similarly, length, depth and beam may be scaled simultaneously, to produce a

geometrically similar vessel, by ticking all three boxes. The desired length, depth or
beam may be entered and all dimensions will be scaled proportionally. The dimensions
will follow in proportion from the time that their proportional scaling boxes were ticked.
 Select and edit the appropriate size boxes to alter the size.

You may do this by either editing the text directly or by using the scale up / scale down
arrows at the right hand side of the size boxes. Dimensions may be entered in any units
by specifying the appropriate suffix.

Note:
Only the actual surfaces are changed by resizing. The design grid does not
change as the hull is resized. This means that you may need to reset the grid
to accurately reflect a new waterline length.

Markers may be scaled in the same proportion as the hull or may be left as they are. Tick
the re-scale markers box to scale the markers with the surfaces.

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You can size different surfaces by different amounts. This can be done by:
 Selecting the first surface(s) you wish to resize
 Resize them (as described above)
 Deselect these surfaces and select the other surfaces you wish to resize
 Resize these surfaces
 Repeat for all the surfaces you wish to resize
 Click OK

Flipping Surfaces
Surfaces may be flipped about specified planes: longitudinally, transversely or vertically.
The actual mirror plane may also be specified, and need not be about the origin. At the
same time you may also create a duplicate of the original surfaces.
 Select Flip Surfaces from the Surfaces menu.

 Select the surfaces you wish to flip.

If you are duplicating the surfaces, they need not be unlocked since the original surfaces
will remain unchanged. If you are not duplicating the surfaces then they must be
unlocked. If you choose Respect Bonding, bonded surfaces will be selected together. If
you are not making duplicates, all the bonded surfaces must be unlocked.
 Specify the reflection plane.

For example, if you wished to make a symmetrical catamaran hull, with a centreline
spacing of 8m, you would design one side of the hull, move it transversely 8m then flip
and duplicate it about the 8m transverse plane.

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Flipping about the longitudinal direction could be used to produce a double-ended

design.
Rotating Surfaces
The rotation dialog allows multiple surfaces to be rotated simultaneously around a
specified centre of rotation. Surfaces to be rotated are selected by clicking in the list of
surface names.

Aligning Surfaces
Two surfaces can be aligned by selecting one control point from each surface. The
second control point will be moved, along with its entire surface, so that it aligns exactly
with the first control point.

To align two surfaces

 Select a control point from the surface to remain fixed.
 Hold down the Shift key.
 Select a control point from the surface to be moved.
 Select Align Surfaces from the Surfaces menu.

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The second surface you selected will be moved so that the two control points become
coincident.
Offsetting Surfaces
The offset surface command from the surface menu is enabled when a design contains
one or more surfaces.

To offset a surface choose Offset Surface from the Surface menu. The following dialog
will appear:

Select the surface(s) you wish to offset. Only unlocked surface can be offset. If you
check “delete original surface” the original surface will be deleted once the surface has
been offset. Enter the distance you wish to offset the surface. The surface will be offset
in the direction of the outside arrow of the surface. If you wish to offset the surface in
the opposite direction to the outside arrow, set the offset distance to a negative number.
Below is an example of a surface offset by 1m:

Splitting Surfaces
The Split Surface command from the surface menu is enabled when a parametric curve
or a control point is selected on an unlocked surface.

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To split a surface using paramertrics, first turn on parametrics from the Display Contour
dialog box (or by clicking on the parametrics button on the visibility toolbar). Make sure
the surface you are trying to split is unlocked. From the Surfaces menu choose Split
Surface. Two new surfaces will be created with a common edge at the position of the old
parametric contour you selected. To join the surfaces back together you can use the Join
Surfaces command as outline in the next section.

Surfaces may also be split by selecting a control point on the edge of the surface. The
surface will then be split perpenduiclar to the edge at the parametric position of the
selected control point. Alternatively you can select 2 control points that lie on a column
or row of the surface. The surface will then be split along this row/column. The final
way a surface may be split is by selecting a single control point from the body plan view
with just one control point column displayed. The surface will then be split
longitudinally at this parametric position.

If a bonded edge is split then the split will continue across to the bonded surface(s).
Joining Surfaces
The join surface command will join 2 or more surfaces to create a single surface.
Surfaces to be joined must be compatible along their joining edge. Compatible edges
have the same stiffness and same number of control points. Two surfaces can be joined
by selecting the edges of the two surfaces to be joined:

More than two surfaces can be joined by either:

 Multi selecting them in the rendered view and executing the join surfaces
command.
 Multi selecting them by dragging a selection rectangle over the control points and
executing the join surface command.
Surfaces will be joined in the order they are selected. Surfaces will be joined along their
closest common edges.

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Locking Surfaces
Surfaces can be locked or unlocked. When a surface is locked, changes to the surfaces
can not be made and the control points are not displayed. You can lock a surface:
 Using right click command in the Assembly tree
 Using the Surfaces | Locking command
 Using the Surface Properties dialog or properties pane
 Using the Surfaces window and ticking the locking column flag
Surface Creation

Modeler surface menu contains several commands that allow the user to create a surface
from parent curves or markers
Add NURB Surface from 3 or 4 markers
Use the “Approximate Surface to Markers” command with a selection of 3 or 4 Markers.
In this case it will use the Markers to define directly the corner Control points of the
Surface without performing a least-squares fit; if 3 Markers are selected then two of the
Surface’s control points will be compacted to create a triangular Surface; if more than 4
Markers are selected then the normal least-squares fitting will take place.

Markers should be selected in the following order: bottom-right; bottom-left; top-left;

top-right. This will result in the surface normal facing outwards from the screen. Markers
need not be coplanar, and if not this will result in a warped surface being generated.

Marker selection and resulting NURB surface

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Skinning Curves to Create a Surface

The skin surfaces command creates a surface by skinning around a set of selected curves.
The order in which the curves are skinned is dependent on the selection order or the
longitudinal position depending on the radio button selected in the dialog. The skin
surfaces command is enabled when a design is open and 2 or more curves are selected.
When the command is executed the following dialog will appear:

The degree of the surface created in both directions needs to be specified in the Surface
Stiffness edit boxes. The number of control point columns and rows in the control net
needs to be specified by the user. The stiffness cannot be greater than the number of
control points in longitudinal or transverse directions. Modeler will automatically adjust
corresponding values if this rule is broken. The parametrics of the surface will be
created such that the u direction is from start curve to end curve.

The order in which the curves are skinned makes a difference to the result. You can
either select curves individually in the order in which you wish them to be skinned (by
holding the shift key down) or select all the curves at once by using a selection rectangle.
If you use a selection rectangle the curves will be skinned in the order they were created,
however there is also the option to skin them according to their long itudinal position.
To do this select the “Longitudinal Position” radio button under the Curve skinning order
options.

“Use settings for exact fit” automatically sets the stiffness in the longitudinal and
transverse directions and the number of control point columns and rows so that the
resulting surface passes through each of the curves exactly. When this option is checked
Surface Stiffness and Control Net settings are not editable by the user.

The skin surface command works best when the set of curves are all planar, for example
a set of section curves or a set of waterline curves or a set of buttock curves. Mixing of
planar curves (for example 5 section curves plus a bow profile curve) may cuase
unexpected results.

Note:
While the surface created using the “Use settings for exact fit” option will
pass exactly through each of the curves it does not necessarily create a
“regular” surface with a uniform net, a pre-requsite for “smooth” surfaces.

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Sweeping a Surface
The sweep surface command creates a surface from two curves. Selection order is
important with this command. The first curve selected is termed the “section curve” and
the second curve the “trajectory curve”. The new surface is created by sweeping the
section curve along the path of the trajectory curve. The swept surface command is
enabled when a design is open and two curves are selected.

When the command is executed a new surface will be added to the design:

Creating a 4 Sided Patch

If four curves are selected the Create 4 sided patch function will be enabled from the
Surfaces menu. The curves must create a closed loop (i.e. the last point of the first curve
must be coincident with the first point of the second curve etc). Curves do not need to be
compatible (i.e. do not need to share the same number of control points or stiffness). The
curves do not need to be of the same type (i.e. control point curve or data point curve).
The function is useful for a quick creation of a hull surface from four curves such as a
transom curve, a deck edge curve a bow curve and a keel curve:

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The smoothest fitting surface will be added which can then be refined by the user:

Creating an Extruded Surface

A curve or surface contour may be extruded to form a surface. To form an extruded
surface create the section curve, highlight it (or select a surface contour) and choose
Extrude Surface… from the surfaces menu. A dialog box will then appear, that asks for
a direction vector:

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The direction of the extrusion is defined from the Direction Vector, for example a
direction vector of Longitudinal=1.0, Transverse=0.0, Vertical=0.0 will extrude the
surface along the longitudinal axis of the vessel. The extrusion distance is determined
from the length of the vector. The extruded surface will be linear in the extrusion
direction and will have a stiffness of 2.

Any number of curves or contours may be selected, an extruded surface will be created
for each.
Creating a Surface of Revolution
To enable the surface of revolution from the Surface menu at least one curve or one
contour on a surface must be selected. When the command is executed the following
dialog will appear:

The curve can be rotated about any of the 3 orthogonal axis or an arbitrary axis defined
by the user. The arbitrary axis can be explicitly defined by entering the xyz coordinates
of the start and end points or by clicking the pick button to graphically pick the start and
end points. The angle to rotate the curve about the axis to create the surface also needs
to be defined and is by default set to 360 degrees. Once the OK button is clicked the
surface(s) will be created.
Approximating a Surface to Markers
A surface can be approximated to a selected set of Markers. The surface will be a least
squares approximation. The command is available from the Surfaces menu and is
enabled when 4 or more markers are selected. When the command is executed the
following dialog will appear:

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The user can then enter the stiffness and number of control points required for the
surface in each of the parametric directions. For a NURBS surface the following rules
must be obeyed and they are automatically implemented by Modeler:
 Number of control point columns must be greater than or equal to the longitudinal
stiffness.
 Number of control point rows must be greater than or equal to the transverse
stiffness.
The user may also wish to define the 4 surface edges by use of Modeler curves. To
create a surface with surface edges defined simply select all four edge contours and the
markers that you wish to fit the surface to and execute the command from the Surfaces
menu.

The number of markers required to fit a surface is equal to the number of control point
columns multiplied by the number of control point rows, which are defined by the user in
the dialog when the command is executed.
Trimming Surfaces

A surface's boundary and any intersections with other surfaces create regions which may
be made visible or invisible. A surface that has invisible regions is said to be trimmed. A
surface that intersects the trimmed region may be referred to as the trimming surface.

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 Trimming Concept
 When to Use Trimming
 Trimming Rules
 Trimming a Surface
 Displaying Trimmed Surfaces
 Untrim Surface

Trimming Concept
Modeler uses the concept of a 'region' to define an area of a surface that may be visible
or invisible (trimmed off). These regions are defined by the boundaries of the surface and
any intersections that the surface has with any other cutting surface. Cutting surfaces are
user defined surfaces that are used to trim the surface.

Before trimming any surfaces, it is useful to check that the surfaces intersect properly.
Since, if this is not the case, it will not be possible to correctly trim the surfaces. To
display the surface intersections, select Contours from the Display menu and place a tick
next to the Intersections item. Surface intersections are normally displayed in yellow.
Check that these are as required.

Consider the sample shape below. The left picture below shows four surfaces: a planar
surface which we wish to trim, a cylindrical surface and two arc-shaped surfaces. We
wish to trim the planar surface to the boundaries defined by its intersections with the
other three surfaces.

Initially, all of the regions on the surface are visible and selected. We need to de-select
the regions that need to be trimmed off.

All regions are initially selected, regions to be trimmed off are removed by clicking in
the unwanted region.

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Once we trim off the unwanted regions we are left with the required shape.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that for a region to be used as a
trimming region, it must be fully bounded. In other words, the perimeter of the region
must be fully closed. If a perimeter is not closed, a region cannot be properly formed.
The diagrams below explain the difference between closed and unclosed regions.

GOOD: (Closed regions)

POOR: (Unclosed regions)

Note:
Modeler will find all the closed areas defined by the surface edges and any
intersections. Even though two of the three intersections do not define fully
bounded regions, when placed together, Modeler will find both regions 2
and 3.

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In this example, the intersections do not define fully closed regions, so Modeler will find
a single region, which covers the entire surface.
When to Use Trimming
Trimmed surfaces allow complex shapes to be modelled in Modeler. Trimming is most
likely to be useful when the surface is fair but there are discontinuities in the edges of the
surface or a hole has to be cut in the interior.

Typical applications:
 Deck edges
 Transom
 Propeller tunnel
 Bowthruster
 Non-tangential Skeg / Keel - hull transitions
 Superstructure penetrations through decks

Another reason to use trimming could be when two surfaces are combined to form one
shape, while they do not have the same properties such as stiffness or number of control
point columns.

An example of a Chined hull using trimmed surfaces. It is difficult to control the shape of the intersection line
using two trimmed surfaces. In this case it is often preferable to use bonding.

The disadvantages of using trimming for this purpose are:

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 No or little control over the shape of the intersection line of the two surfaces,
especially if the intersection line is quite shallow (eg a propeller tunnel with a
smooth transition with the hull)
 It is more difficult to make changes to the model whilst maintaining trimming
information. The trimming is easily lost.

It is often better to use bonded surfaces when two surfaces have to be combined into one
shape.

Note:
In general it is recommended to use trimming to create discontinuities in the
surfaces edge or holes in the surface interior.

Instead of trimming you can often also choose to use bonded surfaces. One of the main
advantages of using bonded surfaces is the ability to join two surfaces and have control
over the intersection shape. Models with bonded surfaces are easier to make changes to
and export to other programs. See When to Use Bonding on page 162.
Trimming Rules
Trimming is an extremely powerful tool to model a wide variety of shapes using
surfaces. However, trimming is also a common cause of difficulties with the surface
model that can easily be prevented by following the guidelines below.

1: Closed regions
Make sure the region you wish to trim is completely enclosed by intersection lines
or edge lines.
 Symptom: the region cannot be selected
 Check the intersection line carefully by zooming in.
 Check the centreline control points are on the centreline (do a multiple selection
and a control properties, check offset = 0).
2: Overlap
Use sufficient overlap on the trimming surface. Plenty of overlap helps to identify
remnants of untrimmed surfaces, makes trimming easier, makes it easier to change
the trimmed surface without losing trimming information etc.
 Symptom: region cannot be selected, precision settings affect trimming. See
images below for explanation why precision can affect trimming.
 Never put the trimming surface’s edge exactly in the plane of the surface that you
want to trim.
3: Over-compacted control points
Do not over-compact control points to create knuckles in the surface. See
Discontinuities and Feature Lines on page 226.
4: Surfaces exactly on top of each other
Do not place two surfaces exactly on top of each other.

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 Symptom: nothing happens after Start trimming is selected

 Make sure the surfaces are sufficiently spaced so that there is no maze of
intersection lines visible.
5: Make sure trimming works at medium & highest precision
It is important to make sure the model trims at medium and highest Surface
Precision. This guarantees that the model can be transferred to other programs
without any problems. Sometimes it may be better to use bonded surfaces as well,
see When to Use Bonding on page 162.

No trimming region at lowest precision

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Trimming region at medium precision

Not only Modeler uses the trimmed surfaces for its calculations, also the other programs
in the Modeler suite require the model to be trimmed properly.

All trimming rules originate from the trimming concepts, so make sure you have read the
Trimming Concept section on page 151.
Trimming a Surface
First have a look at the following flowchart giving an overview of the trimming steps:

Start State

Step 1: Turn trimming on

1 a. Trimming Gray
1 b. Trimming Invisible

Step 2: Start Trimming & Select

Step 5: Repeat Surface
Maxsurf in Trim mode 2 a. Surfaces | Start Trimming | <Surface>
Trim other surfaces (optional)
2 b. Right click on surface in view window
2 c. Right click on surface in Assembly window

Surface regions
Surface Trimmed
Cancel trimming highlighted
From right click menu

Step 4: Trim Surface

4 a. Ctrl + T Surface Regions Step 3: Select Regions to trim
4 b. Right click anywhere in screen and
select Trim <Surface> Selected Regions in grey will remain visible
4 c. Surfaces | Trimming | Trim <Surface>

Note
It is important to note that after you have taken step 2, you must do steps 3
and 4 as well. Modeler will continue to ask you to select your regions and
trim the surface until you have finished Step 4.

Example:
The following example shows a chined vessel. The boat has been modelled with a hull
and a transom. The transom will be used to trim off the aft most sections of the hull.

To trim the hull surface

 Turn on trimming by selecting Trim Gray or Trim Invisible from the Display -
Trimming menu.
 Select the surface to be trimmed from the Surface - Start Trimming menu. (e.g.
Hull)

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Modeler will show the hull surface with all the currently visible regions selected. In this
case since the whole surface is visible, the whole surface will be selected. A selected
region is shown with Gray shading.

To change the visibility of a region, click inside that region. The shading will be turned
off or on as appropriate to show whether it is selected or not.

In this case, to trim off the area behind the transom (i.e. make it invisible), simply click
on the region defined by the edges of the hull, and the hull's intersection with the
transom. When this region is clicked on, the shading will disappear.

After clicking in the region to be trimmed off, the screen looks like this:

The window may be zoomed, panned or rotated while regions are being selected.

Now that all the regions to be trimmed off have been selected
 Choose Trim from the Surface menu (or use Ctrl T).

The contours on the design will now be recalculated and trimmed to the visible regions
of the hull surface.

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Trimming is often easiest in the perspective window with the “Half” display option
turned on. This way you will only see the actual surfaces and not their mirror images.
Rotate the view direction so that you can select the desired region. You can zoom and
pan the design whilst trimming; however, you cannot change window.
Displaying Trimmed Surfaces
Modeler provides the option of displaying trimmed contours in Gray or ignoring
trimming altogether.

The Trimming command in the Display menu controls how Modeler will display
trimmed surfaces. If Trimming Off is selected, Modeler will not display or recalculate
any trimmed surfaces. This provides a method for making changes to the design without
the overhead of recalculating the surface trimming after each change.

If Trim Gray is selected, Modeler will trim off any parts of the contours that are not in
the visible regions of the surface, and show the trimmed off parts in grey.

If Trim Invisible is selected, Modeler will trim all contours to the visible regions of the
surface and not display the trimmed contours.

If the trimming mode is set to off, and then turned on (or Gray), Modeler will find all the
intersections, and attempt to reform any trim regions that you have selected. For
example, you could work in low precision with trimming turned off, and switch to high
precision with trimming turned on to have a more accurate look at the design without
having to re-trim the design.

In some cases, if the design has been substantially changed, it may be necessary to re-
trim some surfaces. It is possible for a complete surface to be trimmed away and hence
invisible when trimming is turned on, if this happens use Trim Gray to make the surface
visible or untrim the surface; see Untrim Surface in the next section.

A good design will trim consistently at all precisions. If you find that the trimming
behaviour changes at different precisions, your surfaces may not intersect consistently as
you change the precision. The best way to overcome this type of problem is to increase
the amount by which surfaces overlap.

Also be aware that you may loose or change trimming information if you add new
surfaces or move existing surfaces or control points so that the trimming regions change
considerably. It is generally best to do the trimming when you have virtually completed
the design.
Untrim Surface
The trimming information for any surface may be removed by selecting Untrim - Surface
name from the Surfaces menu. Only surfaces that have been trimmed are listed in the
Untrim menu.

Note
Only visible surfaces are listed in the trim menus.

Also see the section on Cutting Surfaces.

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Cutting surfaces
To help facilitate designs with more complex surface configuration Modeler has the
concept of “cutting surfaces” and “Cutting Curves”. For each surface a list of cutting
surfaces and curves is assigned; these surfaces and curves are used to divide the surface
to be trimmed into regions. By default each surface has all other surfaces in the design
assigned as cutting surfaces and none of the curves. The user can manually select the
cutting surfaces and curves for each each surface that is going to be trimmed. This can
greatly reduce the complexity of trimmed designs with large numbers of surfaces.
Cutting surfaces are assigned from the Surface properties dialog or from the surface
property sheet by clicking on the “Cutting Curves and Surfaces” button.

Accessing the Cutting Curves and Surfaces dialog from the Properties pane

Accessing the Cutting Curves and Surfaces dialog from the Surface Properties dialog

This will load the Cutting Surfaces dialog box from which the user can check which
surfaces will be used as cutting surfaces; for the cutting curves you must specify the
projection direction that is used to form the intersection with the surfacd:

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Cutting surface and curve selection dialog

As a simple example the main hull surface (blue) in the following diagram 4 trimming
regions if all the surfaces are used as cutting surfaces:

However if the hull surface has only the Transom surface assigned as a cutting surface
then the hull will be divided into two trimming regions only.

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Copying Cutting Surfaces and Curve Lists

If several surfaces require the same cutting list, you may copy these data using the
“Cutting Surfs” column in the Surfaces data table:

Copying Cutting properties

Cutting Preferences
By default all surfaces do not use all other surfaces as potential cutting surfaces.
However this can be inconvenient for simple models with few surfaces. If desired you
can modify the preferences so that new surfaces are automatically added to the cutting
surface list of the other surfaces in the design. This option may be found in the Edit |
Preferences dialog:

Ensure that the cutting list for new surfaces is empty and
that new surfaces are not added to the cutting list of existing surfaces in the design

Bonding Surfaces

Modeler allows you to join two surfaces together along a common edge so that the two
surfaces behave as one larger surface. This procedure is referred to as Bonding. The
edges may be in the same surface, or in separate surfaces.

Bonding is an extremely powerful tool to help you create all kinds of features such as
areas with specific radiuses, chined transitions etc. Aside from that Modeler has the
capability to enforce specific tangential continuity across a bonded edge.

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 Bonding Surfaces - Concepts

 When to Use Bonding
 Bonding Surfaces - Procedures
 Bonding Types
 Viewing bonding types
 Changing bonding types
 Unbonding
 Bonding within a Surface
 Commands Affected by Bonding

Bonding Surfaces - Concepts

Two rules govern which edges may be bonded together:

1. The two edges that are to be bonded must share the same number of control points
along their respective edges.

2. The two edges must share the same stiffness in the direction of the edge.

When to Use Bonding

Bonded surfaces are typically used to achieve particular design features where different
types of surfaces or surfaces with different properties have to be used.

Typically a bonded surface is used to achieve a combination of regular hull surfaces:

 Areas with a specific radius using conic surfaces: bilge, bowcone, transom-hull
transition
 Areas with no curvature using linear surfaces: flat plate
 Areas where you require a different stiffness in the direction other than the
direction of the edge. For example a transition from transverse stiffness 5 to
transverse stiffness 3 along a longitudinal bonded edge.

Example applications

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 Knuckles in the hull, chines

 Bowcones
 Bilge radiuses
 Flat of sides, flat bottom plate
 Box shaped models, deckhouses that require plate expansion
 Bulbous bow transition into hull
 Tangential keel – hull transitions

Example of a model using bonded surfaces; bow cones, swim platform, radiuses and large fillets.

The advantages of using bonding are:

 Tangent transitions between surfaces with different properties.
 Control over the shape of the bonded edge.
 Knuckles can be created without adding a lot of extra control points as opposed to
using compacted control points.
 Model transfers into other programs more easily (no trimming problems)
 By dividing the model up into different panels, the plate development can be a lot
easier in Structure. You can use the Develop Surface command in Structure
without having to subdivide the surface.

The disadvantages of using bonding are:

 It can sometimes be difficult to change the surface shape of the bonded surfaces
due to tangency constraints. Applying the tangent transition at a later design stage
and some practice can solve this.
 Certain changes, such as changing the number of control points on the edge or the
stiffness of the edge, affect both surfaces. This may result in:
o A large number of surfaces (use the Assembly Pane to manage large number
of surfaces)
o A large number of control points

Bonding Surfaces - Procedures

Two edges need to be selected for bonding. The first edge selected will remain stationary
in space while the second edge is moved to exactly match it. The process of bonding may
be performed by using the following steps:

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 Select the edge that you wish to remain stationary first,

 While holding the Shift key down, select the second that you wish to move and
bond to the stationary edge,
 Choose Bond Edges from the Controls Menu and select the type of tangency you
wish to apply to bond the edges together.
Or,
 Select any control point, excluding corner points, from the edge that you wish to
remain stationary first,
 While holding the Shift key down, select any control point, excluding corner points,
from the edge that you wish to move and bond to the stationary edge,
 Choose Bond Edges from the Controls Menu and select the type of tangency you
wish to apply to bond the edges together.

Corner points cannot be used to select edges, as they fall on two edges simultaneously,
and so do not uniquely define one particular edge. Hence edges that you wish to bond
must contain at least one intermediate control point.
Only two edges may be bonded together. However, if you wish more surface edges to be
bonded you can manually bond the third edge by compacting and grouping the control
points and make the surface stiffness’s the same.

Also see:
Advanced - Transpose on page 234 for information on how to swap rows and
columns.
Bonding Types
Modeler has additional options for bonding together two surface edges while maintaining
overall fairness across the surface edge. This is particularly useful in situations where it
is necessary to create a number of surfaces in an area of the hull but no discontinuities
are desired. Modeler has three options to bond together two edges
 No Tangency
 Approximate Tangency
 Strict Tangency

No Tangency:
Ensures that each control point along the bonded edge maintains the same location
as the corresponding point on the other surface and the surface has the same
stiffness in the direction of the bonded edge.

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Original surfaces to be bonded

Bonding with No Tangency, points on edge share same location

Approximate Tangency:
Ensures that the two control points in the same row or column perpendicular to the
edge remain in a straight line. This is the same effect you can get by using the
Align to Vector command and it helps ensure that the surfaces share a common
tangent direction across the edge. In some cases, particularly when there is
significant twist in the surface, this is not sufficient to guarantee tangency and the
third bonding option must be used.

Approximate Tangency – Rows are colinear across the surface edge

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Strict Tangency
Ensures both that each row or column running across the surface edge is kept in
alignment with the corresponding row or column on the other surface, and also
that the next control point on each side of the edge is kept at an equal distance
from the edge. This guarantees tangent continuity in all cases.

Strict Tangency – Rows are co-linear across surface edge and points are equal distance from the edge

After bonding with a tangency constraint, and points either side of the edge are moved,
the points on the opposite side of the bonded edge will move in the opposite direction to
maintain continuity. If a point on the edge is moved, then both adjoining points will be
moved in the same direction and by the same amount.

When bonding two edges together using tangency constraints, some control points will
be moved by Modeler to ensure continuity. In this case, the rule as to which points
remain unchanged and which points are modified is the same as that used with simple
bonding. The first surface selected is treated as the master surface and is not modified in
any way. The second surface selected is regarded as the slave surface, meaning that
Modeler will modify points in this surface as required to meet the constraints.
Viewing bonding types
Positioning the mouse cursor over a bonded edge will display both edge names and the
continuity constraint in the bottom left of the status bar:

The following types of bonding annotations are possible:

 C0 = No Tangency
 C1 Lenient = Approximate tangency
 C1 Strict = Strict Tangency

If a bonded edge is selected, the bonding constraint will be displayed ticked in the
Bonding menu:

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Changing bonding types

You can change the type of tangency easily by simply selecting a bonded edge or a
control point on that edge, excluding corner points, and re-apply the bonding.

Selecting a shared control point on a bonded edge.

Tip:
In practise you may find it more convenient to use “no tangency” in early
stages of design and then apply tangency later when you get to the fairing
stage of design. This is mainly because the control points move on both
sides of the bonded edge when tangency constraints are used.

Unbonding
Any two edges may be unbonded by selecting the bonded edge or a control point on that
edge, excluding corner points, and choosing Unbond from the Controls menu. Once the
edges are unbonded they are free to move independently.
Bonding within a Surface
Edges within a surface may also be bonded to one another as long as they follow the
requirements of number of control points and stiffness. If you wished to form a closed
surface, you might start off with the following net arrangement, with the object being to
bond the two edges as indicated.

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This net would generate a closed surface joined along the bonded edge. To highlight the
bonded edge as shown, select the Bonded Edges option from the Contours dialog.

Commands Affected by Bonding

Bonding can effectively combine two surfaces to form a larger surface. As a result,
commands that previously worked on single surfaces treat bonded surfaces as one:
 Adding and Deleting of controls, where the row or column extends across a
bonded edge.
 Surface locking, where all surfaces that are bonded together are locked or
unlocked in unison.
 The Size Surface function, i.e. bonded surfaces cannot be sized independently.
 Surface movement commands such as Move, Flip, Rotate and Align.

Also see the section on Trimming Surfaces.

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Working with Trimesh Surfaces

A Trimesh surface is a linear surface made up of triangular facets. It is not a NURB
surface, it does not have control points, and it cannot be trimmed with NURB surfaces.

The TriMesh surface is not designed to be smooth – it follows the input data points
exactly and is linear between the data points. The Markers should provide sufficient
detail for the purpose to which the model is going to be put such as, for example,
hydrostatic and/or seakeeping analysis in Stability, Motions and Resistance.

It is often the case that line or point data for a vessel exist but a full NURB surface model
does not exist. Reverse engineering an accurate NURB surface model from point or line
data can be laborious and time consuming. Often the level of smoothness obtained from
a NURB surface is not required and a surface made up of linear, triangular facets is
sufficient. The aim of the TriMesh surface is to provide a quick route from line or point
data to a vessel surface model that may be used for analysis. The accuracy of a TriMesh
surface representation of the hullform is dependent on the number of data points used to
generate the TriMesh.

Because a TriMesh surface is a linear surface, it is generally not suitable for construction
purposes. This means that if for example plate expansions and longitudinal stiffener
geometry outputs are expected to be required at a later stage in the design process, the
Modeler and Fitting tools for fitting NURB surfaces to markers should be used.

See Trimesh Surface on page 250 for more information.

Add Trimesh from 3 or 4 markers

A very simple Trimesh can be added by selecting 3 or 4 Markers. If 3 Markers are

selected a single triangle will be added. The simple one- or two-triangle trimesh can be
remeshed with smaller triangles

Marker selection and resulting Trimesh surface

The simple one- or two-triangle Trimesh can be re-meshed with smaller triangles using
the “Remesh Triangles command”:

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The trimesh may be remeshed if required

Much more complex trimesh models can be created from structured Marker data defining
multiple cuts through the model. For full details, please see Trimesh Surface on page
250.
Trimesh from simple geometry

Trimeshes for planes boxes, circular cylinders and combinations of cylinders (columns)
may be created directly. From the Trimesh menu, choose Add trimesh | Box, Cyclinder
or Column as required:

Adding Trimeshes for simple geometries

For boxes and cylinders there are similar dialogs for specifying the parameters of the
required trimesh. An arbitrary direction vector can be defined by selecting two marker
points prior to adding the Trimesh. In this case the direction vector, length and center
will be automatically computed and the data entered as defaults in the dialog:

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Using markers to define the position, direction and length of the trimesh

The outside arrows direction can be specified and whether or not to close the ends of the
trimesh.

The “Column” trimesh tool is used for generating vertical, circular cross-section columns
(spar) trimesh objects and uses a slightly different procedure as outlined below:

Trimesh Spar Column Generating Tool

The newly generated trimesh column is always vertical and of circular cross-section
centered about the model origin longitudinally and transversely; furthermore, a full
(asymmetric) trimesh is generated. The resulting trimesh can then be moved to the
desired final location.

The trimesh is generated by specifying a number of segments; each row defines one
segment. For each segment you must specify:

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 Start height: vertical position of the start of the segment

 End height: vertical position of the end of the segment
 Start diameter: diameter of the cylinder at the start of the segment
 End diameter: diameter of the cylinder at the end of the segment
 Num. of vert. subdivisions: The number of extra divisions to be inserted along
the height of the segment. If ‘0’ is specified triangles will be the full height of the
segment; if ‘2’ is used then two extra subdivisions will be inserted resulting in
three triangles along the height of the segment.
 Distribution coefficient: This is the ratio between a linear and cosine distribution
of the intermediate divisions inserted along the height of the segment. ‘1.0’ will
give a linear (equal) spacing between the subdivisions; ‘0.0’ will give a fully
cosine distribution with the triangles concentrated near each end of the
segment.
 Close end: This applies only to the first and last segment definition and specifies
whether the start of the first segment or the end of the last segment should be
closed.
 Refine both ends: If the refine option is selected, then the ends will be meshed in
using concentric rings of triangles with each successive ring having half the
number of triangles as the previous until no further halving of the number of
triangles is possible. Otherwise a simple mesh of radial triangles will be used to
close the ends.
 Points on circumference: All segments must have the same number of points.
 Adjust diameter (equivalent area): If selected, the diameter of the circle on which
the triangle nodes are placed will be increased so that the areas of the polygon
and the circle match. Otherwise the nodes will use the specified diameter.

The mesh can be generated using either isosceles or right angle triangles.
 Isosceles triangles: the nodes on each successive vertical ring are rotated by
half a triangle.
 Right-angle triangles: the nodes are not rotated. This means that the triangles for
vertical strips of triangle that all lie in the same plane.

Difference between Isosceles and Right-angle triangle mesh

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Difference between Linear (1.0) and Cosine (0.0) distributions

Difference between end mesh: Unrefined and Refined (with 32 and 48 nodes on circumference)

When accessing this tool through the Automation interface (COM) – for example via
VBA – it is possible to specify the orientation and location of the column; it is not
restricted to being vertical and centered on the model zero point.

Furthermore, it is possible to specify:

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 Shape center (rather than defaulting to model center always)

 Shape orientation other that along one of the principle axis directions.
 Orientation, center and length will be set automatically if you first select two
marker points which define the ends of the shape.

For trimeshes holding down shift key when clicking the OK button in the dialog will result in a single triangle
along the whole length of the cylinder (right)

Add Trimesh from planar curve

A trimesh can be created from a planar curve. The function is available from the trimesh
surface when a planar curve is chosen (all points on the curve must lie in a plane):

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If the curve is a NURBS curve the user will be asked to specify the target edge length
along the boundary:

The curve will then be meshed at that density. If the curve is not closed then MODELER
will close it with a linear segment between the first and last points.

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If the chosen curve is linear then the simpliest trimesh possible will be created. If a
denser mesh is required, select the mesh and remesh, the user will then be asked for a
target edge length.
Add Trimesh from extruded curve

A trimesh can be defined by extruding a curve along a vector, similar to the function for
extruding a nurbs surface from a curve. The function is in the Trimesh menu called
“Add by Extruding Curve…” :

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The function is enabled when a curve is selected, the following dialog will then appear:

Enter the extrusion vector and whether or not you want the ends to be meshed to create a
closed voume (“Close Ends”), click ok:

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In the case of a linear curve being extruded the simplest trimesh possible will be created.
To create a denser trimesh use the remesh command and you will be asked for a target
edge length, the trimesh will be remeshed to this specified density.
If a NURBS curve is chosen to be extruded, the process is the same except that the user
will be asked to specify a target edge length for the triangle edges along the chosen
curve.
Extrude Trimesh

A closed trimesh can be created by extruding a non-closed trimesh along a vector. Once
a trimesh is chosen from the assembly tree, select “Extrude Trimesh” from the Trimesh
Menu. A dialog will appear into which the extrusion vector is entered:

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Click Ok and the trimesh will be extruded along that vector to form a closed trimesh.
This comand is useful for creating closed prismatic trimeshes from irregular planar
trimeshes.
Trimesh visibility

As with NURB surface the visibility of a Trimesh surface is a property and can be
switched on and off. This is done via the assembly tree, properties pane or Surfaces
Window. In the assembly pane, right click on the Trimesh surface and the visibility
option can be toggled on or off.
Locking/Unlocking a Trimesh

As with NURB surface a Trimesh surface can be locked and unlocked. If a trimesh is
unlocked then a small square box will appear on each triangle vertex, this box may be
dragged or double clicked. See Manipulating a Trimesh surface below.
Locking/unlocking a surface is done via the assembly tree. Right click on the Trimesh
surface and toggle the lock option.
Deleting a Trimesh

To delete a trimesh choose Delete Mesh from the Surfaces Trimesh surface menu. A
dialog will then appear in which the user can select the trimesh they wish to delete.
Importing a Trimesh

Trimeshes may be imported from a number of file formats. To import a trimesh choose
either .stl,.ply or .dat file formats from the File Import Trimehes menu item.
Exporting a Trimesh

To export a trimesh choose the file format from File Export Trimeshes menu. Only
visible trimeshes will be exported. Formats currently supported are .stl and .ply.
Adding a node to a Trimesh

A node may be added to the trimesh via the user interface. Click on the add node button
from the trimesh toolbar. If the node is added to a trimesh surface that was created from
a NURBS surface that is still in the design then the new node will be pinned to the
surface (i.e. lie on the surface). Otherwise the added node will lie in the plane of the
triangle in which it is added. When a node is added within the regions of a triangle edge
then the node will be added on the edge and the adjacent trianlges will be split in two. If
the node is added on the interior of a triangle then that triangle will be replaced with 3
new triangles each containing one vertex that is the new node. In the case of a trimesh
that wraps back on itself it may be hard to add the node in the desired triangle. To
specify which triangle the node should be added to select the triangle before adding the
node.

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Deleting a node from a Trimesh

A node may be deleted from the trimesh via the user interface. Click on the delete node
button from the trimesh toolbar. The cursor will then change to a pacman icon, move the
cursor over the mesh node to be deleted and click the left mouse button. The node will
be deleted from the mesh and new trianlges will be created to fill the void left by the
deleted node, the resulting mesh will always create less triangles than the initial mesh.
Snap Node(s) to Surface

This function will be enabled when one or more trimesh verticies are selected. Once
executed the user will be asked which NURBS surface the nodes should be snapped to:

All selected nodes will then be snapped to the nearest point on the chosen nurbs surface.
Selecting a triangle from a trimesh

A triangle can be selected in non-rendered mode by clicking on the triangle or dragging a

selection rectangle over a group of triangles. Non-contiguous triangles can be selected
by holding the shift key down to add to the selection. Triangles can only be selected
when the trimesh is locked, when unlocked the trimesh verticies will take precedence for
selection. To increase or decrease a selection by 1 ring of neighbouring triangles press
ctrl + or ctrl -. The increase/decrease fucntionailty can be accessed from the Edit | Select
pop up menu.
Triangle selection options
Several selection tools have been added to aid with selecting triangles have been added.
These tools comprise filters and selection manipulation and are available from the Edit
menu:

Triangle selection options

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 Filter: Depth sorted (3D rendered) – When enabled only the front visible triangles
will be selected; if disabled then all triangles in the selection rectangle will be
selected irrespective of whether they are visible or not. (Available in rendered
perspective view only.)
 Filter: Disconnected triangles – Selects only triangles with no other connected,
adjacent triangles (i.e. geometrically isolated triangles only)
 Filter: Semi-disconnected triangles – Selects only triangles with at most one
other connected, adjacent triangle (i.e. only one edge connected to another
triangle)
 Invert Triangle Selection – change the selection so that all the non-selected
triangles are now selected.
 Expand Triangle Selection – Add all triangles directly connected to the perimeter
current selection to the selection.
 Shrink Triangle Selection – Remove all triangles on the perimeter of the current
selection from the selection.

Deleting a triangle from a trimesh

Select the triangle(s) you wish to delete. Either hit the delete key or select Trimesh |
Delete Triangles.
Flip adjacent tri pair

When two adjacent triangles are selected the “Trimesh | Flip Tri. Pair” function becomes
enabled. When run it changes the connectivity from:

from to
Trimesh node properties

The location of a trimesh node can be altered numerically by double clicking on a node
in one of the view windows. A dialog will then appear in which the node coordinates
can be altered.
Outside Arrows

As with NURB surfaces trimesh surfaces have an inside and outside direction. Visually
the outside arrows can be switched on and off via the same outside arrows button used
for the NURB Surfaces (or choose Outside Arrows from the Display menu). An outside
arrow will be displayed for each triangle in the trimesh and they can be reversed by
clicking on the tip of the arrow.

The “highlight Inverted Triangles” command can be used to facilitate the identification
of trimesh triangles which have opposite orientation to their neighbors:

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Inverting a Trimesh

Trimesh triangles have directions associated with them (this is particularly important to
downstream analysis applications such as Stability and Motions). An entire trimesh can
be inverted (switch directions) by selecting the Invert option from the Surfaces Trimesh
menu.
Compact Trimesh nodes

If a trimesh is unlocked and more than one node is high lighted then the the compact
nodes options will be enabled. This will compact all the nodes onto the first selected
node. Any degenerate triangles created (zero area) will be deleted, any duplicate nodes
created will be deleted.
Moving a Trimesh Surface

Trimeshes can be moved in two ways, eirther numerically or freeform by dragging the
surfaces with the mouse.

The Move trimesh function can be used to move a trimesh and/or duplicate a trimesh.
Select Trimesh | Move Trimeshes… from the menu. The following dialog will appear:

Select the trimesh that is to be moved by clicking on its name, a tick will then appear
beside it (multiple trimeshes can be moved at once). Specify the distance the Trimesh is
to be moved, a distance can be specified for each of the 3 orthogonal directions. To
duplicate the surface while moving check the “Duplicate” checkbox, and specify the
number of times the surface(s) is to be moved. If duplicate is not chosen then the surface
will just be moved, if it is selected then the original surface will remain unchanged and
duplicate surfaces will be created at “Spacing” intervals the specified number of times.
The “Select All” and “Deselect All” buttons will select all and deselect all trimeshes in
the trimesh list.
Move Trimesh Freeform

Moves a trimesh using the mouse. To execute unlock the trimesh and choose move
trimesh freeform from the trimesh menu, next click the mouse near a vertex on the
trimesh you wish to move and holding the left mouse button down drag the trimesh.
When the left mouse button is released the trimesh will be placed in that location.

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Size a Trimesh Surface

To size a trimesh select Trimesh | Size Trimesh from the menu. The following dialog
will appear:

Select the trimesh that is to be sized by clicking on its name, a tick will then appear
beside it (multiple trimeshes can be sized at once). Next specify the size you with the
surface(s) to be in the edit boxes for Length, Beam and Depth. The default values are the
values for the combined surfaces currently selected. If the proportional scaling box is
checked then the values in linked direction will be scale proportionally when one value is
changed. For example if the length and beam are 10m and 5m respectively and the
proportional scaling check box is selected for both, then when the length is changed to
double (20m) then the beam will automatically be set to double also (10m).

The “Select All” and “Deselect All” buttons will select all and deselect all trimeshes in
the trimesh list.
Flip a Trimesh Surface

A trimesh surface can be flipped about an orthogonal axis. To flip a trimesh choose
Trimesh | Flip… from the menu, the following dialog will appear:

Select the trimesh surface and which axis you would like it flipped (mirrored about). If
the Duplicate check box is selected, then the orginal surface will remain and a new
surface will be created. If the surface is locked, then it cannot be flipped if not
duplicating (it will be greyed in the surface list).

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Rotate a Trimesh Surface

A trimesh surface can be rotated about an arbitrary axis. To rotate a trimesh choose
Trimesh | Rotate… from the menu, the following dialog will appear:

Select the surface you wish to rotate and enter then rotation angle (about each of the 3
orthogonal axes) and centre of rotation.

If the Duplicate check box is selected, then the orginal surface will remain and a new
surface will be created. If the surface is locked, then it cannot be rotated if not
duplicating (it will be greyed in the surface list).
Align Trimesh Surfaces

Two trimeshes can be aligned by selecting a node (vertex) on each of the trimesh
surfaces. To have the nodes displayed the trimesh must be unlocked and the internal
edges must be visible. The first node selected is the Master and the second is the slave.
Choose Trimesh Align from the menu and the slave trimesh will be moved so that the
two selected nodes are coincident.

The following illustrates the align command when the two bow nodes are selected:

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Offset a Trimesh Surface

An offset trimesh surface can be created using the Trimesh | Offset… command from the
menu. When chosen the following dialog will appear:

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Select the trimesh(es) you wish to be offset from the list and set the offset distance. The
trimesh will be offset in the direction of the outside arrows by the distance specified. If
the trimesh surface is unlocked then the original trimesh can be deleted after the offset
operation by checking “Delete original trimesh” option.

Split a Trimesh

Trimeshes can be split into regions by a cutting trimesh surface. To split a trimesh select
the trimesh in the assembly tree and choose “Split Trimesh” command from the Trimesh
menu:

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You will then be asked to select a cutting trimesh:

Next you will be asked to set the target edge length for the triangles along the
intersection, the default is set to the default of the parent trimesh:

The parent trimesh will then be split into a number of trimeshes according to how many
regions were formed by the cutting surface. Properties for the child trimeshes will be
inhereted from the parent trimesh.

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Join Trimesh Surfaces

Two or more trimeshes can be joined into a single trimesh by selecting the trimeshes (for
example in the assembly tree by holding the shift key down) and choosing Trimesh | Join
from the menu. The first selected trimesh will be the parent and the subsequent
trimeshes will be joined to it. This means all the properties of the joined trimesh will be
inheriteted from the parent.
Boolean operations for closed Trimeshes

Several Boolean operations which may be applied to closed trimeshes have been
included in this version. Two or more closed trimeshes may have Boolean operations
applied. The two operations which may be performed are:
 Union: the single volume created by joining all selected trimeshes together
 Intersection: the volume common to all selected trimeshes

For instance:

Boolean Intersection and Union of box and a cylinder trimeshes

In a ship allocation:

Union might be used to create a single trimesh of a vessel from multiple individual
trimeshes modeling the hull and wheelhouse.

Intersection might be used to create a tank trimesh by finding the volume inside the hull
limited by a simple bounding box which may extend beyond the hull.

The Boolean Operations dialog is launched from the Trimesh menu:

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Select 2 or more trimesh surfaces from the list you wish to perform the boolean operation
on. From the radio controls select what type of Boolean Operation is to be performed. If
difference is chosen then the user needs to select the trimesh which is to have the other
selected trimeshes subtracted from it (using the drop down list of surfaces).

If the user would like the intersection to be remeshed to form ‘nice’ triangles then select
the “Remesh Intersection” checkbox. Two parameters can then be specified to control
the output from the remeshing:
(1) Target edge length is the final edge length of the triangles that are remshed and
(2) The zone to be remeshed. It is specified by the number of triangles out from the
intersection of the trimeshes.

In the example below a compartment is formed within the legs of a tripod floated
boundaed by the red box trimesh:

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The settings used are those in the dialog above. The resultant trimesh (compartment) is:

When Boolean operations do not work

If the Boolean operation fails, verify that the trimeshes are closed without degenerate
faces. Detailed statistics are calculated for the selected trimesh by selecting Trimesh
Statistics from the Trimesh menu (select the trimesh in the Assembly, or in rendered
mode, by clicking on the actual trimesh).

To determine if the trimesh is properly closed and is suitable for Boolean opertions
verify that:
num.of Connected Components = 1

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num.of Border Edges = 0

num.of degenerate faces = 0
Volume > 0.0
Self-intersecting = no
num.of Holes = 0

For further details, see the Section “Detailed Trimesh Statistics” below.
Trimesh Repair

Holes in non-manifold meshes can be filled automatically to form a manifold mesh.

Choose “Repair…” from the Trimesh menu:

Select the trimeshes to be repaired, the type of repair and whether or not to delete the
original mesh. Type of repair include a simple fill hole that will fill the hole with the
minimum number of tris, fill and refine that will produce a “nicer” interior mesh, fill,
refine and fair that will also take into account orientation of surrounding tris and try to
fair into those. The result on the above mesh is:

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Trimesh bonding

Intersection contours for trimeshes

Intersection contours between trimeshes can be displayed in a similar way to those for
NURBS surfaces.
The intersection visibility is turned on via the intersection contour button or the contour
visibility dialog (Display | Contours…). Intersections will only occur between trimeshes
that are linked via “cutting surfaces” (see below).
Cutting surfaces for trimeshes
An intersection contour will only be displayed if it represents the intersection with one of
the “cutting surfaces” listed in the trimesh properties, as with NURBS surfaces. The
cutting surfaces are listed in the cutting surface dialog, accessed via the properties pane:

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Or by double clicking in the cutting surfaces cell of the Trimesh in the Surfaces window:

The intersection(s) will then be displayed in the drawing window:

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Bond trimeshes at visible intersections

The Trimesh bond commands are available from the Bond pop up sub menu in the
Trimesh menu:

To bond at visible intersections turn on only the intersectiIons that you wish bonding to
occur (using the cuttting surfaces list as outlined above). Make sure the intersection
forms a continuous contour in the regions required to be bonded. Choose Bond | At
Visible Intersections from the Trimesh menu. You will then be asked for a target edge
length along the bond :

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The defualt value is the average edge length of triangles of the intersecting trimeshes.
Click OK:

The trimeshes will now be bonded at the intersection with coincident nodes.
Bond trimesh to curve
For trimeshes that ‘almost touch Modeler requires the user to tell it where the bond
should occur. This is done using the “Bond | To Curve” function. Fist add a curve
where the bond is to occur, in the case below we will add a curve along the edge of a
bulkhead trimesh:

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Then selecting the two trimeshes and curve in the assembly pane:

We can then execute the Trimesh | Bond | To Curve (1 or 2 trimeshes) command (the
user will be asked for target edge length of tris along bond):

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In summary, when bonding trimeshes, if a clean unambiguos intersection contour exists

between two trimeshes use the ”Bond | At visible intersections…” option. If the
trimeshes “just” touch or “almost” touch define where the bond is to occur by adding a
Curve and then use the “Bond | To Curve (1 or 2 trimeshes)…”
option.
Trimesh meshed from a NURB surface

Trimeshes may be created from a NURB surface (or a number of NURB surfaces). To
generate a trimesh surface from an existing NURB surface select “Trimesh from
Surface” from the Trimesh menu. The following dialog will then appear (alternatively
you may right-click with a surface selected in one of the drawing views):

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A single trimesh can be created over the entire model or a trimesh can be created for each
surface with a tick in the Mesh column of the table. “Min. edge length” is the minimum
edge length required in each triangle generated in the mesh. “Max. edge length” is the
maximum edge length required in each triangle generated in the mesh. The target edge
length for the meshing algorithm will be the average of these calues. The user can choose
to “Bondtrimeshes at intersection curves” or “Bond trimeshes at NURB bonded edges”
by ticking the appropriate checkboxes. Bonding surfaces ensures that the triangles share
common verticies (and hence triangle edges) along the contour. The two images below
show two trimeshes with (bottom) and without (top) bondng across the intersection
contour:

Notice in the bottom image that the triangle verticies and edges are coincident across the
surfaces intersections. For trimeshes to be bonded across intersection contours, the
intersections must be turned on (from the Visibility toolbar).

If the “Enforce feature line preservation” checkbox is ticked then any featurelines on the
NURBS surface will be maintained in the trimesh with triangle edges running along the
featureline. This is useful to ensure that feature lines do not get ‘lost’ in the final trimesh
(i.e. chamfered out). If higher mesh density is required in a specific area one or more
hotspots and/or hotlines may be defined for each trimesh.

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Hotspot/Hotline definition
In the generate trimesh dialog the last column of the table is for defining hotlines or
hotspots in the trimesh. A hotline or hotspot is a point of line in the trimesh where the
user requires a different mesh density to that for the rest of the mesh. Hotspots can be
defined at Marker locations, similarily hotlines can be defined at curve locations on the
surface. To activate the Hotspot/Hotline definition dialog double click in the
Hotline/Hotspot cell of the appropriate mesh in the generate trimesh surface dialog:

This will activate the definition dialog:

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To add a hotspot or hotline click the Add button in the bottom left. This will add a blank
row. In the first column specify the type (hotspot or hotline) from the combo box. The
Name combo box will then be populated with all named curves or markers in the design
(note if the marker is not named it will not appear in the list). Since a curve or marker
can be specified anywhere in space they need to have a projection direction associated
with them, this will tell Modeler which way you want the curve/marker projected onto
the surface. Finally the Tri. edge column is where the user specified the target mesh
density for that region of the mesh.

A hotspot/hotline may be deleted by clicking on the row number which will highlight the
row and hitting the delete button.

An example may be where a user would like to have a higher mesh density along the
bilge radius of the hull:

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Trimesh from Parametric-based NURB Surface mesh

The “Add Trimesh from Surface” dialog has an option to mesh the NURB Surfaces
parametrically. The resulting Trimess is based on a grid of the Surface’s iso-parametric
curves which are then subdivided into pairs of triangles. The basis diagonal can be
selected to be the 1st or 2nd diagonal or have the diagonal selected so as to give a
symmetrical layout. Furthermore, the alternative diagonal can be selected if it is shorter
than a specified percentage of the basis diagonal. These options offer a great deal of
flexibility in specifying how the surface’s parametric mesh should be subdivided.

New “Add Trimesh from Surface” dialog with parametric meshing option

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Resulting Trimeshes with basis layouts:

1st diagonal (yellow); 2nd diagonal (blue); symmetrical diagonal (green)

With the “Use shortest diagonal” option, skinny triangles with small minimum angles
can be avoided. Use the percentage value to determine at which point the shortest
diagonal will be selected in preference to the basis diagonal selected in the “Layout”
column:
0% : Always use the basis diagonal
100% : Always use the shortest diagonal
80% : Use the shortest diagonal if it is less than 80% of the length of the
basis.

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Meshes with progressively increasing priority of shortest over basis diagonal:

Always (0%) use basis diagonal (blue); Use shortest if less than 60% of basis (pink)
Use shortest if less than 80% of basis (orange); Always use shortest (100%) diagonal (red)

Meshing parameter details

Details of the basis NURB Surface and meshing parameters are shown in the “Type”
column of the Surfaces table:

Meshing parameters and basis geometry information for Trimeshes

Tips for creating a NURB surface that will mesh well

The automated meshing tool is aimed at assisting the user in generating a trimesh that
will be useful for Analytical appliations (BEM, CFD and FEA). The automated mesh
will need to be reviewed by the user and manual adjustments made where required.
Below are a list of rules to follow when modelling NURBS surfaces for trimesh
generation.
 Don’t try to model surfaces to a level of detail smaller than the minimum edge
length set in the generate trimesh surfaces dialog
If the minimum edge length set for a mesh is 1m, and the model contains a gunwale
radius of 0.5m then there is no point in modelling this.
 Avoid discontinuities in the NURBS surface
The meshing is a two stage process, the intial mesh is done in parametric space and the
final mesh is done in x,y,z space. A surface with discontinuities (i.e. a triangular surface
with one edge collapsed to a single point), may not generate an even trimesh in the
vicinity of the discontinuity. For eample the surface below is collapsed to a singularity
on the left hand edge:

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This produces an uneven trimesh in the vicinity of the singularity that will need manual
editting:

Unless using the “preserve featureline” option, featurelines (rows/coumns of over

compated control points) will cause an uneven automatically generated mesh.
 Avoid high aspect ratio surfaces
Long skinny surfaces do not tend to mesh evenly especially if opposite side edges
approach each other at a distance less than the minimum edge length of the mesh.
For example the following high aspect ratio surface that has the top and bottom edges
converging into a single line:

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Auto generates this undesirable mesh:

In this case it would be best to model the NURB surface to the level of detail on the min
edge length (0.2m), as shown below:

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Which auto generates this trimesh:

To reduce the aspect ratio of a NURBS surface the surface may be split in two. Use the
Surfaces | Split surface command. This command become available when an edge
control point (at the position where you want the surface split) is selected.
 Where possible bond the edges of adjacent surfaces.
This is a good NURBS surface modelling practice in general. It also aids when trying to
generate multiple trimeshes across multiple surfaces where the “maintain connectivity”
option is chosen in the generate trimesh dialog.

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 Bad autogenerate trimeshes are often a result of too many constraints.

Try simplifying the constraints by unchecking “maintain connectivity” option in the
generate trimesh dialog. A more even trimesh can be obtained by setting the minimum
and maximum edge lengths to be equal (or close to), doing this however may result in
some topological features getting lost due to edge lengths being too long.
 Use manual editing tools to adjust mesh post auto generate.
Use compact nodes function (highlight 2 or more nodes when trimesh is unlocked) and
press ctrl+K to compact the nodes. The first node selected will be the ‘master node’ to
which other nodes will move. Highlight one or more nodes and hit delete to remove that
node. Comapcting and deleting are the tools most often used when aligning nodes along
edges of adjacent surfaces.
Ctrl+shift+N will add a new node to the mesh, move the add node cursor to location you
wish the node to be added and left click. Adding a node in the centre of a triangle will
create three inner triangles. Adding a node close to a triangle edge, will split the triangle
edge and form new triangles.
 Use hotlines/hotspots to capture geometric anomalies
If a mesh is too coarse to capture a feature that you require in the mesh, use either a hot
spot or a hotline to adjust the mesh density in the vicinity required.
Trimesh from Structural Parts

A trimesh surface can be generated from a part (Frame, Deck or Plate). To do this
choose Trimesh | Generate from Parts… from the trimesh menu. The menu item will
only be enabled if you have at least one part in the design. The following dialog will
then appear:

The parts to be meshed should be checked and the target edge length for the generated
mesh should be entered. Note that the generated trimeshes may not be coincident along
common boundaries with other trimeshes in the design. To ensure coincidence the
trimeshes would need to be bonded. If the user would like to have trimesh nodes
coincident with the stringer path (useful for FEA mesh generation), the “Include stringer
paths in mesh” option should be selected.

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Trimeshes generated from Structural parts

Detailed Trimesh Statistics

Detailed statistics are calculated for the selected trimesh by selecting Trimesh Statistics
from the Trimesh menu (select the trimesh in the Assembly, or in rendered mode, by
clicking on the actual trimesh):

Show detailed statistics for the selected Trimesh

Verifying Trimesh Propertied for Successful Boolean Operations

If the Boolean operation fails, verify that the trimeshes are closed without degenerate
faces. Detailed statistics are calculated for the selected trimesh by selecting Trimesh
Statistics from the Trimesh menu (select the trimesh in the Assembly, or in rendered
mode, by clicking on the actual trimesh):

To determine if the trimesh is properly closed and is suitable for Boolean opertions
verify that:
num.of Connected Components = 1
num.of Border Edges = 0
num.of degenerate faces = 0
Volume > 0.0
Self-intersecting = no
num.of Holes = 0

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Bad(left) and Good (right) statistics for Trimesh which is suitable for Boolean operations

Trimesh rendering options

There are a number of rendering options for trimeshes to help the user to get an even
regular mesh. If the rendering dialog is launched from Display Render the following
will appear:

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Whether you are meshing for FEA or Hydrodynamic analysis, the quality of the mesh
used is important. Triangles can be rendered according to 6 parameters: Surface colour,
Normal direction, Area, MOSES Badness factor, Skewness and Aspect Ratio. The last
four the user can set a range on the minimum and maximum accepatable values:

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Any triangle that falls within the acceptable range will be coloured green with trianlges
outside this range being shaded according to the legend:

This gives a quick visual reference as to which area(s) need to be worked on and how
severely the triangles are outside the acceptable range the user has set. The rendering is
updated in real time as the triangles are manipulated giving feedback on their quality.
Skewness gives a mesure of how ‘skewed’ the triangle is. The definition chosen can be
seen below:

-Draw a line from each node to mid point of its opposite side, Draw another line joining
mid-points of other two sides measure the angles between two lines. Repeat the step for
all the three nodes and find all six angles (Θ1 to Θ6).

-Skewness (in degrees) is calculated by subtracting minimum angle from 90:

-Skewness= 90-min(Θ1, Θ2...Θ6)

The triangle aspect ratio definition chosen for Modeler is:

Aspect Ratio = the circumradius to twice its inradius, so AR = abc/(8(s-a)(s-b)(s-

c)) where a,b,c are the lengths of sides of the triangle and s = (a+b+c)/2.

Please reder to the MOSES mannual for an explanation of the MOSES badness factor.

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Working with Control Points

Within Modeler, a design is made up of a number of NURBS Surface. The shape of the
surface is defined only by the:
 Control points positions
 Control points weight
 Surface stiffness

In the previous section we have seen how surfaces may be manipulated as whole objects.
Here we will look at the tools available for manipulating a control point or group of
control points to achieve the desired surface shapes.

In this section:
 Adding Control Points
 Deleting Control Points
 Moving Control Points
 Aligning Control Points
 Smooth Controls or Straighten Controls
 Manipulating Groups of Control Points
 Compacting Control Points
 Grouping Control Points
 Displaying Control Points
 Control Point Weight
 Advanced - Transpose
Adding Control Points

To increase the density of a control point net, columns of control points may be added in
the Plan and Profile windows, and rows may be added in the Body Plan window.

To add a control point row or column

 Select the Plan, Profile or Body Plan window, as appropriate.

In the Body Plan window you will also need to select a current column in which to
perform the insertion. The current surface’s current column is indicated by a highlighted
column marker in the Control Box. You can select a different column by clicking on a
different column marker, or by selecting a control point in the desired column.

Note:
In cases where there is ambiguity as to which surface is being added to, you
can give Modeler a hint by first clicking on an existing point in the required
surface. Selecting a point in this way tells Modeler to begin its search for the
correct insertion point in this surface.

 If necessary, select the surface and column into which you want to insert the new
control point.
 Select Add from the Controls menu.

Position the Add cursor at the point where you wish to insert the new row or column.

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 Click the mouse button.

Modeler will insert the new control point and also insert all other points in the column or
row based on an average of the positions of existing points in the net. The new shape of
the Current Surface will then be calculated.

If Modeler is unable to determine into which surface you wish to add the points, it is a
good idea make all other surfaces invisible or to lock them to remove the source of
ambiguity.
Deleting Control Points

The Delete command allows you delete a control point row or column to decrease the
density of a control point net. Columns of points may be deleted from the Plan and
Profile windows, while rows of points may be deleted from the Body Plan window.

To delete a control point row or column

 Select the Plan, Profile or Body Plan window as appropriate.

Control point rows may be deleted in the Body Plan; control point columns may be
deleted in the Plan or Profile windows.
 Select Delete from the Controls menu.

Position the jaws of the Delete cursor around the control point.

 Click the mouse button.

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Modeler will delete the control point row or column and calculate the new shape of the
Current Surface.

Deleting a row or column that contains one or more control points in a bonded edge will
impact the bonded surface. If a row or column, which is part of a bonded edge, is chosen
for deletion, you will be alerted to this fact by a dialog, through which you may then
choose between cancelling, and deleting the row or column from both surfaces.
Control Point copy and paste

It is now possible to copy the control point position and weight ready for pasting into
another control point or several other control points.
Copy Control Point

 Select the control point in one of the drawing views (if several are selected on the
first will be used)
 Select Copy Positon from the Controls menu.

Paste Control Point

 Select the control points you wish to update in one of the drawing views
 Select Paste Positon from the Controls menu.
The selected control points will have their positon and weight updated to the value in the
Control Point Clipboard. In some ways this is quite similar to the Compact command, the
advantage being that you can move the destination control point to another location
before pasting its value into the other control points.

Further options which allow you to select which data are updated can be accessed by
holding down the Shift key when you select the Paste Position command.

Moving Control Points

Control points may be moved, either individually, or as a group.

To move an individual control point:

 Click and drag the control point to a new location.

To move multiple control points:

 Select multiple control points using the selection box or the mouse and Shift key

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 Click on any control point from the selection and drag the selection to a new
location.

Control Point Properties

It is possible to change values for control points numerically by double clicking on the
control point.

A small dialog box appears containing data about the control point. You may select and
edit any of the control point's coordinates, or its weighting value. You can also change
these values in the table in the Control Points window.

See also Moving a Group of Control Points on page 222.

Constraining Movement
Any group or individual control point may be constrained in its movement by holding
down the Shift key while dragging the control points. The constraint restricts movement
to the vertical or horizontal directions. If you release the shift key, you are returned to
unconstrained movement.
If a surface is symmetrical, its control points are constrained to lie all on one side of the
centreline. You can override this constraint by holding down the Ctrl key while dragging
the point.
Align Control Points To First Selected

This command is similar to the Align Surfaces command. It allows you to move a group
of control points whilst maintainng their position relative to one another:
 Select the destination control point in one of the drawing views
 Select the first control point in the group to be moved. The group of control points
will be translated so that this control point is coincident with the first selected
control points.
 Select the remaining control points in the group

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Further options which allow you to select which data are updated can be accessed by
holding down the Shift key when you select the Align To First Selected command; the
weights of the control points are never changed.

Aligning Control Points

The align commands are for making groups of control points co-linear or co-planar. The
Align to Vector command aligns points along a 3D line in space, while the Align to
Plane command aligns points to a specified plane.

Align to Vector differs from Smooth and Straighten in that the points selected do not
have to be in the same row or column, or even in the same surface. You may select any
control points to define the vector or plane, and then align any control points with that
vector or plane; the control points need not lie in the same surface. You must also select
all the control points to be aligned, patches may not be selected as they are in the Smooth
and Straighten commands.

To use Align to Vector:

 Select two control points with the shift key held down.
 While still holding down the shift key, select one or more additional points.
 Select the Align to Vector command.

The first two selected control points define the vector; all subsequently selected points
are moved to the point on that vector closest to their original position:
 Before aligning, endpoints with vector defined by two middle points

 With shift key held down, select two middle points to define vector

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 With shift key held down, select two end points to be aligned

 Select Align to Vector; end points are moved to closest corresponding points on
the vector

This feature is very useful for ensuring co-linearity of control points either side of a
bonded edge to ensure that the surface is slope continuous across that edge, or for
creating a straight bow. Align to vector can also be used to ensure a smooth forefoot,
going from the surface’s bottom edge to the bow; ensure that the corner control point and
the two control points on each side, immediately adjacent to it, are co-linear:
 Before alignment, discontinuity at forefoot

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 After alignment, smooth transition at forefoot

Align to Plane works in a similar fashion to the Align to Vector command, except that
the first three points selected define a plane in space that all subsequently selected points
are moved on to.

Control points, other than those defining the plane, are moved to the closest position in
the plane.

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This means that a line between the new and old positions of the point would form a line
that was perpendicular to the plane.
Smooth Controls or Straighten Controls

Modeler has some commands that help you manipulate a group of control points. The
Smooth Controls and Straighten Controls can be used on one row or column, or on a
selection of control points from one surface (this is called a “patch”).
 Smoothing and Straightening - Rows or Columns
 Smoothing or Straightening a Patch

Smooth commands can only be executed on control points that belong to surfaces.

Other commands that let you manipulate groups of control points are discussed in the
section Manipulating Groups of Control Points on page 221.
Smoothing and Straightening - Rows or Columns
Any complete or partial row or column of control points can be straightened into a
straight line, or faired into a smooth curve.

To smooth or straighten three or more control points

 Click on the surface control point at one end of the group to be straightened.

This control point will be the control point at one end of the selection to be smoothed or
straightened. If after selecting one point you wish to change your selection, simply click
anywhere in the background of the window.
 Hold down the shift key.
 Click on the surface control point at the other end of the group.

This control point will be the control point at the other end of the selection to be
smoothed or straightened. It should lie in the same row or column as the first selected
control point. If you wish to change your selection after selecting a second point, release
the shift button and start again with the first point.

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 To fair the control points, select Smooth Controls from the Controls menu and
select the desired stiffness.

The stiffer the smoothing, the straighter the line will become. Smoothing is done in three
dimensions.
 or to straighten the control points, select Straighten Controls from the Controls
menu and select whether you wish to straighten in 2D or 3D.

If you straighten in 2D, the control points will be forced to a straight line in the current
view direction, leaving the third direction unchanged. This can be particularly useful for
producing straight bow profiles or transoms; this is done by using the Straighten in 2D
command in the profile view. Straighten in 3D will produce a straight line in all three
dimensions.

You can choose to undo a smooth or align operation by selecting Undo from the Edit
menu.

Smoothing and Straightening may only be performed in a single surface; it may not be
performed over two or more surfaces.

Note
The Straighten Controls and Smooth Controls commands only work for
control points that belong to the same surface.

Smoothing or Straightening a Patch

The Smooth and Straighten commands in Modeler can also be applied to a patch of
control points that spans more than a single row or column.

A patch is a rectangular grid of control points that can be as small as one row or column,
or as large as the entire surface. Not all the points to be smoothed need to be selected as
Modeler will determine the size of the patch from the points that are selected.

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For example, in the diagram above, if only points A and B had been selected (instead of
using the selection box) Modeler would have smoothed exactly the same group of
control points, since points A and B define the limits of the patch.

To smooth or straighten a patch of control points, select them and choose Smooth
Controls or Straighten Controls from the Controls Menu. An example of a smoothed
patch is shown above. If straighten had been applied in the previous example, the control
point rows and columns in the selected patch would lie on straight lines.
Manipulating Groups of Control Points

There are several commands that are useful for fairing a design. These operate on groups
of control points: either controls within a particular row or column; a patch of control
points in a surface or across bonded surfaces, or arbitrary control points.

The smoothing and straightening commands are particularly useful for manipulating the
edges or features of a surface, e.g. creating a straight bow profile, producing a smooth,
fair chine line, etc.

Smoothing may also be useful when applied to a patch of control points for maintaining
a fair net and hence a fair design.

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The align functions are useful when you wish to place control points in the same vector
or plane. The control points may be from the same or different surfaces. These functions
are also useful for fairing across the edges of bonded surfaces. If the Align to Plane or
Align to Vector functions are called while holding the shift key down a constraints dialog
box will appear. In this dialog you may specify movement constraints in certain planes.

The size function may be used to enlarge or reduce a portion of a design, by re-scaling a
group of control points. In a similar way, certain areas of a design can be rotated by
rotating the control points in that area. To re-size or rotate complete surfaces, please refer
to the Size and Rotate commands in the Surfaces menu, these are described in the
Surfaces section.

In this section:
 Moving a Group of Control Points
 Resizing a Group of Control Points
 Rotating a Group of Control Points

Also of interest may be:

 Smoothing and Straightening - Rows or Columns
 Smoothing or Straightening a Patch
 Aligning Control Points
 Compacting Control Points
 Discontinuities and Feature Lines

Moving a Group of Control Points

This command may be used to move an area of a surface.
 Select the control points you wish to move.
 Choose Move Controls from the Controls menu.
 In the dialog type in the desired movements.
 Click OK.

It is also possible to change the properties of a group or selection of control points using
the Controls Properties.

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 Select a group of control points

 Select Control Properties from the Controls menu.

The same dialog will appear, but only those values that are common between all the
selected control points will be filled in. You can change any of the values and all the
selected control points will have their respective values updated.

This function is useful for aligning columns of control points; see below:

 Select the control points you wish to align:

 Select Control Properties from the Controls menu:

Any data fields, which are common for all the selected control points will be filled in;
any data fields which differ for the selected control points will be left blank. In this case
the surface name and column number are the same for all the selected control points.

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 Type in the longitudinal position you wish to set for all the control points and click
OK.

The selected control points are now all set to the same longitudinal position of –5.26m.

Resizing a Group of Control Points

The Size Controls command may be used to enlarge or reduce an area of a surface.
 Select the control points you wish to resize.
 Choose Size Controls from the Controls menu.
 In the dialog type in the desired length, width and depth dimensions; proportional
scaling may be achieved by ticking the Proportional Scaling boxes next to the
dimensions.

Note that the values that appear when the dialog is first displayed are the dimensions of
the bounding box containing the desired control points. To scale the control points, type
in the dimensions of the new bounding box you wish the control points to occupy.
 Choose the origin for the re-scaling in the Size About fields.

This will control the direction in which the control points are moved. The Size About
point will remain unchanged when the control points are resized.
 Click OK.

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Rotating a Group of Control Points

To rotate a group of control points:
 Select the control points you wish to rotate.
 Choose Rotate Controls from the Controls menu.
 Type in the rotations about each of the axes.
 Type in the rotation centre.
 Click OK.

Compacting Control Points

Compacting Control Points – Concepts

The Compact function is used when you wish to position one or more control points
precisely over an existing control point. This can be used to create a knuckle or
discontinuity in the surface or to collapse a side to a point e.g. at the bottom of a bow
cone (see Discontinuities and Feature Lines on page 226).
Compacting Control Points – Procedures
To compact two or more control points
 Select one control point,

This control point is the one that you wish all other control points to compact onto. It will
remain stationary when you select the Compact function.

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 Hold down the Shift key and select one or more other control points.

These are the control points that you wish to compact to the first selected control point.
 Select Compact from the Controls menu or type Ctrl+K.

This will compact all selected control points to the first selected point.

Note:
The Compact command does not hold the compacted points together
permanently, i.e. if you select one with the mouse and move it, the other
points in the same position will not move with it. If you wish all the points
to move as one, select all the compacted points (with a selection box) and
then select the Group command.

Further options which allow you to select which data are updated can be accessed by
holding down the Shift key when you select the Compact command; the weights of the
control points are never changed.

Discontinuities and Feature Lines

It is possible to use compacted grouped control points as a means of introducing a
discontinuity into a surface.

Consider a surface whose stiffness is set to flexible (order 3) in the transverse (column)
direction. The following example shows how the use of two rows of control points can
form a discontinuity in the surface.

Illustrated below is a Perspective view of the net and shape of a simple surface.

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If an additional control point row is added, and its points compacted directly on top of
the existing intermediate control point row, a hard corner is created running along the
surface, as shown in the following illustration.

The scope of the discontinuity may be changed by splitting the superimposed row in
some of the columns.

By splitting the row at the right hand edge of the surface as shown it is possible to fade
the hard edge out. The surface shows a smoothly curved section at its right hand edge
and a section with a hard corner at its left hand edge.

To achieve a discontinuity of this type you need to compact several control points
together. The number of points required to achieve a hard corner is always one less than
the order of the surface in that direction. For example, if you have a surface that is
flexible in the transverse direction (Order 3), you will only need to superimpose two
control points to achieve a hard corner in the section. If, on the other hand, the transverse
stiffness is set to stiff (Order 6), five control points will need to be compacted together to
form the corner.

If you wish to display the line along the corner you have created, select Feature Lines
from the Contours menu item. The effect will be similar to the following:

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Note:
Do not compact more control points than necessary to create a knuckle. The
required number of control points is the surface stiffness minus 1. For
example: a stiffness 4 surface requires 3 compacted control points to create
a knuckle.

See also Grouping Control Points on page 228.

Grouping Control Points

Control point grouping is provided to help with the movement of multiple control points.
Grouping allows the movement of a number of control points that move as a whole
whenever a single control point from the group is moved. To group several control points
simply select the points that you wish to be in the group and choose Group from the
Controls menu or type Ctrl + G.

Note: It is possible for you to group together several groups that have been previously
created, to create a single group of control points.

The Ungroup function performs the reverse of the Group function. Choose the group that
you wish to ungroup by selecting a control point from within the group. Choose Ungroup
from the Controls menu.

Single control points cannot be marked as grouped – you must select at least two control
points to group them. If a control point is grouped to another which is subsequently
deleted (by, for example, deleting the surface, row or column in which the control point
lies) the remaining control point will become ungrouped unless there are other,
undeleted, control points in the same group.
Group and Compact
It is important not to confuse the functions of the Group command and the Compact
command. Group allows you to move control points simultaneously, even if they occupy
different positions in space. Compact forces several control points to the same position in
space, but does not force them to move simultaneously. If you wish to have several
control points occupy one position and move together, you will need to select the
Compact command followed by the Group command.

See also Compacting Control Points on page 225.

Displaying Control Points

To control the net display, select the items under the Net submenu in the Display menu.
Show Net
The entire network of control points is shown by itself.
Hide Net
In Perspective, Profile and Plan window only the edges of the surface will be
shown. If you wish to hide the edges you should hide or lock the surface.

In Body Plan window, the current control points column of the Current Surface
will be displayed. This allows you to adjust the shape of one column at a time. See
also Body Plan Window on page 52.
Rows
Only Rows are displayed.

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Columns
Only Columns are displayed.
Masking the Net
In cases where you are dealing with a complex net of control points, it is sometimes very
helpful to be able to select a particular group of control points to remain visible while the
remainder of the net is hidden. This is the function of the Mask command.

It can be particularly useful to select the control points you wish to mask in one view and
then to manipulate them in another view. For example, when fairing a bulbous bow, it
can be helpful to mask the control points in the Perspective or Profile views and then
manipulate the surface shape in the Plan view.

When working with a control point net with a large number of columns, it may be very
confusing to try to work on particular points in the Body Plan window.

By selecting all the points on one or two columns and then selecting Mask, only the
portion of the net selected, and the area of the surface that it exerts an influence on, will
be displayed. It will then be much easier to view and modify in the Body Plan or any
other window.

When the Unmask command is selected, the entire net will be made visible again.
Control Point Weight

Non Uniform Rational B-Spline (NURB) surfaces have an additional shape control
parameter, called a weighting value, available at each control point. In Modeler, the
weighting value is shown in the last column of the Control Point window.

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This section explains the effect of changing the weight of control points and gives some
examples where the weight of a control point is used to achieve a specific shape such as
Circular Arcs)
Control Point Weight Concept
When a control point has its weighting value increased, the surface, in the vicinity of that
control point, will be attracted towards the control point. Conversely, a decrease in the
weighting value will result in the surface being pushed away from that control point:

Effect of increasing / decreasing the weight of the middle control point.

This is even true to the extent that a negative value will give a curve that balloons
outward from the polygon of control points:

Negative control point weight

Note:
In general you should only use weighting values to exactly model a conic
curve. It is not usually a good idea to use the weighting value to control the
shape of free form curves.

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Circular Arcs
The primary use for the weighting values in a NURB surface is to allow you to create
true arcs of circles and ellipses. There are two standard formulations for these curves,
one using three control points and Order 3 (quadratic) stiffness, and one using four
control points and Order 4 (cubic) stiffness. In both cases, there is an equation that
describes what the weighting value should be, based on the angle of the arc.

Note that when a surface is defined as a conic, Modeler only automatically computes the
control point weights correctly for three-point-forms. Weights will be incorrect for four-
point-forms and you must change the surface type to NURB so that you can enter the
weights manually.

For the three point case, the distances between control points are kept equal and the
weighting value for the centre point is set to
w = COS (/2)
where  is the included angle of the arc.

For example for a 90° arc,

w = COS 45° = 0.7071.

For a 45° arc,

w = COS 22.5° = 0.9239.

The four point form again has the control points forming an equally spaced polygon
around the curve. In this case, the equation for the weighting value is
w = (1 + 2 Cos (/2) ) / 3
where  is the included angle of the arc.

For example, for a 90° arc,

w = (1 + 2 (Cos 45°))/3 = 0.804738
For a 180° arc,
w = (1 + 2 (Cos 90°))/3 = 0.3333'

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The three point form of circular arc can be used for any arc from 0° to 180°. However, as
the angle approaches 180°, the weighting value approaches 0 and the position of the
centre control point approaches infinity. It is best applied to arcs between 0° and 90°.

The four point form has a more complex equation for the weighting values, but is an
elegant form for 180° arcs. It is best used for arcs between 90° and 180°

Elliptical Arcs
NURBS can represent elliptical as well as circular arcs simply by stretching the control
point polygon in a linear fashion.

When this is done the weighting values remain the same as those for the circular arc on
which the ellipse is based.
Circular and Elliptical Surfaces
The extension of the NURB curve to the surface allows cylinders, spheres, cones etc. to
be modelled exactly. For a cylinder or cone, one row is set to the weighting value
required for the arc.

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In the case of a toroidal or spherical surface where curvature runs in both directions on
the surface, the weighting values are set as follows:

The central control point has its weighting value set to the product of the weighting
values of the row and column that intersect it. In this case 0.7071 x 0.7071 = 0.5.

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By combining these surfaces, it is possible to build up complex designs made up of true

circular and elliptical segments, such as a submarine. The submarine example is in the
Sample Designs folder, which comes with Modeler. (Modeler\Sample
Designs\Naval\Submarine\Submarine.msd)

Advanced - Transpose

The transpose function may be used to flip the column or row ordering and also swap the
rows and columns of a surface. This operation will not affect the actual shape of the
surface, merely the ordering of the control points. This can be particularly useful if you
have imported a NURB surface which uses a different control point orientation from
Modeler, or if you have rotated a surface and the column selection in the Body Plan view
selects columns which are now closer to being longitudinal than transverse.

The Reverse Row Ordering and Reverse Column Ordering functions change the order in
which the control points in a row or column are indexed.

The Swap Row and Column Axes function will make rows columns and columns rows.
This can be useful if the columns have become longitudinal rather than transverse
through surface rotations.

Surface Fitting
This section explains all the concepts and steps to fit a surface to an existing design.
There are two types of surfaces in Modeler which you can use to fit to existing design
data: NURBS and TriMesh surfaces. This section explains when to use which and what
tools should be used in the process.

You may wish to read the section on Working with Markers on page 91 before starting a
surface fitting process.

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In this section:
 Surface Fitting – Concepts
 NURB Surface Fitting – Procedures
 Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers
 Trimesh Surface
Surface Fitting – Concepts

Often a Naval Architect has to produce hydrostatic or other data from an existing design.
For example: a modification to the hullshape has been made and a stability booklet has to
be re-submitted; or a similar vessel is to be built from existing plans. The existing design
may be in various formats: paper lines plan, a CAD drawing, or an offsets file.
Depending on the type of output required and the design data available there are different
tools available and they are used in different orders.
Surface Fitting Concepts – Theory

1. Data Representation of Shapes

You can represent a shape in space in the following ways:
 Points
 Lines
 Surface(s)

A cloud of points can describe a shape in 3D, but it is very difficult to see whether
all points are exactly on that shape. Or: whether the shape that runs through the
cloud of points is fair.

By connecting the points with fair lines, the shape can be better visualised. The
problem with this method is that there is no explicit relationship between the
individual lines thus making changes to the 3D shape is time consuming because
changing one line means that all other lines must be updated so that the lines are
all consistent with one another.

The highest order to represent a 3D shape is using a 3D surface. The surface can
have different levels of stiffness which can be seen as the stiffness of the
traditional fairing battens. Any required line (e.g. section, waterline, buttock) is
taken directly from the surface ensuring that all lines are consistent. This is what
Modeler NURB surface modelling does. For more information, see the Modeler
manual chapter 2.

The greatest advantage of using a surface to represent a shape is that you can
derive points and lines from the surface instantaneously and this allows you to
produce lines plans on the fly and make changes easily. The Modeler suite takes
this concept one step further and derives the input required for stability, resistance
and seakeeping analysis as well as production information directly from the
surface shape. This enables a naval architect to make last minute changes to the
hullshape as the design iteration cycle progresses.
2. Fully automatic fitting
Before you continue reading this document, it is important to establish that a fully
automatic fitting tool that fits a NURB surface to a set of points or lines does not
exist. Human interaction to judge the input, the hullshape and decide on the output
information required from the surface model is necessary.

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Having said that, there are some cases where fully automated surface fitting is
possible: a round bilge simple hullshape where only Hydrostatic output
information is required can be fitted automatically.
3. Modeler Tools
Modeler has two options to assist with Naval Architecture tasks that start with
existing design data in any format:
 NURBS Surface
 Trimesh Surfaces
Which one to choose and how to get from a specific type of input data to a specific
output is described in the next step-by-step sections.
Surface Fitting Concepts - Choice of Tools

Step 1: Think Ahead

There are many different considerations you need to make before starting on a
surface fitting process.
1a. Types of input
Typically you can have the following types of input:
 Pictures of the vessel
 Paper lines drawings
 Table of offsets
 2D DXF lines plan
 3D DXF lines plan
 NURB surface description in the form of an IGES (or similar) file

The type of input you have does not really determine whether the TriMesh or the
NURB surface method is suitable, but it does determine how much work is
required to produce a hull model by each method.
1b. Hull Shape
The hull shape of the existing design is a very important factor when determining
how to create a surface model. Some hull shapes like catamarans and trimarans
can be difficult to achieve with TriMesh surfaces. These can then best be done
using NURB surfaces.

Whenever you use NURB surfaces to reproduce an existing design you will have
to determine the required topology and how best to lay out the surfaces at an early
stage. To some extent this is also dependent on Step 3: what you want to do with
the surface model. For example: in case you want to use the surface geometry to
develop plates, you may need to use a different topology than when you are
producing a hydrostatic model.

Basically, when you are talking about surface fitting, you can divide hullshapes
into the following categories:
 Simple: Round bilge
 Complex: Chined hulls, stern bulbs, bulbous bows, specific features in the design
(bilge radius, flat of sides, bow cones), multihulls

Interpreting the hullshape and deciding how to arrange your surface model is the
most difficult part of surface modelling and requires some experience. Some
general guidelines to surface topologies (surface lay outs or arrangements) are
given in Determining Surface Topology on page 240.

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Note: when you fit surfaces to an existing design, always try to break down the
hullshape into the simplest shape. Do not include keels or other appendages at this
stage and also ignore steps in the deck or specific transom features. These can be
modelled later with separate surfaces and possibly using surface trimming (in, for
example, the case of producing a vessel with a stepped deck).
1c. Types of output
What do you want to do with the surface model? Do you want to do some
hydrostatic calculations, resistance analysis etc.; or will you be delivering
production information from the model as well?

Basically there are two types of output data that can be derived from a surface
model:
 Hydrostatic calculations, resistance analyses, seakeeping analyses.
 Production information

This determines the required model fairness and accuracy and thus also the tools
you will have to use to create it. A Hydrostatic model generally requires less
fairness and accuracy then a production model.
1d. Ability to make changes
Another important question that you have to ask yourself before producing a
surface model is whether you will need to be able to make changes in the future.
Also the type of change that is required later on may be relevant. For example, if
the existing design is going to be lengthened by inserting a parallel midbody, you
will want to split your design in to a fore and aft part and bond them in the middle.

Step 2: Choice of tools

The process that you are about to start is called “surface fitting”; you will be fitting
a 3D surface to a set of lines or points. The Modeler range offers different tools:

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Tool Fitting Standalone Fitting as plug-in inside Modeler Generate TriMesh

Selection
criterion
Surface quality, - Depending on quality of Highly accurate fitting while maintaining The Trimesh is made up of
fairness and input data and surface control point and surface fairness. triangular or planar
accuracy. parameters used, the surface Modeler does not add extra control quadrilateral panels and is
produced can be acceptable. points. The model can be faired and by definition not fair.
- Surface fairness is not adjusted later and can be used for However it fits exactly
directly taken into account production purposes. through the data provided.
and the user has little control
over fairness except for the
number of surface control
points and surface stiffness.
- The generated surface can
have a control point net which
can make surface
modification difficult.
Hullshape Most suitable to simple round Any hullshape including model which use A wide range of hullshapes
bilge hull forms. No chines, multiple surfaces. as long as marker data is
no bulbous bows, no sorted intelligibly.
catamarans.
Time required Fast surface generation. Input - Surface preparation requires planning, and Fast, requires some marker
to create model marker data may require some good modelling skills. preparation (see below).
preparation (this is often most - Need to link markers to surfaces
simply done in Modeler - Running the Genetic Algorithm fit can
and then importing the take a long time (typically several hours) to
Modeler marker table in to iterate to acceptable error values.
Fitting)
Manual fitting + Fully automatic. Yes. User needs to prepare the surface first: No, except for the data
work required Input data points must be # control points, stiffness & edge shape. preparation: all data points
sorted into transverse have to be sorted into
contours and correctly transverse contours and
ordered on each contour. correctly ordered on each
Individual section and edge contour before the surface
splines may be hand-faired can be generated.
prior to surface fitting.
Surface model Hydrostatics only. Only one Structural and hydrostatic/hydrodynamic Hydrostatic only; may also
usage surface can be generated at a analysis. be used in Resistance and
time. This means that more Plate development possible if surface Motions for resistance and
complex hulls must be split topology set up correctly. seakeeping predictions.
into their component parts
and the surfaces re-assembled
in Modeler.
Modifications Yes, unless the resulting Yes. - Cannot easily modify the
possible surface contains a high Trimesh surface model,
number of control points. although a parallel midbody
can be created by
duplicating the midship
markers station and moving
all fwd stations fwd.
Other attributes + Useful to make a surface developable, Multiple Trimeshs
Fitting as a plug-in is great for fitting the Can be combined with
internal control points to the ruling lines that NURBS surfaces in the same
describe the developable surface. model
“Use” property as per
NURBS surfaces

Next: see NURB Surface Fitting – Procedures on page 238.

NURB Surface Fitting – Procedures
After you read the Surface Fitting Concepts - Choice of Tools, you basically have three
options:

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1. Use Fitting Standalone; See Fitting Manual.Also see the section on Trimesh
Surface since it is often more convenient to organise and sort the marker data in
Modeler end import it into Fitting.
2. Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers; manually fit surfaces to markers – possibly
assisted by the genetic algorithm surface fit function enabled by Fitting as a
Plug-in to Modeler.
3. Use Modeler to Trimesh Surface.
Inserting Markers - Procedures
First step is to import the existing design and create marker points for it. Use the links in
the table below to navigate to the section in the manual describing this procedure.

Data input format Instructions / Link

Digital images See Importing Background Images on page 350. This
section explains the procedure from scanning through to
digitising a lines plan in Modeler.
Paper lines plan Scan in the lines plan and follow image instruction
above.
Marker files in Excel or See Pasting Markers from Excel.
other
Offset text files Import as coma separated or tab delimited into Excel and
then follow Pasting Marker files in Excel instructions
above.
2D CAD drawing Convert to 3D by moving the sections in the Z-direction
one by one and then follow 3D CAD instructions. See
Converting a 2D DXF to a 3D DXF on page 357.
3D CAD drawing Save as DXF and then see Importing DXF Markers.

It is important to have a reasonable number of data points defining the edges of the
surface. If there is a discontinuity in an edge it is better to create some extra data points
to form a fair edge and model the discontinuity using trimmed surfaces at a later time.

There is a maximum of 30000 markers you can use, however the more points you use the
longer it will take to find a solution. It is unlikely that using a very large number of
points will improve the overall quality of fit, so it may be worth pruning down the
original table of offsets data if there is more than about 3000 points.
Setting up the Grid for the Markers
If you haven’t done so already, run the Generate Grid From Markers command
Generating a Grid from Markers on page 42 to automatically generate marker stations.
This will allow you to view one markers station at a time.

Next go to either:
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers
Trimesh Surface
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers (Manual fit)

After you have inserted your marker point and set up your grid, you are ready to start
manually fitting surfaces to your marker files. For this you may need to manually add
surfaces, or you can select a similar vessel from the Modeler Sample Designs directory
and resize that as a starting point. When you are doing this, it is important to think about
the Surface Topology.

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Determining Surface Topology

Surface topology is the way that surfaces are organised in order to form a 3D Shape. A
number of hullshapes and the recommended surface topologies are given in the following
section.

To a large extent, the surface topology recommendation depends on what you want to do
with the surface model. For example: if you only want to do hydrostatic calculations you
generally do not need to worry about the surface topology too much, whereas in case you
need to calculate plate expansions and deliver production information, the surface
topology is critical.

Deciding on a surface topology is one of the most difficult parts in surface modelling and
requires a certain level of experience in surface modelling. Unfortunately the surface
topology is also something that has to be decided before starting a surface model because
it cannot be changed easily later on in the modelling process.

When determining the surface topology it is important to recognise hullshape features:

Knuckles and chines
Knuckles and chines in the hullshape are very easy to recognise. They can either
be: partial knuckles or full-length knuckles or chines. Especially when a structural
model has to be created you will want to use bonding along the chine edge.
Alternatively you can use compacted control points.
Deck step-ups
It is important to recognise deck step-ups. In these situations, extend the hull
surface beyond the step-up and then trim the hull back.

Deck step-up at the forecastle.

Transom
To model a transom you can do two things:
 In profile view, simply end the hull surface at the transom and then either:
o Don’t model the transom. Only when the transom is a vertical plane.
o Bond the transom surface to the aft hull surface edge.
 Extend the hull to beyond the transom and use a trimming surface to trim the hull.
Maindeck
To a large extent Decks are very similar to Transoms and the same options apply.
Do not model ‘tween decks if you need a hydrostatic model or set the ‘tween deck
to internal structure.
Bulwarks
Bulwarks are generally not included in the surface model when the model is
intended solely for hydrostatic purposes. The reason for this is that the hydrostatic
sectioning routine cannot identify whether the bulwark surface encloses a volume
or not and will sometimes include the volume between the bulwarks as part of the
hull volume. This will affect hydrostatic analysis such as large angle stability and
damaged stability analyses.

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When the model is used for production information only (not for hydrostatic
analysis) and the bulwarks are part of the hull plating you can simply model them
by extending the hull upwards from the deck to the top of the bulwark. If the
bulwark has step-up in it, you can use a trimming surface to trim it back, same as
for deck step-ups. (To simplify modelling for hydrostatics, you could include a
weather deck which you would trim the topsides back to for Hydrostatic analysis.)

In case the model is intended for both hydrostatic analysis as well as production
purposes, you have the following options:
 Bond a separate bulwark surface to the top of the hull and set it to an internal
structure surface type. That way it will not be includes in the hydrostatic section.
 Offset the bulwark surface inwards by the plate thickness and add a top-plate. This
is to make sure that the hydrostatic sections will be closed.

The bulwark of this tug has been offset inwards

and closed at the top to form one closed section line.

When determining surface topology, it is highly recommended to read: When to Use

Trimming on page 153 and When to Use Bonding on page 162.
Corner Control Points
After you have determined the surface topology, it is time to do a rough manual fit of the
surfaces to the marker cloud data. The order in which you should fit a surface to markers
is strictly from top to bottom:
 Corner control points
 Edge control points
 Internal control points

The corners of the surface will usually be marked with a marker point. A useful
command to set the position of the corner control points is the Snap Control Point to
Markers. To automatically snap a control point to a marker:
 Select the marker in any design view
 Select the control point whilst holding down the Shift key.
 Markers | Snap Control Point to Marker

The control point will be made coincident with the marker. In addition, the marker's
properties will be updated so that it is now linked to the surface to which the control
point belongs and, if the control point lies on a corner or edge, the marker will be linked
to the corresponding corner or edge, otherwise the control point will be linked to the
surface's interior.

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Fitting a Surface Edge

Edge fitting - concepts

Often, for best results, it is recommended to do the edge fitting manually. This gives you
the opportunity to get a feel for the required surface stiffness and number of control point
columns/row along that edge and preparing the surface appropriately before fitting the
surface automatically.

The Fit Edge to Markers command will automatically fit the selected edge to the selected
markers. This command requires an appropriate number of control points and surface
stiffness along the edge direction to have been defined.
Edge fitting - procedures

 Select the markers that mark the surface edge shape

 Select the surface edge or one control point that lies on the surface edge (not a
corner point) while holding down the shift key

 Select Markers | Fit Edge to Markers

This will bring up the following dialog:

Usually, you will want to leave the corner control points where they are,
because you should have manually fitted those in the previous step.

The next dialog allows you to specify the marker order:

The Sort options allow you to override the order in which the markers have been selected.

For a successful fit, the order in which you select the markers is important and it is
therefore recommended to select the markers in the correct order manually. If you are
fitting a longitudinal edge (control point row), then you must select the markers from left
to right. If you are fitting a transverse edge (control point column) then you must select
the markers starting at the centreline outwards. In the fitting process the control point in
the first row or column of the edge will go to the first selected marker and the control
point in the last row or column of the edge will go to the last selected marker.

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When a surface edge has been fitted to markers, the markers are associated with that
particular surface edge. Once markers have been associated with a particular surface
edge, you can fit the surface edge to its markers by simply selecting a control point in the
edge (other than a corner control point) and selecting Markers | Fit edge to markers. This
is very useful as it allows you to easily change an edge’s properties (number of control
points and stiffness) and refit the edge to obtain the best possible fit to the markers
without having to always reselect the markers. It also makes it very easy to add or
remove markers to those used for the edge fitting.
Smooth Surface Interior
Once you have fitted the surface's edges, the interior control points, displayed by turning
on the surface net, may be very irregular. This command uses a three dimensional
smoothing procedure to smooth the surface's interior control points to follow the shape
defined by the surface's edges. This will give you a much better starting point for faring.
Smooth Interior Controls - procedures

 Select the surface for internal control point smoothing (smoothing is done on the
current surface)
 Turn on the control point net –(net must be turned of for this command to be
active)
 Markers | Smooth Interior Controls

Before smoothing, having fitted the edges

After smoothing the interior

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It is a good idea to “help the Genetic Algorithm” and provide it with a good starting
point prior to set it off running. This means that it will pay off if you spend some time
manually adjusting the shape of the internal sections to fit to the markers. To do this
effectively, you should have used the Generating a Grid from Markers command and
automatically linked the Markers to the sections, or – if you prefer to do this manually,
you should read the section on Linking Markers to a Section.
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers (Automated fit)

The Fit Surface to Markers command in the Markers menu uses a Genetic Algorithm
search to minimise the measured error between the Markers and the Surface by
modifying the shape of an existing surface by changing the position of position of its
control points.
Genetic Algorithm – Concepts
The Genetic Algorithm (GA) is an advanced optimisation method based on a simulation
of the process of evolution. Although slow, GAs are excellent for solving problems with
large numbers of dimensions and constraints. The surface fitting problem falls into this
category, as it is not sufficient to simply create a surface that is a close fit to the data
points provided, it is also desirable that the surface be fair and that the control point net
be smooth and regular.

Genetic Algorithms start by creating a population of individuals with a small amount of

random variation. In the case of surface fitting, a population of usually 25 to 50 surfaces
is created based on an initial example surface. Each individual in the population is made
unique by randomly moving one or more control points a small distance.

Once the initial population has been created the system simulates evolution by repeating
the following steps until a solution is found that meets the fitting criteria sufficiently
well.

Measure the fit of each individual surface to the data points and give it a score based on
its quality of fit, fairness and net regularity. Rank all the individuals from best to worst.
Repeatedly choose two individuals as parents, with individuals being chosen in
proportion to how highly they were ranked in step 1. This means that the most successful
individuals produce the most offspring in the next generation.
Create members for the next generation by choosing some surface control points from
one parent and the remainder from the other parent. Occasionally include a small amount
of random control point movement to provide some mutation from generation to
generation.

The result is a population that progressively gets closer to an ideal solution of the
problem, with poor solutions being eliminated. The highest ranked individual in the final
generation is the best solution.
Genetic Algoritm – procedures
Before you can fit a surface to markers it is necessary to link the markers to a surface,
see the section on Linking Markers to a Surface.

To start fitting a surface using the Genetic Algorithm:

 Select Fit Surface to Markers command from the Markers menu
You will see the following dialog appear:

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 Specify Surface
At the top of the dialog you can specify which surface you want fitted to the available
markers. This requires that (a selection of) the markers have to be linked to the surface
you wish to fit. The markers do not need to be ordered in any specific way. If your
design only has one surface than no options will be shown in the Surface pull down
menu.
 Specify Time limit
You can set a time limit for the search. It is recommended to first search for approx 5 –
10 minutes and see whether the initial surface definition is capable of being fit to the
markers. If, for example, the markers require a very flexible surface with a lot of control
points columns and you have used a very stiff surface with only a few control point
columns, you will never get an accurate fit even if you let Modeler search for 24 hrs.

The four corner control points of the selected surface are always assumed to be in their
correct locations and Modeler will not move them during the fitting procedure. You can
use the Snap Control Point to Marker function in the Markers menu to help you fit the
corners.
 Lock edges
If you do not wish Modeler to attempt to fit the surface edges, select Lock Edges. You
would do this if you were happy that the surface is already adequately fitted to the edges
of the data points or when you are using the Fit Surface to Markers command to fit a
developable surface to the marker points generated from the ruling lines. You can use the
Fit Edge to Markers function in the Markers menu to help you fit the edges.

The two remaining options constrain the surface so that bottom concave and
tumblehome at the hull side are not permitted. If you know that your design contains
these features then one or both of these boxes should be unchecked to minimise the
search option and get better and faster results.

Once you have specified these options it is simply necessary to click on the Fit button.
Once Modeler has fitted the surface it will add values to the RMS Error Achieved (see
Measure Surface Error) and Generations Tested fields.

Once you have clicked the Finish button you will be returned to the Modeler viewing
windows where you will see the new fitted surface.

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This command is only available if Markers in the design have been assigned to a surface.
Once a series of markers have been created that define the shape that is required, the
makers need to be assigned to a surface (the surface that will be fitted). If there is
currently no surface in the design one will need to be added (Surface | Add Surface). To
assign a surface to the markers, highlight the markers and select “Markers | Marker
Properties…” from the menu. Set the “Linked to:” Surface. The “Markers | Fit Surface
to Markers…” functionality should now be enabled.
Fititng a NURB Surface to Marker stations (Automated fit)

If the Markers are structured, ideally defining a number of planar sections, and transom
and bow profiles, then a faster automated fit may be used. The algorithm works by first
fitting NURB curves through each section and then lofting a surface through those
sections. This is quicker than the Genetic Algorithm method but requires ordered
markers.

Once a series of markers have been created that define the shape that is required the
markers will need to be assigned station indicies for the Markers | Generate Surface
command. The fitting algorithm is similar to a skinning algorithm where by a curve will
be fitted to each set of markers sharing the same station index as well as a ‘top’ (eg
gunwale) and ‘bottom’ (eg keel) curve. The surface will then be fitted to this family of
curves. The Generate Surface dialog is accessed from the “Markers | Generate
Surface…” menu item.

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Once the function is called a Generate Surface Dialog will appear:

The dialog allows you to enter the number of control points transversely across the
surface (rows) and longitudinally along the surface (columns).
Convergence Limits
The Control Points dialog also contains several other items, headed Limits and
Constraints. These limits control how much time will be spent trying to fit splines or a
surface to your markers. You can automatically iterate to improve the quality of fit until
the maximum error at any marker point is less than a certain level. At the same time it is
necessary to specify the maximum number of iterations to make before it gives up.

For the moment, set maximum error to 10 mm. and iterations to 5.

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Iterations
After the initial surface fitting, further iterations of the surface fitting procedure may be
carried out to obtain a better fit. To do this, select Regenerate Surface from the Surface
menu. The surface net may also be manipulated manually between iterations to achieve a
smoother and more useable net.

The net may be displayed by selecting Net from the Display menu. The control points
may be changed by directly dragging the points in the Plan, Profile or Body Plan views
or by typing their positions in the Control Points table. Dragging may be constrained to
either the vertical or horizontal direction by holding the shift button down.
Constraints
Constraints restrict control points to lie within certain areas to improve the regularity of
the control point net that is generated.

The constraints available are:

Flat Bottom.
This prevents any control points in a particular column being below the level of
centreline at that position. This is a reasonable constraint for the vast majority of
hull designs, the only exceptions being those tunnel hulls or concave bottoms.

Flat Side.
This prevents control points from going further from the centreline than the widest
point at the sheerline. Only hulls with tumblehome in their topsides would need to
have this option turned off.

Surface Columns.
This option constrains columns in the fitted surface net to a particular
arrangement. For example, if a design has a lot of longitudinal curvature in the
bow it is reasonable to constrain the control point columns so that they are
concentrated more in the bow. If a hull shape has fairly even curvature from bow
to stern, Even Spacing or no column constraint at all is acceptable.

If the Surface Columns constraints box is ticked, the desired control point
distribution may be selected from the Control Point Distribution radio buttons.

For the sample hull, all the Constraints may be left on.
Flexibility
Before generating splines through the markers, it is necessary to set the flexibility of the
splines to be used. Order 4 splines are most suited to the generation of surfaces, as you
gain experience with the program you may wish to experiment with other spline
stiffnesses.

Click the OK button in the Control Points dialog to accept the changes, close the dialog
and generate the surface. The calculation of the surface may take some time, as it is a
complex mathematical problem. The time taken depends on the size of the required
control point net. The larger the net, the greater the time taken to fit the surface. To speed
up the process, fewer initial iterations can be specified. At a later stage, subsequent
iterations may be calculated to refine the surface if greater accuracy is required.

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Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers (Least squares fit)

If 3 or 4 Markers are selected, this command will automatically fit a 3- or 4-sided NURB
surface with control points at the Markers. Markers should be selected: bottom-right;
bottom-left; top-left; top-right.

This command is found in the Surfaces menu and does a least squares approximation of a
surface to the selected markers. Optionally 4 curves may be selected that define the
edges of the surface to be fitted. To enable the command at least 5 markers must be
selected and optionally 4 edge curves. The command will display a dialog asking the
user to enter the number of control point rows and columns as well as the longitudinal
and transverse stiffness of the surface to be created. The number of markers required to
fit a surface is equal to the number of control point columns multiplied by the number of
control point rows defined by the user when the command is executed.

NURB Surface from Markers using least-square approximation

Measuring Surface Error

This command measures the distance between the marker and the closest point on the
surface with which it has been associated. After measurement, the distance for each
individual marker is entered in the Markers table, and summary data is displayed in a
dialog.

Max error: is the maximum error between the marker that is further away from the
surface. This marker is displayed in brackets behind the error value and can be easily
located by sorting the marker table in the Markers Window by error (see also image
below).
RMS error: is the Root Mean Square. This is the square root of the sum of the squares
of all of the errors between every data point and the fitted surface. It is a good measure of
overall fit, and it should be regarded as an average error rather than a worst error value.
Mean error: the average error of all errors.

The error of each marker associated with a surface will be calculated and displayed in the
Error column of the Markers Table.

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The Markers window displays the surface error for each marker.

Measure Error can be called up with any of the drawing windows or the markers window
topmost. Note that the error is calculated using the current surface precision setting.
Trimesh Surface from Markers

Generating a Trimesh Surface from marker points – Concepts

A description of a Trimesh surface is given in the Surface Types in section on page 118.
Generating a TriMesh surface – Procedures
Before you can generate a TriMesh it is necessary to order the markers. You can do this
marker ordering in many ways, but there is a particular work order which generally
seems to work quite well:
1. Generating a Grid from Markers
2. Group Markers by Stations
3. Delete Duplicate Markers
4. Sort Markers within Stations (automatic sorting)
5. Re-order Selected Markers (manual sorting)

You may have to delete spurious markers that for example do not form a complete
station from bottom to deck edge. Also see other commands in the Marker Menu that
may be of use.

After ordering your marker data, you may generate a TriMesh:

 Markers | Generate Trimesh Surface
This brings up the following dialog:

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Mirror surface about centreline

This will mirror the surface generated from the markers across the transverse
centreline of the model. Tick this box if you have defined just one half of the
vessel. If you have defined markers for both port and starboard halves of the vessel
then leave this option un-ticked.

Delete abnormally large triangles

You can specify how large the triangles are allowed to be before they are deleted,
or by specifying the number of standard deviations from the mean edge length.

Delete Triangles that lie entirely on the centreline

This option is useful if the vessel has a bulbous bow. If this is the case then there
will be large triangles generated on the centreline between the top of the bulb and
the bow above the bulb. These triangles will only affect wetted surface area
calculations but if desired, they can be detected and deleted
Notes:
 The Mesh Markers command works on the selected markers.
 May be combined with other TriMeshes and/or other NURB surfaces in the same
model.
 A TriMesh surface cannot be trimmed with regular NURB surfaces.
 A TriMesh surface can be saved as a .msd file and read directly into Stability,
Motions and Resistance for analysis. For complex tanks and compartments,
additional TriMeshes and/or NURB internal structure surfaces should be defined.

TriMesh from Markers Troubleshooting

Unwanted duplicate markers

In most cases duplicate markers cause problems. For instance in this catamaran
models, duplicate markers on the sharp corner cause the corner detection algorithm
to fail. However in some cases duplicate markers are required. To delete duplicates
from a range of markers, simply select the range of markers with the selection box
and choose Markers | Remove duplicate markers. If no markers are selected
duplicates from the entire marker list will be deleted

Duplicate markers causing corner detection to fail

Delete duplicate markers in the corner region of these sections:

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Select the markers from which you want to delete duplicates

Duplicate markers removed: corner detection now works correctly

Connections appear between non-consecutive sections

In some cases if you insert markers graphically, although they are inserted into the
correct section (ie given the correct station index, they may be in the wrong order
in the marker table). This is easily solved with the Markers | Group Markers by
Station command which will reorganise the marker table so that the markers will
be grouped by station index. The order of the actual markers on a given section
will not be changed. For this to work correctly it is imperative that the section grid
spacing is monotonic.

In the example below, an extra station was added – these markers were appended
to the end of the Marker table, out of sequence, hence the TriMesh is trying to
connect the sections in the wrong order.

Before adding new section

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After adding section, markers are out of sequence because added to the end of the Marker table

After Markers | Group Markers by Station -

markers appear in the correct order in the Marker table

An unwanted hole appears in the TriMesh surface

Generally it is desirable to remove unusually large triangles from the trimesh – this
enables bulbous bows and yachts with fin-keels and bulbs to be defined (not to
mention multihulls). However if the marker spacing is very irregular, valid
triangles that should not be removed are removed resulting in unwanted holes in
the surface:

There are two solutions to fix this problem:

a) When generating the trimesh surface either increase the size of acceptable
triangle sizes or turn off the “Delete abnormally large triangles” option:

b) Insert an extra section of markers that dissects the hole in the surface (this will
create triangles that have edges that lie within the acceptable range).

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Displaying a TriMesh surface

A TriMesh surface can be rendered in Perspective view. The colour of the rendered
TriMesh panels is dependent on their orientation in the model.

When “Show all Markers” and “Connect Marker Stations” is selected from the Display |
Markers menu, the individual TriMesh panels may be displayed in all four view
Windows.

Just like for NURB surfaces you can display all regular contours on a TriMesh surface.
Hiding a TriMesh surface
As with NURB surfaces, the visibility of trimeshes can be controlled in the Assembly
tree by right clicking to show the context-menu:

Trimesh properties can be accessed through the Assembly right-click context menu.

Alternatively you can use the TriMesh visibility diaog from the TriMesh menu.
Remeshing triangles
A selected set of trimeshes can be remeshed to produce a lower or higher density of
triangles. The function is executed by first selecting the triangles (see Selecting a
triangle from a trimesh above) and then choosing “Remesh Triangles” from the
Trimesh menu. A dialog asking for the target edge length for remeshing will then be
displayed:

In the images below the selected triangles are remeshed from a target edge length of
1.0m to 2.0m:

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This function is useful to increase the mesh density in areas of high curvature (ie around bulbous bows) and decrease the
mesh density in areas of low curvature (i.e. flat of sides and bottom)

Joining Trimeshes
Two or more trimeshes can be joined into a single trimesh using the Join function from
the Trimesh menu. The function will be enabled when there is two or more trimehes in
the design:

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Bonding Trimeshes
A bond is usually performed on two trimesh surfaces or two trimesh surfaces and a
curve.
Trimesh bonding functionality is categorized into four options; a Tee bond:

A Butt bond:

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An Intersection bond:

And bonding a trimesh to a curve.

The options can be accessed from the Trimeshes | Bond Trimeshes pop up menu:

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The options are enabled when 2 trimeshes are selected, either in a drawing window or
from the assembly window. To enable bonding to a curve either a curve and one or two
trimeshes needs to be selected. Choose the option that best represents the configuration
of the trimesh(es) you are trying to bond. The user will then be asked to specify a target
edge length along the common bonded edge. The default value is the average edge length
of the trimesh(es) that are being bonded:

Once the trimeshes are bonded, the bonds can be viewed with the trimesh bonded edge
visibility turned on:

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The bonded edge contour colour and thickness is set in the Colours and line thickness
dialog (View | Colours and Lines…).

Once two trimeshes are bonded changes to any verticies on the bonded edge will
automatically be reflected in the bonded vertices of the Bonded trimesh. To unbond two
trimeshes, in non-rendered mode select the bond contour and choose Trimeshes | Bond
Trimeshes | Unbond or simply hit the delete key.

As with normal NURBS surfaces if a trimesh manipulation function is performed on a

bonded trimesh the user can select whether the manipulation is to be performed on the
associated bonded trimesh. For example, when moving a trimesh the user can select the
“respect bonding” checkbox in the dialog. If this is chosen then any bonded surfaces to
the selected surface will also be moved the specified translation:

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Bonding a trimesh along a curve

The curve defines the line along which you would like the two trimeshes to be “bonded”.
As when generating trimeshes a bondwill ensure that the triangles from each trimesh
share common verticies (and hence triangle edges) along the contour. From the
assembly tree select the two trimeshes you wish to bond and the bond contour (holding
the shift key down). The selected contour defines the line along which the bond will
occur.Next choose “Bond Trimeshes | To curve…” from the trimesh menu. A dialog will
appear asking the user to specify the target edge length of the tri edges along the bond.

This function is particularly useful in cases where surfaces “just” or “almost” touch each
other and bonding along the intersection line(s) doesn’t work as there is not one
continuous intersection line. An example might be a deck surface that joins the hull
surface below the gunnel, where the deck is not trimmed to the hull surface and doesn’t
form a clean intersection line (broken yellow line):

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In this case a curve could be added to the deck edge by highlighting the edge and adding
a curve using the Curve | Fit Curve to Contour… command. Once the trimeshes have
been created we have th following (Note how the triangle edges to not match along the
apparent intersection):

If the bond command is then executed on the two trimeshes and the contour that was
added on the deck edge we will get triangle continuity across the bond:

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In general target edge length along the bond is advised to be equal to or less than the
target edge length of the trimeshes being bonded. This will ensure no detail is lost along
the bond contour as well as avoiding any other unexpected bond results.

Note:
Trimeshes need to have the NURBS surface that they were created from still
present in the design for a bond to work correctly.

A bond can also be performed on a single trimesh and curve. This generates a similar
outcome to a hotline with the main advantage being that only the triangles in the vicinity
of the bond will be altered.

Calculations
Modeler is able to calculate a variety of data from your design. Before making
calculations with your Modeler design, it is essential that sections can be properly
formed. This means that sections must be closed, or have only one opening which is then
closed with a straight line. If you are using intersecting surfaces and trimming, ensure
that all unwanted portions of all the surfaces are removed.

This section explains how to calculate:

 Hydrostatics
 Calculate Girth
 Calculate Areas

For information on how to calculate offsets see:

Offsets Window section on page 76.

Also see:
Calculations Window on page 83.
Hydrostatics

The hydrostatics dialog, in the Data menu, will compute the upright hydrostatics at the
design waterline. More sections are used for the computations as the precision is
increased. As well as the normal hydrostatics, the righting moment at one degree is also
given. This is computed as: GMt  sin(1). The precision at which the calculations were
done and the number of sections used are given in the last row.

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To change the density or VCG, type in the new value and press tab or the recalculate
button to refresh the data.

Note:
The wetted surface area displayed in this dialog is calculated using the same
method as that used in the Calculate Areas dialog in the Data menu. This
method is more accurate than that used in Stability; Modeler divides the
surfaces into triangular elements to calculate the surface area, whereas
Stability does a lengthwise integration of section girth.

When using the Calculate Hydrostatics dialog from the Data menu, Modeler displays the
sections used to calculate the hydrostatic properties in the window in the background.
You can move the hydrostatics dialog around on screen to view the sections to ensure
that they are correct. Note that this dialog calculates based on your current settings of
trimming, surface visibility and precision.

Note: Skin thickness and hydrostatic calculations

In Modeler skin thickness is used for creating the table of offsets. For
hydrostatic calculation purposes, skin thickness is ignored. Stability can be
used to calculate the effect of skin thickness on the vessel’s hydrostatics by
selecting “include skin thickness” in the opening dialog.

Hydrostatic Coefficient Calculation Parameters

This dialog is available in Modeler in the Data menu.

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Default settings for coefficient length and LCB/LCF measurements

The first part of the dialog is used to define the length to be used for calculating Block,
Prismatic and Waterplane Area coefficients; the same length may also be used to non-
dimensionalise the LCB and LCF measurements. (In previous versions of Stability, the
length had to be set before an analysis was carried out. In this version, the changes may
be made at any time and the relevant results will update automatically without the need
for redoing the analysis – this is the same behaviour as the Units options).

The second part of the dialog is used to define how LCB and LCF (but not LCG)
measurements are presented. The range of origins for the measurements has been
extended to include forward and aft perpendiculars. Also you may define whether
positive values should be in the forward or aft direction (relative to the chosen origin);
finally you may choose to non-dimensionalise the value by dividing by the coefficient
length (chosen in the first part of the dialog) and displaying as a percentage.

These options are used in all Stability results and in the Modeler Hydrostatics dialog.
The LCB options are not used in the Modeler Parametric Transformation dialog (though
the coefficient length is used for the coefficients in this dialog).
Calculate Girth

Girths may be found for all visible surfaces by using the Girth function from the Data
Menu.

To locate the longitudinal position where a given half girth occurs:

 Enter the half girth length.
 Click the Calculate Position button.

To find a half girth length at a given longitudinal position:

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 Enter a position where the half girth is required.

 Click the Calculate Half girth button.

You may search from the bow or stern. When you have finished, click Finished.
Calculate Areas

The Calculate Areas function in the Data menu allows the area of surfaces to be
accurately calculated, together with their longitudinal, transverse and vertical centre of
gravity. The dialog also includes the surfaces' second moments of area about their centres
of area. This can be useful when estimating gyradii of the designs.

It is possible to compute the total, above water or below water area and inertias. The
values account for trimming and surface symmetry (i.e. all surface area results, except
2D lateral plane projected, are duplicated for symmetrical surfaces). The DWL, as
defined by the Frame of Reference, is used.

Some examples:

2D Lateral Plane Projected

area above DWL

2 D Frontal plane Projected

area above DWL

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3D True surface area of

trimmed, visible surfaces

A fine mesh triangulation of the surface is used, so errors inherent in the use of
Simpson's rule are avoided. The higher the precision selected, the denser the
triangulation, and the more accurate the answer will be. The CG positions are given
relative to the current zero point.

The projected transverse areas and centroids may also be computed, and this is useful for
estimating centres of pressures. Note that the total projected area is computed, so if you
have a propeller tunnel for example, both sides of the tunnel will be included.

It is important to distinguish between the CG of the surface area and the centre of lateral
area provided by the Calculations window. In the first case the centre is of the entire 3D
area, whereas in the second case the centre is of the 2D projection of the area.

It is possible to copy the columns of data from the dialog by clicking and dragging over
the cells you require and then using the Ctrl C Copy command to copy the data to the
clipboard.

Click the Finish button when you wish to close the dialog.

Using Parametric Transformation

Parametric Transformation - Concepts

Modeler Advanced has the ability to perform parametric transformations of hull shapes
using the Parametric Transformation command in the Data menu. Essentially, it uses the
Lackenby method. This process involves moving the columns fore and aft, while not
changing the section shapes (unless scaling them) i.e. all y-coordinates move by ratio of
beams, all z by ratio of drafts etc. The transformation moves stations fore and aft until
the required parameter(s) specifications are met. A key quality of this function is that it
maintains the fairness of the hull to a very high degree during the transformation process.

The Parametric Transformation command displays a dialog that is used to perform the
transformation on the design's visible surfaces.

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The parameters that can be specified are divided into two groups:
 Search Parameters
 Scaling factors

After doing a parametric transformation you may want to be able to do a Hull Shape
Comparison. Also see the section on Parametric Transformation Restrictions on page
272.
Parametric Transformation – Procedures

See:
 Search Parameters
 Scaling factors
Search Parameters

Search Parameters are those that require a non-linear transformation of the hull shape.
These are -

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 Prismatic or Block coefficient

 LCB – Longitudinal Centre of Buoyancy (also see the section on Parametric
Transformation Restrictions on page 272.
 Parallel Midbody – In a merchant vessel that has a parallel midbody it is important
to be able to perform parametric transformations on the fore and aft portions of the
vessel without affecting the midbody. To use this feature, enter the positions of the
fore and aft limits of the parallel midbody. The Parametric transformation will not
change the location of any control points between these two locations.
 Midship Area Coefficient. This parameter determines the fullness of the midship
section and the magnitude of any bilge radius. A change to the Midship Area
Coefficient will also result in the sections in the bow and stern becoming fuller or
slacker.
 Topside Flare. This parameter is unlikely to be used for commercial ships but is
useful in the design of leisure craft, both power and sail. The angle of the topsides
at the position of greatest beam can be specified, resulting in more or less flare.
This flare is also distributed in a fair manner forward and aft, tending to taper out
near the extremities.

To vary these values, some form of non-linear transformation of the hull must take place.
Because the non-linear transformation is not an explicit function of these parameters,
Modeler must perform an iterative search to achieve the specified values.

Note that the only required search parameters are LCB, and either Prismatic or Block
coefficients. All other parameters and scaling factors are optional and can be combined
arbitrarily.

Also note that the values for Waterplane Area coefficient and LCF are provided for
informational purposes only; i.e. it is not possible for them to be specified as search
parameters.
Using the search parameters for a parametric transformation
Before performing a parametric transformation of the hull, make sure you do the
following steps first;
 Ensure that you have a coherent model for which hydrostatic data can be
calculated – see the Stability user manual section “Hydromax model".
 Unlock all surfaces (tip: use the right click function in the Tool Pane to do this).
 Hide all superstructure and other surfaces that are not used to describe the
hullshape.
You are now ready to do a parametric transformation.
 Specify the new LCB position and either a new Block or Prismatic Coefficient,
followed by constraint values for a maximum of three of Displacement, Waterline
Length, Beam and Draft.
 Once these values and constraints have been specified, click on the Search button.
Modeler will iterate to achieve the required parameters and will display the results when
it is finished. If the required parameter values could not be achieved, Modeler will beep
at the conclusion of the calculation process.

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Example: LCB variation on fishing trawler

 Open the Modeler Sample_Trawler.msd file from the sample designs folder on your
hard drive.
 Save the design to another location with a different filename
Tip: it is generally good practice to save to another filename before doing a
parametric transformation or working with the standard sample designs.
 Go to Data | Parametric transformation

 Type LCB = 49 to search for a LCB of 49% of Lwl aft of FP

 Leave the Length, Beam and Immersed Depth fixed, but allow the displacement to
vary by using the “Scale to:” settings as in the image above.
 Press Search and wait for the hourglass to disappear.
 Press Ok to accept the new hullshape
 Do a Data | Calculate hydrostatics to check the new LCB position
Tip: use the following Data | Coefficients dialog settings:

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 Go to profile view and do a Ctrl+Z to undo the parametric transformation and a

Ctrl+Y to redo it. This quickly gives you an idea of what has changed.
Also see:
 Scaling factors
 Hull Shape Comparison
 Parametric Transformation Restrictions
Scaling factors

Scaling Factors are those parameters that can be calculated directly using a linear scaling
of the hull, namely Displacement, Waterline Length, Waterline Beam and Draft. These
parameters can be constrained to particular values, or left to vary as other parameters
change by selecting the appropriate check boxes and setting the required values.

As an example, if no scale factors are specified and the Block Coefficient is increased,
the displacement will also increase, while the length, beam and draft will remain
constant. If the displacement is the only constraint, the length, beam and draft will
decrease proportionally to accommodate the redistributed volume. If displacement,
length and beam are constrained to particular values the draft will be changed
accordingly.

Note
It is not possible to constrain all the values simultaneously – of the four
values, displacement, length, beam and draft, at least one must be allowed to
vary at all times.

Example: specifying the waterline dimensions

 Open the Modeler Sample_Trawler.msd file from the sample designs folder on your
hard drive.
 Save the design to another location with a different filename
Tip: it is generally good practice to save to another filename before doing a
parametric transformation or working with the standard sample designs.

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 Go to Data | Parametric transformation

 Specify the following scaling factors and leave the displacement un-constrained:

 Press Search and wait for the hourglass to disappear.

 Press Ok to accept the new hullshape
 Do a Data | Calculate hydrostatics to check the changes have been made correctly.
Note that the displacement has changed, but the LCB % and hull form coefficients
are still the same. The draft to baseline is not updated until you specify the new
baseline and you may also want to reset your AP and FP in the Frame of
Reference dialog to match the new overall dimensions of the hull.

Also see:
 Search Parameters
 Hull Shape Comparison
 Parametric Transformation Restrictions
 Hydrostatics
Hull Shape Comparison

For comparison purposes it may be a good idea to duplicate the surfaces prior to
modification (the duplicate surfaces can be made to lie exactly on top of the originals by
specifying zero for all three spacings). The duplicate surfaces should then be made
invisible so that they are not affected by the transformation. If, after the transformation,
you make the original surfaces visible, you will have a direct comparison of changes to
the waterlines, buttocks and sections.

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Tip: by holding the mouse cursor over the contour lines you can see the surface name
and the contour line name in the bottom left of the Modeler window. Note that this
method of comparison will not work if the model is trimmed as the coincident surfaces
will corrupt the trimming information.

Hull comparison after 2% change to Prismatic and 1% change to LCB

Another quick way to compare the hull is by simply doing Ctrl+Z to undo the Parametric
Transformation and Ctrl+Y to redo.

It can also be a good idea to make a copy of the hydrostatic data before the parametric
transformation into Excel and compare it with the data afterwards.
Parametric Transformation Restrictions

Transformations are applied to visible surfaces only. Surfaces selected should form a
coherent model capable of being analysed in Stability. This means that care should be to
taken to trim intersecting surfaces where necessary and make sure that potential
ambiguities such as multiple openings in the hull are resolved.

It is important that the parent model be reasonably close in form to the required final
design as it is not feasible to make major changes to the search parameters before the hull
starts becoming unreasonably distorted. Experience suggests that reasonable variations of
Block, Prismatic or LCB are of the order of up to plus or minus 3 to 5%. These limits
may be lower for vessels that have moderately high prismatic coefficients – as the
prismatic increases the scope for variation seems to improve.

Normal hullshape with relatively low prismatic Highly prismatic hullshapes only allow small % LCB
coefficients allow 3 to 5% LCB variation. variations.

The parametric variation tool is ideal for making small adjustments from a suitable
parent design. It is not intended to be used for gross design modifications. The scope for
parameter variation is greatest for designs that are not extreme; as the design and its form
parameters become more extreme the scope for parametric variation is reduced.

Because of the non linear nature of the transformation and the requirement that fairness
be maintained, it is often found that long fore and aft overhangs distort proportionally
more than the underwater body. The shorter the overhangs of the vessel are the less
noticeable this effect will be.

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It is not possible to constrain Displacement, Length, Beam and Draft simultaneously; the
maximum permissible is any three parameters out of the four available.
Americas Cup Yachts

Special functionality has also been added specifically for the designers of Americas Cup
class yachts. The ACRule can be accessed from Data menu.

In the case of Americas Cup class yachts the constraint applying to LWL has been
replaced by one applying to the AC LBG value, a length measured 200mm above the
DWL. In addition, the Parametric Transformation automatically constrains the forward
and aft girths to the minimum allowable value, as measured by a chain girth at the
forward and aft girth stations.

Working with Structure

The following sections describe the tools and workflows for defining the primary
structural parts (frames, stringers, decks and plates) of your vessel. We shall first look at
some of the requirements for preparing your model to facilitate the generation of
structural parts and then examine the tools available for each type of part in greater
depth.
Preparing the design for generating structure

Before working on structure a number of checks should be made. These are very similar
to the model requirements for calculating hydrostatics and analysis in the other modules,
and consists of checking:

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 Frame of Reference and Zero Point

 Check trimming
 Check surface Use
 Check Surface Thickness
 Check Outside Arrows

Frame of Reference and Zero Point

It is considered best practive to ensure that the model has the correct frame of reference
and zero point defined before stating to add structure and to not change the frame of
reference after you have started defining parts.
Check trimming
Ensure that all surface intersections are correct and that the model is trimmed
completely. In order to be able to form frames correctly you should have closed
transverse sections (or sections with at most one opening).

In order to be able to form decks correctly, the model’s waterlines should be made up
from closed polylines.
Check surface Use
Surfaces are divided into two types:
 Hull shell
 Internal structure

When modeling structure these different surface types are treated differently. For
example, an internal surface cannot be used to define a frame boundary.

Use for Structural Parts Hull Shell Internal Structure

Frame boundaries

Deck boundaries

Plate development

Check Surface Thickness

The thickness assigned to the surfaces, is used to form frames and stringer paths. For
more information, see:
Check Outside Arrows on page 274
Deduct Skin Thickness on page 284
Plate Thickness on page 331
Check Outside Arrows
To define which side of each surface is outside and which is inside, you need to set the
outside arrows direction. The direction of the outside arrows is used to determine the
direction of stringers (cutouts through frames) and throw direction of skin thickness
(plate development, frame perimeter deduction).

You can check the direction of the outside arrows by turning on the outside arrows in the
display menu or using the toolbar item:

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You can change the direction of the outside arrows by clicking on the circle at the end of
the arrow.
Precision for Structural Parts
There is a balance between speed and accuracy depending on the performance of your
computer. Especially when developing plates the user has to be aware of the trade off
between speed and accuracy. In this section some recommendations on precision are
made to make sure you get maximum speed and accurate results.

When you are creating frames, decks and stiffeners, it is recommended to use medium
precision.

When defining plates, it is generally best to use high or highest precision because the
plate edge countours are created with the precision at the time the plate was defined and
are not recomputed. However, when developing plates the user has to be aware of the
trade off between speed and accuracy and it is sensible to make a rough check of the
plate development at medium precision before re-developing at a higher precion.

Before you export thestructural parts to downstream structural detailing programs, you
should set the precision to highest precision and recalculate all parts.

Working with Frames

Working with Frames - Concepts

You will usually begin creating your structural model by creating the frames. Frames are
added at the location of sections along the hull. A Frames Properties dialog allows you to
clip a frame, assign material and add openings.
Working with Frames - Procedures
Working with frames consists of the following:
 Adding a Frame
 Adding a Frame Opening
 Calculating Frames
 Frame Visibility
 Deleting Frames
 Modifying Frames
 Moving Frames
 Copying Frames

See also Exporting Parts on page 344.

Adding a Frame

To add a frame or frames you first need to select one or more sections to specify the
position of the frames. Note that if you do not have sections at the location where you
require them, you can use the Design Grid command to move or add sections to the
required locations before using the Add Frame command.

If the sections are not visible on the hull, use the Contours command from the Display
menu to turn on the display of sections.

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To select a section
 Click on the section
The section will be drawn with a bold line to indicate that it is selected.

To select a number of sections

 Hold down the shift key while clicking on each section
 or Drag a selection rectangle around the sections to be selected

To select all of the sections in the design

 Choose Select All from the Edit menu or drag a selection rectangle around all of
the sections

To add frames at the selected sections

 Choose Add Frame from the Frame menu

A dialog will appear allowing you to specify the shape of the frames:

Frame Material
If there is not an appropriate material available in the pop-up menu, you will need to use
the Edit Materials | Add Material… item from the Edit menu to add the required material
to the library before using the Add Frame command.
 Choose the frame's material group from the Material group pop-up menu
 Choose the Frame’s material from the Material pop-up menu

Frame Clipping
The Frame dialog displays information for the whole frame. The Frame Clipping
parameters define the limits to which the frame will be drawn.

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 Check the check boxes of the clipping limits you wish to set for the frame
 Type in the dimensions of any limits you wish to set

Mouse Holes
At the intersection between the frame and each plate seam you can add a mouse hole of
specified radius by selecting the checkbox under Mouse Holes.
Frame Openings
The current opening is the opening selected in the list on the left. You can add new
openings by clicking the Add button. You can delete the current opening by clicking the
Delete button. You can edit the current opening by clicking on the Edit button. When the
Add or Edit button is clicked, the Frame Opening Properties dialog box will appear (see
the “Adding a Frame Opening” section below).
Frame Boundary Surfaces
You can choose which surfaces will be used to form the frame. To do this you need to
click on the Set Frame Boundary Surfaces button in the Frame Properties dialog box.
The Frame Boundary Surfaces dialog will then appear; here you select the surfaces to be
used for forming the frame.

Toggle surfaces that you wish to use for forming the frame. This information will be
stored with the frame and if the properties are copied to another frame the surface
association will remain.
 Click OK to confirm the selected boundary surfaces

Note
The way Modeler-Structure forms frames along a section is very similar to
the way that Hydromax forms hydrostatic sections. Same as in previous
versions of Modeler-Structure, it is still important that the selected surfaces
form one closed contour with a maximum of one opening. See the
Hydromax manual on section forming for more information.

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After clicking OK in the Frame Properties dialog, an approximate shape for each frame
will be calculated and displayed in the drawing windows. Initially, Modeler-Structure
just calculates the exterior shape of the frames, not taking into account any cutouts or
fillet radii. The final frame shape will be calculated when you use the Calc All Frames,
Calc Selected Frames or Calc All Parts commands. Frames work with trimmed surfaces
if trimming is turned on and frames will be calculated using the currently visible
surfaces.

If you do not turn on any attributes, the frame will be a simple bulkhead with no internal
cutouts and extending to the limits of all of the visible surfaces.

If you do turn on any attributes, you can type in the dimensions of these parts of the
frames. The frame and opening limits are all specified as locations relative to the zero
point of the design. These limits can have positive or negative values and use the usual
coordinate system.

Use of the frame limits allows you to have a number of frames at one location. You can
add a number of frames at one longitudinal position by repeatedly selecting a section and
using the Add Frame command. This allows you to build up complex frames as a
combination of frames.

Adding an Inclined Frame

Frames may also be added where you have defined inclined sections. When the inclined
sections have been defined use them in the same way as normal sections to make frames.
Only web-openings are available for inclined frames.

Note:
The sections may only be inclined fore and aft.

See Working with Inclined Sections on page 316 for details on how to
define inclined sections.

Other frame procedures:

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 Adding a Frame
 Adding a Frame Opening
 Calculating Frames
 Frame Visibility
 Deleting Frames
 Modifying Frames
 Moving Frames
 Copying Frames
Adding a Frame Opening

You can add, edit and delete openings in frames while you are in the Frame Properties
dialog box. To add a Frame opening
 Click on the Add button.

The following dialog box will appear:

In this dialog you specify the type of opening you wish to be added to the frame. If you
choose any of the first 5 opening options the following dialog box will appear.

In this dialog you specify the shape and location of openings in the current frame(s). If
the dialog box is opened using the Add button the existing fields will be set. The values
of these fields will be the same as those of the opening highlighted in the Openings field
of the Frame Properties dialog box when the Add… button was clicked.

Opening Location defines where the opening will be situated in the frame. The opening
insertion point is defined by an Offset and Height and also where the opening insertion
point is in relation to the opening. This insertion point is referred to as the anchor point.

The Shape radio buttons define the shape of the opening to be added. Five shapes are
available and an unlimited number of shapes may be added to a frame.

The dimensions fields are relative to the opening and the fields required (for the
particular shape chosen) are editable, while those not required are greyed.

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See Adding a Rider Bar to a Frame Opening below if you wish to add a rider bar (also
called a Face Plate) to your opening.

If you chose to add a Variable Web-Depth opening in the opening type dialog, the
following dialog will appear:

The preview in the right hand side of the dialog will display the opening you are
currently working on. It can display just the opening or the entire frame. To view the
entire frame, check the View frame extents box.
Adding a Variable Web-Depth Frame Opening
The general process when defining a Variable Web Depth (VWD) opening is to define
the web depth at a number of key points around the opening. You do this by following
the tab sheets from left to right. When the opening is first created, a number of key
points will be displayed at the centreline and at any corner points on the opening. Next,
you can optionally add additional key points These points are defined from the
intersection of Key Pt Lines and the frame contour. To enter a Key Pt Line
 Click on the Key Pt Lines tab and then click the Add button.
 Define the kind of the line (vertical or horizontal) and the numerical position (height
or offset)

Once entered the line will appear in the preview on the right. Key points will also appear
at the intersection of the line and the frame.

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Next, you can review the key points in the Key Pts tab.
 Click on the Key Pts tab to bring it to the front

If there are any redundant key points you can delete them from the Key Pts tab sheet
using the Delete button.

Next, click on the Segments tab where you can review and modify the web depth along
each segment of the opening. Each segment runs between two key points.
 Enter the web depths at the start and end of each segment

Note: If you set the ‘type’ to ‘smooth’, the web depth will vary linearly along the
segment from the start depth to the end depth. If ‘linear’ is chosen, then a straight line
will be drawn from the start point to the end point of the segment.

Finally you can set the radius at each of the corner points around the opening. Hard
points in the opening will automatically be marked with a R1,R2 ….etc. You can set a
fillet radius at these points. Hard points are defined at intersections of line segments that
form an angle greater than 15 degrees. To view the radii
 Click on the Radii tab to bring it to the front
 Fill in the value of the radius required at each of the corners

Adding an ‘open’ webframe

To create an open frame, similar to this:

Use the variable web depth opening option. In the dialog box set the segment you wish
to be ‘open’ to a negative depth:

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Clipping and Symmetry

In the same way that you can use clipping to define the extents of a frame, you can use
clipping to define the limits of your opening. Turn on the check boxes beside the clipping
limits you wish to set and enter a value for the clipping location.

An opening may also be mirrored about the centreline. To create an identical opening on
the opposite side of the vessel centreline,
 check the Symmetrical box

Adding a Rider Bar to a Frame Opening

You can optionally generate rider bars on the openings in your frames. Rider bars form a
flange on the web of the frame. If you turn on the rider bar check box and enter
dimensions for the forward and aft dimensions of the rider bar, it will be generated along
with the frame when you use the Calc Frames command. If you select a material for the
rider bar, the weight of the rider bar will be included in the weight of the frame listed in
the parts table in the Data window.

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Rider Bar Part

Datum Waterline

Frame Part

Calculating Frames

You can use the Calc Frames commands to calculate the frame shapes including any
internal openings. If you have finished setting up all of your upstands and stringers, the
calculated frame shapes will also include cutouts to allow stringers to pass through the
frames.

Note:
Frame shapes will be calculated using the precision setting at the time you
use the Calc command, not the precision setting when you define the frame.
This means you can define your frames with precision set to medium, then
change to highest precision to calculate the final shape.

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Once the frame shapes have been calculated, the 3D shape of the frame will be displayed
in the drawing windows and the 2D shape of the frame will be displayed in the Part
window. You can use the pop-up menu at the top left corner of the Part window to
choose which frame is displayed.

If stringer display is turned on in the Structure command from the Display menu, the
stringer shapes will be displayed along with the frames in the Part window.

Note:
If the outside contour of a frame self-intersects or intersects with one of its
opening contours then the frame will appear as a wireframe in rendered
view (as opposed to a solid).

Deduct Skin Thickness

By selecting “Deduct Skin Thickness” in the Frames menu, the skin thickness is taken
into account. If the skin thickness throw direction is set to inside or centred and the
“Deduct Skin Thickness” is selected in the Frame menu, the skin thickness will be
deducted from the perimeter of the frame. Stringers and stringer cutouts will also be
moved to the correct position on the frame.

Note:
The plate thickness that is assigned during plate development is independent
to the skin thickness of the surface and is used oinly to compute the mass of
the plate.

The surface thickness as assigned is however deducted from the frame

perimeter. The plating thickness as assigned during development is ignored
in the “Deduct Frame Thickness” command.

Also see:
Check Outside Arrows on page 274
Plate Thickness on page 331
Frame Visibility

You can control the visibility of Frames and Frame Names using the Structure visibility
dialog or the Frame icon on the Visibility toolbar.

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You can also modify some Frame properties numerically in the Frame table of the Data
window.

Frames appear in the list of parts in the Part table in the Data window.

Individual frames may be shown or hidden. This is done by right-clicking on the part in
the assembly tree view, and choosing Show or Hide from the pop-up menu, or by
changing the check box in the Visibility column in the Data window.
Deleting Frames

You can delete frames by selecting them in the graphics windows and then using the
Delete Frames command or hitting the delete button. You select a frame or frames by
clicking on it or by dragging a selection rectangle around it. You can also select the row
of the frame in the Frames table in the Data window and use the Delete Frames
command.
Modifying Frames

You can modify a single frame by double clicking on it in one of the graphics window.
You can also select a frame or frames and use the Frame Properties command to modify
its properties. You can also edit some frame properties in the Frames table in the Data
window. An individual frame’s colour may be set by clicking on the coloured cell in the
Colour column in the Data window.
Moving Frames

Frames can be moved by changing the longitudinal position in the Frames tab in the Data
table from the Windows menu.
Copying Frames

The properties of a frame (opening, rider bars, material etc) can be copied as follows:
 Select the frame you wish to copy the properties from
 Select the frames you wish to copy the properties to
 Select Frame Properties from the Frame menu

The properties you are about to copy are displayed, except for the name of the frames.
This field is greyed out with the original frame name displayed:

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 Press <ok>
 Select Calculate Selected Frames from the Frame menu

Note:
Make sure trimming display and the surfaces displayed are the same as
when you defined the parent frame.
Copying frame properties does not work when the destination frames'
section lines are a very different shape compared to the parent frame. For
example: when the parent frame crosses a knuckle and the destination
frames do not, Modeler-Structure cannot copy the frame properties to the
destination frames.

Working With Decks

Modeler-Structure includes a capability for adding deck structures to a Modeler-
Structure model. A deck is a horizontal structure at a defined height which is trimmed to
the boundaries of the visible surfaces in the design. A deck may also have a number of
openings in it.

Working with decks consists of the following:

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 Adding a Deck
 Deleting a Deck
 Adding a Deck Opening
 Drawing Decks
 Deck Visibility
 Modifying Decks
 Moving Decks
 Copying Decks
 Deck Limitations

Working with decks is very much the same as working with frames.

See also Exporting Parts on page 344.

Adding a Deck

A deck is added by selecting a waterline at the location of the deck and then using the
Add Deck command from the Deck menu.

Properties for each deck can be specified in the Deck Info dialog.

Deck properties are similar to those for frames with the user being able to specify name,
material, thickness, and optionally trim the deck to specified forward, aft, port and
starboard limits.
Deleting a Deck

If you wish to remove a deck, you first need to select it.

To select a deck
 Click on the deck
To select a number of decks at once

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 Drag a box surrounding the decks to be selected

To delete a deck once it is selected in the drawing windows
 Choose Delete Deck from the Deck menu or hit the delete button.
In the Deck table in the Data window
 Click and drag to select the rows of the decks to be deleted
 Choose Delete Deck from the Deck menu
Adding a Deck Opening

To add a Deck opening click on the Add… in the Deck Info dialog box. The following
dialog box will appear:

In this dialog you specify the shape and location of openings in the current deck(s). If
the dialog box is opened using the Add button the appropriate fields will be set. The
values of these fields will be the same as those of the opening highlighted in the
Openings field of the Deck Info dialog box when the Add… button was clicked.

Opening Location defines where the opening will be situated in the deck. The opening
insertion point is defined by an Offset and Longitudinal Position and also where the
opening insertion point is in relation to the opening.

The Shape radio buttons define the shape of the opening to be added. Five shapes are
available and any number of shapes may be added to a deck.

The dimensions fields are relative to the opening and the fields required (for the
particular shape chosen) are editable, while those not required are greyed.
Drawing Decks

Once calculated, decks are displayed in the Plan, Profile, Perspective and Body Plan
windows as well as in the Part window. You can select a deck by clicking on it and you
can change its properties by double clicking on it.
Deck Visibility

You can control the visibility of Decks and Deck Names using the Structure visibility
dialog or the Deck icon on the Visibility toolbar.

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You can also modify some Deck properties numerically in the Deck table of the Data
window.

Decks appear in the list of parts in the Part table in the Data window.

Individual decks may be shown or hidden. This is done by right-clicking on the part in
the assembly tree view, and choosing Show or Hide from the pop-up menu, or by
changing the check box in the Visibility column in the Data window.
Modifying Decks

You can modify a single deck by double clicking on it in one of the graphics window.
You can also select a deck or decks and use the Deck Info command to modify its
properties. You can also edit some deck properties in the Decks table in the Data
window. An individual decks colour may be set by clicking on the coloured cell in the
Colour column in the Data window.
Moving Decks

Decks can be moved by changing the height value in the Decks tab in the Data table
from the Windows menu.
Copying Decks

The properties of a deck (openings, material etc) can be copied as follows:

 Select the deck you wish to copy the properties from
 Select the decks you wish to copy the properties to
 Select Deck Info from the Deck menu
The properties you are about to copy are displayed, except for the name of the decks.
This field is greyed out with the original deck name displayed.
 Press <ok>
 Select Calculate Selected Decks from the Deck menu
Deck Limitations

You should be aware of the following limitations when creating decks.

The waterline you select to define a deck must form a single continuous closed contour
around the surfaces of the design. For best results you should be sure to define a transom
surface when defining decks which extend to the stern of your design.

If you are using trimming, the deck shape will correspond to the trimmed shape of your
design if trimming is turned on when calculating decks.

Skin thickness is not deducted from the deck’s perimeter.

Working with Stringers

Stringers are defined using contours which lie in a surface of the design. As their name
suggests, they are usually associated with stringers which run along the hull between
frames however they can also be used to define other curves which lie in a surface such
as longitudinals for engine beds, stiffeners on a plate or boundaries for a plate.

Working with stringers consists of the following:

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 Stringer Tips and Tricks

 Adding Stringers
 Generating Stringers
 Modifying Stringers
 Longitudinal Girders
 Adding Points To Stringers
 Moving Stringer Points
 Deleting Stringer Points
 Modifying Stringer Points
 Duplicating Stringers
 Breaking Stringers
 Joining Stringers
 Mirroring Stringers
 Girth Centreline
 Calculating Stringers

Also see:
Working with Stringer Shapes on page 312
Exporting Parts on page 344.
Stringer Tips and Tricks

Before starting there are a few basic points to remember when working with stringers.
 When working with complicated surfaces, especially catamaran forms, hide all the
surfaces apart from the one you are adding the stringers to. This will prevent the
stringer point from being projected onto the wrong surface.
 When defining a stringer that goes across multiple surfaces, ensure that there is at
least one stringer point on each surface.

Adding Stringers

You add stringers to your structure, either by drawing them in the Plan, Profile or Body
Plan windows or by generating them automatically. A stringer is defined by a polyline of
points, each of which lies in the surface of the design. When you add a point in one of
the two dimensional views, Modeler-Structure will project the point through the surface
and adjust the points coordinates so that it lies in the surface. Each stringer may lie
wholly within one surface of the design, or it can run across a number of surfaces. You
will usually find it easiest to have each stringer contained within one surface.

To add a stringer to a surface

 Choose Add Stringer from the Stringer menu

The cursor will change to a cross

 Click at the location of the first point in the stringer
 Click at the locations of each of the following points along the stringer
 Double click at the last point to finish adding the stringer.
If you wish to add a point, or entire stringer, on the port (negative) side of the centreline
then hold the ctrl key down while placing the point. If this is not done then the point will
automatically snap to the centreline of the vessel.

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Alternatively you can press Return or Enter after adding the last point to your stringer or
right-click and select OK.

As you add each point, Modeler-Structure will place a marker on the surface underneath
the point you add. The stringer will be fitted as close as possible to these markers.

Immediately after you have added your stringer, Modeler-Structure will calculate an
approximate fit of the stringer shape. This is just to give you an idea of the shape of the
stringer and to give you a curve to select to set other attributes. You will still need to use
the Calc Stringer, Calc Selected Stringer or Calc All Parts commands to accurately
calculate the final stringer shape.

You can repeat the above process for each stringer you wish to add to the hull.

The display of stringers and points is controlled using the Structure… dialog from the
Display menu. You can turn on and off the display of stringer points, the net between
stringer points, the stringer curves and the numbers of stringers using the check boxes in
this dialog.

Altering the shape of the stringer can be done graphically by dragging stinger points in
one of the orthogonal views. Multiple stringer points can also be dragged.
Generating Stringers

Adding stringers by hand can be time consuming. Modeler-Structure provides a feature

which allows you to automatically add stringers at a specified girth spacing around the
hull.

To automatically generate stringers on a surface

 Choose Generate Stringers from the Stringer menu

A dialog will appear allowing you to enter the longitudinal and girth positions of the
points on the stringer.

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 Type in the number of stringers you require

 Choose the stringer surface by choosing one of the names from the pop-up
surface menu
 Type in the stringer start and end locations in the Start and End columns of the
Longitudinal Spacing table
 If you wish you can specify the start girth, end girth and girth spacing by typing
numbers into the Transverse Spacing table. These values will override the values
automatically calculated by Modeler-Structure
 Select the type of stringer you require
 Click OK to generate the stringers along the hull.

Each time you make a change to the longitudinal position of a stringer, the Transverse
Spacing table will be automatically updated to show you the girth positions which will
result from the values you have entered.

These girth positions, which are generated automatically by Modeler-Structure, are

displayed in the Transverse spacing table. These girth positions will also be displayed in
the girth expansion drawing at the bottom of the window. The automatically generated
stringer points will be calculated by evenly spacing around the girth of the surface, all of
the stringers which pass through the frame at that position.

Note: You can use the Help button to get information on how to use the stringer
generation dialog.

When entering positions, you can use mathematical expressions such as 12.5-2.5 and you
can also use the names of frames as variables in place of their coordinates. For example,
if you want a stringer to start 200mm aft of a frame names Fr4 you would enter Fr4-0.2
in the Start column.

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Generating a Family of Stringers

Generating a Family of Stringers - Concepts

By selecting two stringers and choosing the “Generate Family…” command from the
stringers menu you can generate a series of smoothly transitioning stringers between the
two ‘parent’ stringers:

Generating a Family of Stringers - Procedures

 Select the first parent stringer

 Hold the shift or ctrl key down and select the second parent stringer
 Select Stringers | Generate Family...
When the command is invoked a dialog box will appear asking you how many stringers
you would like to generate. This is the number of stringers that will be created between
the two ‘parent’ stringers. ‘Child’ stringers will inherit the properties of the first of the
parent stringers selected including shape, cutout, colour, flexibility and orientation.

The command will only be enabled when two stringers are selected. The command does
not work with two parent stringers that have stringer points with different projection
directions. In this instance a dialog box will appear notifying you of this error.

Generating a family of stringers across multiple surfaces is possible.

Modifying Stringers

After you have added a stringer you can modify its surface or the stringer type. The
stringer type may have a range of stiffness’s in a similar manner to the way you can
specify the stiffness for NURBS surfaces and curves.

To modify a stringer in the drawing windows

 Double click on the stringer
A dialog box will appear with the number of the stringer displayed.

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 Change the stringer type (Kind) by clicking one of the radio buttons.
 Change the Group, Shape or Cutout via the appropriate drop down list box. This
will only be available if the stringer is not set as a Longitudinal Girder.
 Change whether the stringer is symmetrical by checking the “Is symmetrical”
check box.
 Change the stringer stiffness by clicking on the appropriate radio button.
 Change the material of the stringer by selecting the Group and Material from the
drop down lists.
 The stringer may be set as a longitudinal girder by checking the “Is longitudinal
girder” check box and entering appropriate properties in the Long. Girder group of
controls (see Longitudinal Girders below).
 Click the OK button to confirm your changes.
Longitudinal Girders

A longitudinal girder is a special type of stringer, mainly used to create engine beds and
other longitudinal structure. A longitudinal girder can be created in three ways.
Directly by choosing the Stringer | Add Longitudinal Girder (also found in the Stringer
toolbar) or by setting the Is longitudinal girder check box to true in the Stringer
Properties dialog (see above) or via the data sheet of a regular stringer. If a girder is
created from the Stringer | Add Longitudinal Girder or Longitudinal girder button the
stringer default Kind and Stiffness values will be set to 2 (Linear).

The projection direction is the direction in which the girder web will project from the
base stringer path. By default this is set to most common direction of the stringer point’s
projection directions. The Stiffness is the stiffness of the curve defining the top of the
stringer path. By default this is set to the same as the Kind value of the underlying
stringer.

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A longitudinal girder is defined by 2 curves, the usual stringer path, and a top curve
which defines the top of the girder. When the stringer is set to be longitudinal then
Modeler-Structure will produce an outline of the stringer perimeter similar to the
following (shown in profile):

Top of girder

Stringer path

The shape of the top of the stringer may then be customised by the user. The marker
points defining the top curve may be dragged by using the mouse in either of the
orthogonal views or the position can be set precisely by double clicking on the marker or
highlighting the marker(s) and choosing Stringer | Marker Properties from the Stringer
menu. Movement of the marker point is restricted to the cranked girder’s projection
direction. Shown below is the girder created above with all the top points set to a
common height:

And in 3 dimensions two girders defining the engine bed are shown in red:

Girders can be projected in any of the three orthogonal directions. Thus generic structure
can be created such as longitudinal bulkheads and stepped decks:

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These parts may then be developed for production information:

Longitudinal girders are developed in the same way as normal stringers. Part, weight
and centre of gravity information can be read from the data sheet as usual. Stringer
material is set in Stringer Properties dialog box. The flange and web materials and
thicknesses can be set independently of each other.

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There are three options available for the type of Web the girder has. A variable depth
girder means that the depth of the girder can vary along the length of the girder. If this
option is chosen then the girder will appear in the drawing widows with a marker above
each stringer point defining the top of the girder. This marker can be dragged by the user
to set the depth at this location. The marker is constrained in all directions except the
projection direction of the girder (for example a marker belonging to a girder that has
vertical projection direction can only be altered in the z axis). Alternatively the marker
position can be altered via its properties dialog box, accessed by double clicking on the
maker. The web depth at each stringer point may also set by double clicking on the
stringer point and altering the web depth in the stringer point properties dialog:

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A fixed depth web means that the top of the girder is a fixed distance above the bottom at
each stringer point location. This depth is defined in the fixed depth edit box. A web set
to “Fixed top location” means that the top of the girder is at a fixed height (in the case of
a vertically projected girder) in space. This is useful for girders being used as engine
beds when the top of the girder needs to be flat. The fixed top location is set in the edit
box to the right of the “Fixed top location” radio button.

A flange may be added to the top of a longitudinal girder. The flange may be either
“Variable width” or “Fixed width”. If variable width is chosen then the width of the
flange to port and starboard may be set at each individual stringer point (by altering the
property of the stringer point in the Properties dialog or the Stringer Point data sheet). If
fixed width is chosen then the width of the flange is set along the length of the girder
according to the values set for port and starboard in the edit boxes.

All of the girder data may also be edited/altered in the Stringer and Stringer Point data
sheets in the Data Window.

The above figure shows an engine bed girder with flange.

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Flanges will be developed when the stringer is calculated. The developed flange is
displayed at the top of the part window and the web in the bottom:

Adding Points To Stringers

If after adding or generating a stringer you find you need additional points in the
stringers, you can insert them in the middle or add them at the ends of the stringer using
the Add Point command from the Stringer menu.

To add a stringer point

 Choose Add Point from the Stringer menu

The cursor will change to a cross and you can then click on the surface at the location of
the stringer point. The point will be added to the closest stringer. You will need to use
the Calc Stringer commands to calculate the actual stringer shape resulting from the
addition of the point.

If you wish to add a point on the port (negative) side of the centreline then hold the ctrl
key down while placing the point. If this is not done then the point will automatically
snap to the centreline of the vessel.

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You can repeat this procedure for as many stringer points as necessary until you have the
number of points you require. As you add each point, a marker will be projected on the
surface underneath the point you add. The stringer will be fitted as close as possible to
these markers.

When the stringer point is projected onto a surface, it needs to know whether the point
should be projected horizontally, vertically or longitudinally onto the surface. If you add
a point in the Plan view the projection direction will be set to vertical, in the Profile view
it will be set to horizontal and in the Body Plan view it will be set to Longitudinal. You
can change the projection direction of a point by editing it in the Stringer Data window
or by double clicking on the point and changing the setting in the Stringer Point dialog.
It’s a good idea to have all the points in a stringer use the same projection direction.
Moving Stringer Points

If you wish to move a stringer point after you have added it, you can either drag it in a
graphics window, double click on it to change its properties and position or type in new
coordinates in the Stringer Data window. You can also select stringer points and nudge
them up and down, backwards and forwards using the corresponding arrow keys. This
works in much the same way as the similar function for control points.

To move a stringer point in the Plan, Profile or Body Plan windows

 Point to the stringer point
 Press the mouse button and hold it down
 Move the mouse to drag the point to its new location

The coordinates of the point will be displayed in the bottom left hand corner of the
window as you move it
 Release the mouse button
You can also nudge the location of stringer points by selecting the point and then using
the up, down, left and right arrows keys to move the point. The distance of the movement
is the same as the Design Grid setting set using the Snap to Grid command from the
Stringer menu.

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Alternatively, to change a stringer point in the Plan, Profile or Body Plan windows
 Double click on the stringer point
The stringer point details dialog will appear.

 Enter new values for the stringer point position or properties

 Click the OK button

Note : Changing properties of multiple stringer points

If multiple stringer points are chosen and the Stringer Point Properties
dialog is activated fields that have the same value for all the selected
stringers will be filled in and the remaining fields will be left blank. Any
edited values will be applied to all selected stringer points. This behaviour
is consistent with changing properties of multiple control points or markers
in MODELER.

To move a stringer point numerically

 Bring the Stringer Data window to the front

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 Click on the coordinate you wish to change

 Type in a new value
 Type Enter to confirm the new value

If you now move back to the graphics window you will see the stringer point has moved
to its new position. You can cross reference between stringers in the table and stringers
in the graphics views by displaying the stringer numbers in the graphics views using the
Structure dialog from the Display menu.

You can change all of the stringer point coordinates in this window. You can also use the
Copy, Paste, Fill Down and Fill Right commands in the table of stringer points.
Remember that you can right click on the heading of any column to sort the contents of
the table.

Note : snap to edge

When drawing a stringer the snap to edge property of each stringer point is
off by default unless the point is placed within the snap tolerance of a
surface edge. This also applies to adding a stringer point to an existing
stringer. If a stringer point’s snap to edge property is turned on then the
stringer point will snap to the nearest visible point on the surface associated
with the stringer point. If a stringer point has snap to edge switched off but
is dragged or created off the surface then it will move to the nearest point on
the surface.

Deleting Stringer Points

If you wish to remove a stringer point or points, you first need to select the points.

To select a stringer point

 Click on the point

To select more stringer points

 Hold down the shift key while clicking on the points

To select a number of stringer points at once

 Drag a box surrounding the points to be selected

To delete a stringer point or points

In the drawing windows
 Select the point or points to be deleted.
 Choose Delete Point from the Stringer menu or hit the delete button.

In the Stringer table in the Data window

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 Click and drag to select the rows of the points to be deleted

 Choose Delete Point from the Stringer menu
Modifying Stringer Points

When you add a stringer point, it is assumed you want to project the point perpendicular
to the view you added it in. For example, if you add points in the Plan window, the
points will be projected vertically on to the surface. If for some reason you want to
change the projection direction of a point you can do this in either of two ways.

To modify a stringer point in the drawing windows

 Double click on the point

A dialog box will appear

 Choose the projection direction from the radio buttons

 If you wish you can also change the position of the point by entering new values
for the Position, Height and/or Offset of the point
 Click the OK button

To modify a stringer point in the Stringer Data window

 Click in the Projection Direction column of the row of the points you want to modify
 Type in H for Horizontal, V for Vertical or L for Longitudinal
 Type Enter to confirm your change

If the stringer is a longitudinal girder then the web depth and flange widths may be set at
the current stringer point. These options are only available is the longitudinal girder has
a variable web depth and variable flange width (set in the stringer properties dialog).

A horizontal entry indicates that the point will be projected horizontally, this means you
want it to be projected horizontally onto the surface. A Vert indicates that the point will
be projected vertically onto the surface and indicates that you want it to be projected
down onto the surface. A Long indicates that the point will be projected longitudinally
onto the surface and indicates that you want it to be projected aft onto the surface.

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You can change which surface the points will be projected onto by typing in the name of
the surface in the Surface name column.

Note: If you want to change the values for a number of consecutive points, you can select
the values to be changed and use the Fill Down command from the Edit menu or from
the right-button mouse menu to set the rest of the points to the same value as the first
point.
Duplicating Stringers

If you have a number of stringers which form a regular pattern on the hull, it may be
easier to duplicate an existing stringer rather than drawing or generating stringers.

To duplicate a stringer or stringers

 Select the stringer or stringers to be duplicated
 Choose Duplicate Stringer from the Stringer menu

A dialog box will appear with fields for the number of stringers and their spacing

 Enter the number of duplicates and the spacing

 Click a radio button to indicate how the stringers are to be spaced
 Click the OK button

The spacing of the duplicated stringers may be different at the forward from the aft end
of the stringer. This allows you to taper stringers or fan them out as the girth changes.

You can duplicate the stringer by position, offset, height (longitudinal, transverse and
vertical directions respectively) or girth. You may enter a negative spacing to space in
the reverse direction.

Duplicating by girth means the stringers will be spaced around the girth of the currently
visible surfaces.

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The highlighted stringer has been duplicated 8 times with a girth spacing of -0.3m at each end.

Duplicating by position means the stringers will be spaced in the longitudinal direction.

The highlighted stringer has been duplicated 8 times with a position spacing of 0.45m at each end.

Duplicating by offset means the stringers will be spaced in the transverse direction.

The highlighted stringer has been duplicated 4 times with a offset spacing of 0.3m at the aft end and 0.15m at
the fwd end.

Duplicating by height means the stringers will be spaced in the vertical direction
upwards from the original stringer.

The highlighted stringer has been duplicated 5 times with a height spacing of 0.3m at each end.

Breaking Stringers

If you have drawn a long stringer and then find you wish to break it into a number of
smaller stringers, you can do so using the Break Stringer command from the Stringer
menu.

To break a stringer or stringers

 Select the stringer points at the locations where you wish to break the stringer
 Choose Break Stringer from the Stringer menu

The stringers with selected points will be split at the selected locations.

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In general you will want to break your stringers up into different zones along the hull. It
is better to do this rather than trying to run stringers all the way from one end of the
design to the other.
Joining Stringers

This command allows you to join two separate stringers to form one continuous stringer.
This is the opposite of breaking a stringer. The procedure is to
 First select the end of the stringer you wish to remain stationary and, while holding
down the shift key, select the end of the second stringer.
 From the menu choose Stringer | Join Stringers.

The end of the second stringer will move to the end of the first stringer and there will be
strict tangency across the join. Stringer attributes (colour, stiffness etc) of the new
stringer will be the same as those of the stringer of the first selected point.
Breaking Stringers at Bulkheads

Stringers may be broken at any frame. The stringer can be trimmed a defined distance
forward or aft of the frame position. An individual stringer may be broken at a frame or
all stringers passing a frame may be broken.

To break an individual stringer at a single frame:

 Turn on upstand visibility.
 Double click on the upstand that defines the intersection of the frame and stringer
(or select the upstand and choose Stringer | Upstand Properties…)

 Select “Break Stringer at this upstand” and set the fwd and aft spacing of the
break. You can also set the upstand to have no cutout at this frame.
 Calculate stringer(s).

Alternatively you may wish to set an entire frame so that all stringers passing the frame
are broken. This is done through the Frame Properties dialog box:

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 Turn on frame visibility

 Double click on the frame of interest (or select the frame and choose Frame |
Frame Properties…)

 Select “Frame is bulkhead” and set the fwd and aft spacing of the break. You can
also set the frame to have no cutouts.
 Calculate stringer(s).

The break stringers at bulkhead variables may also be set in the Upstand data sheet.

The output is displayed in both the rendered view:

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As well as in the expanded stringer view in the Part window. The stringer will be
displayed twice. The full expanded stringer (unbroken) is displayed above and the
expanded broken stringer is displayed below:

Mirroring Stringers

If you are designing a catamaran you may find it useful to use the Mirror Stringers
command to duplicate the stringers on one side of the catamaran hull onto the other side
of the hull. Mirroring can also be used to mirror longitudinally about a station or
vertically about a particular height.

To mirror a stringer or stringers:

 Select the stringer or stringers to be mirrored

 Choose Mirror Stringer from the Stringer menu

A dialog box will appear with fields for the centre of mirroring, the direction of
mirroring and the surface the stringer is to be mirrored on to

 Enter the position the stringer is to be mirrored about

In the case of a catamaran this will be the offset of the demi-hull centreline
 Click a radio button to indicate how the stringers are to be mirrored
 Select the surface from the pop-up menu that the stringer is to be mirrored on to

In the case of a catamaran this will be the inner hull if the original stringers are on
the outer hull and the outer hull if the stringers are originally on the inner hull

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 Click the OK button

The stringers will be mirrored and placed on the selected surface

Also see:
Working with Stringer Shapes on page 312
Stringer Orientation on page 314
Girth Centreline

Catamaran designers must use the Girth Centreline function in the Stringer menu to
specify the demi-hull centreline location. Girths are measured from the end of the section
nearest this point.

Calculating Stringers

Once you have added the desired number of stringers, you can calculate the final shape
of the stringers through the points. Each stringer will be generated as a smooth B-Spline
curve which lies in the surface of the hull.

To calculate a stringer:
 Select the stringer
 Choose Calc Selected Stringer from the Stringer menu

To fit all of the stringers:

 Choose Calc All Stringers from the Stringer menu

The stringers you have generated will be displayed in the drawing windows. If you have
specified a shape for the stringer, the plate shape of the web of the stringer will also be
developed and displayed in the Part window. The height of the stringer is taken from the
total height of the stringer shape you have selected. The stringer development is based on
the height of the stringer shape you have specified.

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Note : Stringer development orientation

The stringer development calculation does not take upstand orientation into
account. This means that when a stringer has an upstand orientation that is
different to the orientation of the stringer, this will not be taken into account
during the development calculations. The Stringer orientation overrides the
upstand orientation for development.

You can use the drop down menu at the top left of the Part window to choose which
stringer to display.

The stringers generated will pass exactly through all of the points you have specified.
The fitted curve is smoothed to ensure its longitudinal fairness and depending on the
position of the stringer points you have entered.

The stringer curves can be copied, printed and plotted in the same way as the other
contours. You can turn the display of these contours on and off with the Stringers check
box using the Structure… command from the Display menu.

Note : warning – open stringer profile detected

When calculating a stringer a dialog may appear warning that an open
stringer profile is detected. This means that the profile assigned to the
stringer in the shapes library is not a closed contour. This means that it will
not be able to calculate an enclosed volume for the weight of the stringer. If
you wish to get an accurate weight for the stringer you will need to edit the
shape of the stringer in the Shape Editor module.

When developing a stringer, the weight and centre of gravity of the stringer will be
calculated provided its material properties are set. To do this, add a material to the shape
associated with the stringer in the Shapes Library (Edit | Shapes Library). Modeler will
then calculate the weight of the stringer based on the density of the assigned material
multiplied by the shape cross sectional area multiplied by the length of the stringer. The
density of the material is calculated from the material properties set in the Materials
library (Edit | Materials Library). Density is derived from the thickness and t/sq.m values
set for the material.
Calculating Stringer Inverse Bending Lines

Inverse Bending Lines – Concepts

Stringer inverse bending lines are used to assist in the production of the correct shape of
a stringer from a straight piece of stringer material (for example flat bar). To calculate
the inverse bending lines select a stringer or stringers and choose Calc Inverse Bending
Lines from the Stringer menu.

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Note : Calculating stringer inverse bending lines

It is recommended to calculate the stringer at highest precision before
calculating the inverse bending lines.

Inverse Bending Lines – Procedures

The following dialog box will appear:

The “Neutral Axis” dimension is the height from the base of the stringer section shape to
the neutral axis of the stringer. The “Overlap” dimension is the distance that each of the
subsequent inverse bending lines will overlap by. The “Buffer” line signifies the area
inside which the inverse bending line contours will be drawn. The “Offset spacing”
denotes the distance between offset readings of the inverse bending line dimensions in
the display (see output diagram below). To better illustrate the inverse bending lines in
the output the vertical scale may be exaggerated, to do this check the exaggerate scale
check box and the desired scaling factor

If there are no currently selected stringers and the active view is the part view with a
stringer displayed then the inverse bending lines for that stringer will be calculated. To
display the Inverse Bending Lines, go to the parts window, select the stringer and click
on the Inverse Bending Lines Button from the Parts toolbar: .

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The bottom figure is the developed shape of the stringer, the middle figure is the shape of
the stringer when the inverse bending lines are straight (i.e. the shape required after
bending) and the top figure is the straight piece of stringer material prior to bending with
the inverse bending lines drawn on (note the middle and top figures have a vertical
exaggeration of 2.0). The measurements in grey show the dimensions from the baseline
to the edge of the curved stringer (in the middle figure) and from the edge of the stringer
to inverse bending line for the mark up of the stringer prior to bending. Dimensions are
spaced according to the value entered in the dialog box. To turn off the inverse bending
line diagram, click on the part button : .

Note: double curvature of stringers

Inverse bending line information is only useful if the stringer bending is
planar (i.e. in one plane). In practice, however, a small amount of double
curvature in the stringer will not invalidate the inverse bending line data.
For this reason you can calculate the inverse bending lines of the stringer
even if it has double curvature. This is done by first projecting the stringer
shape onto the “closest” arbitrary plane. All the inverse bending line
calculations are then done on this projected shape. A good way to check
how much double curvature is in the stringer is to compare the stringer
shapes on the expanded stringer (bottom figure) and the projected stringer
(middle figure) in the inverse bending line expansion drawing. For a
stringer with no double curvature the shapes will be the same.

Working with Stringer Shapes

In order to calculate the cutout when a stringer passes through a frame, it is necessary for
you to specify what shape the stringer is and what cutout shape is to be used to make the
opening for the stringer to pass through each frame.

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Working with stringer shapes consists of the following:

 Sections Libary
 Setting Shapes & Cutouts
 Stringer Orientation

Also see:
Working with Stringers on page 289
Sections Library

Modeler-Structure has a library of shapes and cutouts. You can add, delete and edit
standard sections in the library using the Shape Editor application that is shipped with
Modeler. For more information please refer to the Shape Editor Manual.
Setting Shapes & Cutouts

When a stringer passes through a frame, a cutout to allow the stringer to pass through the
frame will be inserted. You specify which stringer shape and cutout to use for a stringer
by using the Shape & Cutout command from the Stringer menu.

To set the shape and cutout for stringer or stringers

 Select the stringers
 Choose Shape and Cutout from the Stringer menu

A dialog will appear listing the shape and cutouts you have added to the Sections Library
 Click on the name of the group you wish to use
 Click on the name of the shape you wish to use
 Click on the name of the cutout you wish to use
 Click OK

The next time that you calculate frames, the cutouts you specify will be deducted from
any frames that the selected stringers pass through.

When choosing cutouts you may specify that the stringer has no cutout by choosing
“None” from the Cutout list. In this case, no cutouts will be inserted for the selected
stringers.

Note:
When a stringer intersects a frame at an angle to the horizontal the cutout
size will need to be increased in order for the stringer to pass through the
frame. This ‘stretching’ is done by extending the midsection of the cutout
by a distance proportional to one on cosine of the angle the upstand makes
with the frame plane:

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Stringer Orientation

When a stringer is run down the hull, you need to specify the angle between the stringer
and the surface at each frame. This allows Modeler to calculate the orientation of any
cutouts which may need to be made in the frames to accommodate the stringer. The
default orientation is to have the stringer perpendicular to the surface. If you want to
change this orientation you can do so using the Orientation command from the Stringer
menu.

To set the orientation of a stringer or stringers

 Select the stringers you want to change
 Choose Orientation… from the Stringer menu

A dialog box will appear showing the orientation options.

 Click on one of the radio buttons to select your orientation

Either:
 Type in an angle for the orientation
Or:
 Click and drag on the stringer diagram to rotate it to the desired location
 Click OK to set the orientation of the selected stringers

Changing Stringer Toe Direction

By default the Section Library is set up so that asymmetrical stringers (for example L
sections) are inserted with their toe facing towards the centreline of the vessel. If this is
not desired you may flip the stringer so that the toe direction is pointing outboard. To do
this highlight the stringer(s) you wish to flip and activate the Stringer Angle dialog box
(Stringer | Orientation), check the "Flip Toe Direction" box and click on OK.

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Working with Upstands

At each point where a stringer crosses a frame, an upstand is generated. Upstands are
used to override the stringer orientation and cutout shape. An upstand is a short line that
runs from the intersection of a stringer and a frame in the orientation-direction of the
stringer.

The orientation of the upstand is used to calculate the shape and location of the cutouts
through the frames. The upstand defines the following:
 location of the intersection of stringer and frame (base
point of the upstand)
 orientation of the stringer
 stringer and cutout shape

Changing these properties allows you to specify different properties for each frame.
Information on how to edit any of the upstands properties is given below.
 Calculating Upstands
 Upstand Cutouts
 Upstand Orientation
Calculating Upstands

To calculate the position and orientation of the upstands

 Choose Calc Upstands from the Stringer menu

The upstands will be generated and displayed as a short line in the direction of the
stringer orientation at the intersection between each stringer and each frame in the
design.

If Upstands are not visible, choose the Structure command from the Display menu and
turn on the Upstands box.

Note that to ensure that the direction of the upstands is correct relative to the surface, you
should check the direction of the surface Check Outside Arrows (see page 274 of this
manual). The arrow should point in the opposite direction as the upstands.

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Upstand Cutouts

You can change the stringer cutout at any frame by selecting the upstand at that frame
and using the Shape and Cutout command from the Stringer menu. At this frame, this
will override the cutout specified for the stringer. You can set the cutout back to the
default for the stringer by choosing Default in the Cutout list in the Shape & Orientation
dialog.
Upstand Orientation

In the same way as cutouts can vary from frame to frame, stringer orientation may also
be varied by setting the orientation of the upstand.

You can change the orientation of the cutout at any upstand by selecting the upstand and
using the Orientation command from the Stringer menu. This will override the
orientation specified for the stringer.

Note:
Changing the shape and orientation properties for a particular frame does
not change the stringer’s properties. This means that, in theory, it is possible
to go from horizontal stringer orientation to vertical and back again between
three frames.

You can set the orientation back to the default for the stringer by typing a "-" (minus
sign) in the last column of the stringer table in the Data window.

Working with Inclined Sections

Arbitrarily, longitudinally-inclined sections may be defined. These are contours defined
by the intersection of an arbitrarily inclined plane with the surface. The arbitrarily
inclined plane is defined by three points which lie in the plane. Inclined sections can be
used to define inclined frames and can also be used as plate boundaries.
Working with inclined sections consists of the following:
 Adding Inclined Sections
 Displaying Inclined Sections

Also see:
Working with Frames on page 275
Working with Plates on page 318
Adding Inclined Sections

To add, edit or delete inclined sections

 Choose Inclined Sections… from the Data menu

A dialog will appear allowing you to add, edit or delete sections

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To add an inclined section:

 Click on the Add button

To edit an inclined section:

 Click on the coordinates to be changed and type in new values

To delete an inclined section:

 Click in the row of the section to be deleted and click the Delete button

To confirm your changes to inclined sections

 Click the OK button
Displaying Inclined Sections

You can display both the grid of planes defining the inclined sections and the inclined
sections themselves.

The three point planes defining each of the inclined sections will be displayed whenever
you have the grid turned on.

To display the inclined sections:

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 Choose Contours… from the Display menu

 Click the Inclined Sections check box to turn it on
 Click the OK button

The inclined sections will be displayed in all the views and can be copied, printed and
plotted in the same way as other contours.

Working with Plates

Working with Plates - Concepts

Modeler-Structure allows you to expand a three dimensional hull surface into its
equivalent two dimensional expanded shape. This provides the basis for the template you
would need to cut out a plate in order to construct the surface. You can create plates
which cover an entire surface or cover just a part of a surface. You can define a plate on
part of a surface as the area between four selected contours.
Working with Plates – Procedures

Working with plates consists of the following:

 Plating a Whole Surface
 Adding a Plate
 Deleting a Plate
 Defining Triangular Plates
 Plate Developement Method
 Calculating Plates
 Girth Differences
 Plate Strain
 Plate Development and Rolling Jigs
 Plate User Coordinate Systems (UCS)
 Plate Inset Lines
 Plate Templates
 Plate Pin Jigs
 Shell Expansion
 Plate Displays

See also Exporting Parts on page 344.

Plating a Whole Surface

To add a plate that covers an entire surface:

 Choose a surface from the Add Surface Plate sub-menu under the Plate menu
 Type in a name for the Plate
 Select a material for the plate from the pop-up menu
 Select a Plate development method for the plate from the pop-up menu. If
necessary specify any additional information for the plate development
 Click OK

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The plate will be displayed in the drawing windows and it will be selected. Plates are
highlighted when they are selected by inverting the interior of the plate with a grey
pattern. You can control the visibility of plates by using the Plate check box in the
Structure… dialog from the Display menu.

Note:
Switching to a lower precision significantly speeds up the plate
development calculations, especially if you are using the General
development method. However, you should still define the plate at highest
precision and develop the final plate at highest precision before exporting.

See Plate Precision on page 331

Developing Trimmed Surfaces

When a plate is added on a surface via the Plate | Add Surface Plate menu item, the plate
will obey the trimming of the surface. If trimming is switched on the plate boundary will
be the same as the boundary of the untrimmed region(s) of the surface. If trimming is
switched off then the plate will be added on the entire surface.

Below is an example of the workboat sample design with surface plates added with
trimming turned off (blue) and trimming turned on (green)

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The developed plate of a trimmed surface will show only the untrimmed region and
associated contours:

Definition of triangular trimmed plates is described in Defining Triangular Plates on

page 324.
Plates Expansion Mirrored Across Ship Centreline
Expanded plates may be mirrored across the centreline for plates that stretch across the
centreline such as bow cones, deck plates and transoms etc.

Plates may be defined so that they are mirrored port and starboard across the ship
centreline. To do this, the plate must have at least one edge on the ship centreline; in the
case of several edges lying on the centreline, the longest edge will be taken as the
mirroring axis. To define a mirrored plate, select the plate edges as normal (but only on
one side of the vessel) – or choose Add Surface Plate from the Plate menu – and tick the
“Mirror plate expansion across centreline” option at the bottom of the dialog.

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Note that when a plate is first defined, the mirror option will always be enabled, even if
there is no suitable edge for mirroring. Once the plate is defined, however, this option
will not be available if the plate does not have an edge on the vessel centreline.
Adding a Plate

You can add a plate which covers just part of a surface by selecting four contours (for a
quad plate) or three contours (for a triangular plate) defining the boundary of the plate.

To select a contour:
 Click on the contour
To select additional contours:
 Hold down the shift key while clicking on each contour

Selected contours are highlighted with a bold line to indicate that they are selected.

All of the four (or three) contours defining the plate must lie in the same surface. You
may find that it is necessary to turn off the display of other surfaces to allow you to select
edges which butt up against another surface.

To add a plate:

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 Select the four contours which define the boundary of the plate
 These should be selected in the order aft butt, forward butt, top/outer seam,
bottom/inner seam

 Choose Add Plate from the Plate menu

The Plate Info dialog will appear allowing you to specify the plate's name,
material and the development method to be used.

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 Type in a name for the Plate

 Select a material for the plate from the group and material drop-down menus.
If you do not have the material you require available, use the Add Material
command from the Edit Material menu to add materials to the library.
 Select the plate expansion method
See Plate Development Methods and Options on page 325 for details of the
different methods; if you have chosen the General method, select the
additional options you require.
 Click OK

The plate precision may be manually specilied or automatic. If you choose Automatic,
the actual mesh precision used will depend on your precision settings at the time that the
plate is calculated.

The default plate material and thickness will be set to the material and thickness of the
underlying surface.

When adding a plate a dialog may appear stating

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“Multiple closed regions found. Structure is unsure which region you wish to
create the plate on. Would you like to continue?”.
This means that 4 contours selected by the user create more than one closed region on the
surface. In this case Modeler is unsure which region the user wishes to create the plate
on. So this does not occur ensure that each plate edge contour only intersect each other
contour once. This may require using “dummy” stringers to define the plate edges.
Dummy stringers are stringers inserted purely for defining the plate edge and may be
deleted once the plate has been formed.

You will also be warned when the calculated plate mesh deviates more than 2 mm from
the selected plate contours or edges and then turns the Plate Mesh visibility on for the
user to check the plate mesh.

Note : Plate mesh problem detected

After opening a design or adding a plate an error message entitled “Plate
mesh problem detected in plate:” may appear. This indicates that one of the
plate mesh edges in the named plate deviates from the plate edge by more
than the build tolerance of 2mm. When this happens Modeler automatically
turns on the plate mesh display for the user to review. The plate mesh is the
mesh upon which the development is based, if it is incorrect the plate
development will be incorrect. A faulty plate mesh is usually caused by
either trying to add a triangular plate (see developing triangular plates) or
adding a plate using 4 contours which define more than one closed region.

Also see: Plate Precision on page 331

Deleting a Plate

If you wish to remove a plate, you first need to select it.

To select a plate
 Click on the plate

To select a number of plates at once

 Drag a box surrounding the plates to be selected

To delete a plate once it is selected in one of the drawing windows

 Choose Delete Plate from the Plate menu or hit the delete button

In the Plate table in the Data window

 Click and drag to select the rows of the plates to be deleted

Choose Delete Plate from the Plate menu

Defining Triangular Plates

There are two scenarios that may cause triangular plates:

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 The surface itself is triangular

 The surface is trimmed to a triangular shape

Surface itself is triangular

When two corner control points have been compacted in a triangular surface has been
created. Develop this surface by selecting “Add Surface Plate” from the plate menu. Due
to the development algorithm being based on quad mesh elements the Triangular plate is
approximated by a Quad mesh with one of the Apexes being approximated by a very
small edge. You can see this by turning on the plate meshes for the triangular plate and
zooming in on the Apex:

The collapsed edge is formed at the apex between the 1st and second contours selected.
Trimmed surfaces in a triangular shape
A triangular plate may also be created by selecting boundary contours, in a similar
fashion to a quad plate, but by selecting 3 boundary contours. The tri plate is
approximated by the quad mesh in a similar way as for the surface triangular plate
explained above.
Plate clash detection

A warning dialog will now be displayed when two plates created on the same surface
overlap. Plate clash detection can be turned on and off from the preference dialog ( Edit
| Preferences…).

Structure will warn which plates are overlapped by the newly correctly plate:

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Plate Development Methods and Options

There are three different plate expansion methods which you can choose from. In most
cases the General method should be used, however, there may be times when either of
the other two methods may be more suitable. Details of the different methods are given
below:
General Method
The General method is the most versatile and is designed to work with plates which have
either positive, negative or zero Gaussian curvature. A greater degree of control over the
development is available with this algorithm allowing you to match the development to
your plate forming machinery.

Positive Gaussian curvature occurs in plates with double curvature in the same direction,
either inwards or outwards so that the plate is purely convex or concave. Negative
Gaussian curvature occurs in plates which are twisted or saddle shaped. Zero Gaussian
curvature plates are developable and can be developed with requiring any stretching or
shrinking.

The General Method - Forming Direction, General Method - Strain Ratio and General
Method - Forming Process items in this dialog will only be available if the General
method is selected.
General Method - Forming Direction
This option is used to specify the direction in which the plate is to be rolled; this is the
direction in which the maximum strain will be put into the plate.

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The Ideal option will try to form the plate in the direction of minimum principal
curvature. This is calculated as weighted average over the whole plate. Theoretically,
forming in this direction will require the minimum amount of plate stretching or
shrinking. Due to constraints of plate forming machinery or other production reasons,
you may wish to expand in a different direction.

To give you this control, you are able to specify either the plate's longest axis or its
shortest axis directions. (These directions are local to the plate and do not necessarily
correspond to the global ship axes.) Note that if you select Ideal, the forming direction
will snap to the plate's longest or shortest axis if the direction of minimum principal
curvature is within 10 degrees of these directions.

The forming directions “Ship longitudinal axis” and Ship transverse axis” are useful for
mirrored plates when you wish the expansion direction to be parallel or perpendicular to
the mirrored edge; otherwise the expansion direction will also be mirrored for the two
halves of the plate.

Note that the forming direction will only affect the result if the strain ratio (see below) is
less than 100%. Also note that if the plate is being formed by line heating, the maximum
shrinkage will be perpendicular to the heating lines. The forming direction, described
above, refers to the direction in which the maximum strain magnitude will occur; thus
this will be perpendicular to the direction of line heating but parallel to the plate rolling
lines.
The forming direction used is indicated by an arrow which is displayed along with the
plate in the Part view.
General Method - Strain Ratio
The strain ratio relates the strain in the direction perpendicular to the direction of
maximum strain to the maximum strain. If the strain ratio is 100% then the strain does
not depend on the orientation, it is isotropic. If the strain ratio is 0%, the expansion is
purely uni-directional and there will be no strain in the direction perpendicular to the
direction of maximum strain. Forming methods such as peening and planishing produce
isotropic strain distributions, whereas line heating and rolling produce a more uni-
directional strain distribution.

The figures below show the effect of strain ratio and forming direction on the expansion
of a plate with negative Gaussian curvature. For this plate the forming direction was set
to longitudinal with 0% strain ratio. As one would expect, the results show positive
longitudinal strain on the edges, with the transverse strain remaining virtually zero. In the
figures below, red areas show high positive strain and green areas have zero strain.

Longitudinal strain for negative Gaussian curvature plate: Expand only with 0% Strain Ratio.

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Transverse strain for negative Gaussian curvature plate: Expand only with 0% Strain Ratio.

General Method - Forming Process

You may choose whether you wish to preserve the plate edge lengths, stretch the plate
(expand only) or shrink the plate. Most processing methods will expand the plate,
however line heating will shrink the plate.

Using the Preserve Lengths method will ensure that the expanded plate edges are always
the same length as the 3D surface plate. This may result in positive, negative or a mixture
of positive and negative strain in the interior of the plate.

If you choose the Expand or Shrink options, the strain in the plate will be uniformly
increased or decreased so that the overall strain is either all positive or all negative,
depending on the selection made. (Note that there are small in built tolerances on the
strain values.)

For plates with positive Gaussian curvature, selecting Expand only, will result in a plate
where the middle requires stretching whilst the perimeter will remain unchanged. For a
similar plate, choosing Shrink only, will result in the middle of the plate being
unchanged whilst the edges will need to be shrunk (In the figures below, green areas
have no strain; red areas positive strain and blue areas negative strain:

Positive Gaussian Curvature Plate: Expand Only; centre of plate requires stretching, edges remain unchanged.

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Positive Gaussian Curvature Plate: Shrink Only; centre of plate remains unchanged, edges require shrinking.

Negative Gaussian Curvature Plate: Expand Only; centre of plate remains unchanged, edges require
stretching.

Negative Gaussian Curvature Plate: Shrink Only; centre of plate requires shrinking, edges remain unchanged.

Whilst the General method is robust, it may have problems with surfaces which have a
very large variation in local surface normal direction, e.g. a complete hemisphere. If such
problems are encountered, the plate should be subdivided further.

The computations required for the General method can be quite intensive. It is advisable
to check the results at lowest or low precision before completing the calculations at
medium precision. For the General method, high and highest precision use the same plate
mesh as medium precision. See: Plate Precision on page 331

Note:
The new method uses fewer points in the plate mesh and consequently there
will be fewer points along each plate edge. You may need to turn on the
Smooth Plate Edges option to get smooth plate edges for your final plate
shapes.

Old Developable Method

This method may be useful for plates which have zero or slightly negative Gaussian
Curvature. It has the advantage of being quicker to compute than the General method.

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Fabric Method
This method should be used if you are to developing fabric panels. The method models
the way in which a fabric stretches most along its bias direction. With this method angles
will tend to distort whilst the lengths remain constant; with the other methods, angles
will tend to remain constant whilst the lengths change.
Plate Mesh Options
The plate meshing can be done in either parametric (NURB) space or Cartesian space. If
NURB is chosen then calculating the plates will be quicker, however this method does
not work well if the underlying surface parametrics are not uniform (e.g. over-compacted
control points and feature lines). The Cartesian method is more reliable but development
times may be longer.

The figure below shows an example of a NURB mesh over a discontinuity (over-
compacted control points on the underlying surface) and the same plate with a Cartesian
Mesh:

NURB mesh (left); and Cartesian mesh (right)

Setting Plate Precision Manually

You may specify the number of line segments that is used to draw the expanded plate.
For very long and skinny plates you may wish to use the Manual plate precision setting
on the bottom of the Plate Info dialog. Decreasing the number of line segments on the
short edge, can reduce computation time while not compromising the accuracy.

The automatic precision uses the NURBS surface precision as set in the program’s Data
menu. In general it is recommended to use the Automatic setting for the plate precision.

Calculating Plates

Once you have added the plates you require, you can calculate the developed shape of
each plate using the Calc Plate commands from the Plate menu. After the developed
shape of a plate has been calculated, it is displayed in the Part window. You can use the
pop-up menu in the Part window to choose which plate is displayed. Also you can switch
on any contour lines, frames and stringer paths.

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Plate Precision
The accuracy of the plate shape will depend on the precision setting at the time you
choose the Calc command. However, you should always add plates using highest
precision. If you are developing very long plates, you may need to turn on the Smooth
Plate Edges option (found in the plate properties dialog or the plate data sheet). This will
fit a smooth spline along the edges of the plate after development to remove any faceting
that may occur.

To achieve accurate plates while being able to work fast we recommend the following
work order:
 Set precision to highest when adding the plate (use Smooth Plate Edges for long
plates)
 Set precision to lowest– medium to quickly see if the plate is developed correctly
 Set precision to highest when calculating the final plate.

Important!
Always use high or preferably highest precision when selecting “Add Plate”
or “Add Surface Plate”.

Also see: Old Developable Method on page 329.

Plate Thickness
The plate expansion calculation is based on the NURB surface geometry ignoring
thickness. The specified plate thickness will be used to calculate the plate mass only.

You can view the expanded plate in the Part window using the Zoom, Shrink, Pan and
Home View commands. You can also copy, print and plot the drawing in this window
including copying the expansion into a CAD system via a DXF file.

Also see:
Check Outside Arrows on page 274
Deduct Skin Thickness on page 284

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Development Failed to Converge

For surfaces that have a lot of curvature, the surface cannot be developed using only one
plate. This happens when a surface wraps around an angle greater than 90°. The
following error message will appear when you try to calculate (read: develop) the plate:

For information on subdividing surfaces, see: Adding a Plate on page 321.

Girth Differences

If the plate is developable, the expanded shape will be an exact two dimensional
development of the three dimensional plate shape. If the plate is not developable, there
will be a girth length difference between the original and the developed plate shape. This
girth difference is displayed at the top left corner of the Part window and gives some
indication of how developable the plate is.

The first four items displayed are the girth lengths and differences of the developed plate
along the aft, fwd, top and bottom edges of the plate. The second two rows, the Max
girth differences, are the greatest girth errors found along the mesh used to develop the
plate and so represent the worst girth errors within the plate between opposite edges.
Then the plate area and forming method information are given. The final two rows give
the maximum and minimum strain which will be required to stretch the 2D expanded
plate into the 3D hull plate, this strain is given in the forming direction.

The girth difference indicates how much in-plane strain will be required to deform the
developed shape to match the true plate shape. If the girth error indicates that too much
strain will be required to lay up the plates accurately, you may wish to break the plate up
into a number of smaller pieces.

The difference values are calculated as follows (a girth positive difference indicates that
the 2D plate must be stretched, whilst a negative girth difference indicates that it must be
shrunk to fit onto the hull):
Girth difference  Actual Girth - Developed Girth

When determining whether the plate can be feasibly formed, it is important to look at all
six values. With the General forming method it is always possible to create an expanded
plate which has no strain in the plate edges. However, you must also check that the
internal girth differences and maximum and minimum strains are within acceptable
limits.

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Plate Strain

Another way to view how much deformation will be required to accurately position the
plate on the hull is to display a map of strain in the plate. You can display this by turning
on items in the Strain menu. A colour map of strain in the plate will be displayed; areas
of positive strain (stretching) are shown in red, areas of negative strain (shrinking) in
blue and areas of no strain in green.

The strain is calculated by dividing the plate up into small quadrilateral elements. In each
area the principal direct strains and the shear strains are computed. The strains are
computed by comparing the elemental lengths of the expanded and unexpanded plate.
Negative strains indicate that the expanded plate must be shrunk for it to fit onto the
vessel; positive strains indicate that it must be stretched. There are a number of
relationships between the strains:
 The strain in the forming direction is always greater than or equal to the strain
perpendicular to the forming direction.
 The strain in the forming direction is equivalent to the maximum magnitude
principal strain.
 The strain perpendicular to the forming direction is equivalent to the minimum
magnitude principal strain.
 If the strain ratio is 100%, the strain is isotropic and the maximum and minimum
principal strains are equal. In this case the shear strain is zero.
 If the strain ratio is 0%, all the strain is in the forming direction; the minimum
principal stain is zero and the shear strain is a maximum.
 If the plate is developable, all strains are zero.

The palette of colours at the top right corner of the Part window indicate the percentage
strain corresponding to the colours in the map.

The amount of strain allowable must be decided by the designer and builder and will
depend on the stiffness and thickness of the plate material. The maximum strain at any
point in the plate is displayed at the bottom of the list of girth information at the top right
corner of the Part window.

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Three different of strains may be displayed, these are essentially the principal maximum
and minimum direct strains and the shear strain. Each is chosen by selecting the
appropriate item from the strain sub-menu under the Display menu.

Forming Direction
(Maximum principal direct strain) This displays the strain in the direction which
the plate will be formed. This is the direction in which the maximum direct strain
will occur. Note that if the General method is used, the forming direction is
displayed by an arrow; if either Old Developable or Fabric methods is used, the
forming direction is the direction from the first to second plate edge selected when
defining the plate (i.e. from butt to butt).

Perpendicular to Forming Direction

(Minimum principal direct strain). At 90 to the maximum principal direct strain
will be the minimum principal direct strain. If the strain ratio is 100% then both
will be equal, otherwise the minimum principal strain will be reduced, if the strain
ratio is 0%, the minimum principal strain will be zero.

Shear strain
If the principal strains are not the same, there will be some shear strain present.
This is a measure of how much the angles are distorting in the plate.
Plate Development and Rolling Jigs

These features enable better control of the rolling and forming of doubly curved
aluminium and steel plates.
 Rolling Jigs
 Measuring Curvatures

Rolling Jigs
When a plate is developed, you can display rolling lines on the developed plate that
provide information about the directions of the principal curvatures (or radii) and the
magnitude of these curvatures (or radii).

Note:
If these are not displayed after loading a model file, you should re-calculate
the plates.

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You turn on these rolling lines using the Structure dialog from the Display menu. Each
one of these markers has two numbers associated with it, the major and minor principal
curvatures. The magnitude of the number associated with the small arm of the cross will
always be greatest - this is the major principal curvature. The magnitude of the curvature
associated with the long arm of the cross is the minor principal curvature. This is the
direction along which plates are generally rolled or stretched to introduce double
curvature.

If both curvatures are zero, then the plate is locally flat. If the minor curvature is zero or
close to zero, the plate can be considered to be developable, and the long axis of the
cross will correspond with the direction of the developable ruling line.

If the sign of the major and minor principal curvatures is the same, then the plate has
spherical (or positive Gaussian) surface curvature. If these curvatures are different, as in
the example above, this indicates that the plate has saddle shaped, or negative Gaussian
curvature.
Measuring Curvatures
Curvatures are measured on the plate using a jig similar to the following.

A dial gauge is placed centrally on a beam that has two pins 300 mm apart and the dial
gauge is calibrated to read zero when the jig is placed on a flat surface. Sufficient travel
should be allowed for so that the dial gauge can read both positive and negative
deflections.

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To check the minor curvature on a plate being rolled the jig is placed with the tip of the
dial gauge on the centre of the marker and the pin tips at the end of the long axis of the
cross. To measure the major curvature the jig is rotated 90° while keeping the dial gauge
centred on the cross.

This method has the advantage of being lightweight, portable and accurate. As a result it
is a more flexible approach than using templates and pin jigs, but as it only measures
curvature locally should be used in conjunction with these methods on large or complex
plates.
Plate User Coordinate Systems (UCS)

Users of AutoCAD and other CAD systems will be familiar with the User Coordinate
System (UCS) concept. This allows you to define a local coordinate system on each plate
which is then used for displaying views of that plate.

To set the UCS of a plate –

 Turn on display of Plate meshes (Display | Structure…)
 Select 2 points on the plate mesh (shift or Ctrl click to select the 2nd point)

The first point selected will be the origin of your UCS. The second point selected
determines the direction of the Longitudinal (x) axis of the UCS. The surface normal
direction of the plate will automatically be used for the Vertical (z) axis of the plate and
the Transverse (y) axis will be set to the perpendicular of the other two axes.
 Next, choose Plate UCS from the Plate menu

This will display a dialog with the location and rotations of this UCS relative to the
global coordinate system.

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You can modify these settings if you wish before clicking OK. This makes it easy for
you to set the orientation of the UCS to lie in a vertical or horizontal plane for example.
The positions and rotations shown in the UCS dialog show transformations required to
go from the global to the local coordinate system. You can display the plate UCS by
switching on the Plate Axes in the Display | Structure dialog.

All of the plate displays described below use the UCS to display the plate.
Plate Inset Lines

A contour inset a constant distance from the boundary of the developed plate may be
displayed. This plate inset line can be turned on using the Plate Inset Lines item in the
Structure dialog. The distance of the line from the plate edge can be set using the
Preferences dialog in the Edit menu. Japanese users may know this line as a “Sashikoshi”
line. It provides a useful line for checking dimensions and alignment of plates
independent of any edge distortion which may occur while the plate is being cut or
shaped.

Plate Templates

Plate templates, to assist with accurate forming of the plate, can be caulated
automatically. Plate forming templates run across the plate and show the shape of the
plate at that location. You can add any number of templates at any location along the
plate. The location of each template is defined as a longitudinal (x) position in the UCS
of the plate.
To set the templates for a plate
 Select the plate you wish to work on
 Choose Plate Templates from the Plate menu

A dialog box will appear that allows you to set up the location of the plates. This dialog
works the same way as the Design Grid dialog.

To quickly view plate butt templates of a non-surface plate simply

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 Choose Plate Butt Templates from the Structure Visibility dialog (Display |
Structure)

Each plate also has a centreline and a baseline. The centreline is the intersection of the
UCS yz plane with the plate, the baseline is the intersection of the UCS xz plane with the
plate.

Sightline Baseline

Template

Centreline

Each plate template also has a sightline marker at a constant height in the UCS and
situated vertically above the baseline of the plate. Once the set of templates are set up
along the length of the plate, the fabricator can sight along the sightline to ensure all of
the templates are at the correct height.

Plate templates can also be rendered when rendering is turned on in the perspective
window.

Plate Pin Jigs

Pin jigs, to assist with accurate setup of a plate or assembly of plates for attachment of
internal structure, can be caulated automatically. Pin jigs are a series of vertical pins each
of which is at a height to just support the shape of the 3D assembly. The pins run in the
direction of the vertical z axis of the assembly’s UCS.

Pin Jigs are most commonly used for assemblies of plates. You create a plate assembly
by dragging the plates into the same folder in the Assembly window.

You set the spacing of the pins in the jig using the Structure Preferences item from the
Edit menu; the location and height of each pin will be calculated automatically. A table
of heights for each of the pins can be viewed in the Pin Jig table in the Data window.
This displays the data for the plate assembly currently being viewed in the Part window.

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The pins can be displayed graphically by turning on the Plate Pin Jigs item in the
Structure dialog.

Plate pin jigs can also be rendered when rendering is turned on in the perspective
window.
The most commonly used view of the pin jig is the Pin Jig View described below.
Note that the pin jig table is a tool to check the correct shape of the plate or plate
assembly.
Shell Expansion

Shell Expansion – Concepts

A shell expansion drawing may be created for any design. The drawing shows the girth
positions of all parts (plate edges, stringers, frames and decks) from a specified datum
position (usually, but not always, the baseline).
Shell Expansion - Procedures
Before generating the shell expansion drawing, the model must be set up correctly. The
shell expansion drawing is generated by calculating the girth distance around the surface
of the vessel from the baseline to the part. Hence it is important that all “superfluous”
surfaces be either set to “internal use” or made invisible so they are not included in the
girth calculations. Surfaces normally switched off during the shell expansion
calculations include the superstructure surfaces, tank boundaries, railings etc. Surfaces
that are normally on include the hull surfaces, any chine surfaces and the main decks.
Normally the trimming is also turned on prior to a shell expansion so that the trimmed
sections of the surface are not included in the girth calculations.
Once the model is set up correctly the shell expansion drawing can be generated by
choosing Calc Shell Expansion from the Plate menu.

Note:
Only parts that are visible will be shown in the shell expansion drawing.

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To change the datum about which the contours are expanded go to Display | Structure
and specify the datum in the bottom right of the Structure Visibility dialog that appears.
If the datum is a waterline or a buttock line then you will need to enter a value. For
example if you wish to expand the shell about a buttock line 1.0 m from the centreline,
you will need to select Buttock Line and enter the 1.0 m value in the Value field.

Displaying a Shell Expansion

Go to Shell Expansion View on page 343 for information on how to display Shell
Expansion drawings.
Plate Displays

Once you have created a plate, defined its UCS, added any required templates and
calculated the developed plate shape, there are different views in the Part window which
can be used to check the plate’s shape. The Plate sub-menu in the Display menu can be
used to control which view is displayed in the Part window.

The possible views are –

 Development View –shows the 2D developed shape of the plate.
 Plan View – plan view in the UCS of the plate. Also allows display of girth length
and diagonal information on the plate.
 Profile View – profile view in the UCS of the plate. Also allows display of the
sightline along the tops of the templates.
 Body Plan View – body plan (cross-section) in the UCS of the plate. Also allows
display of templates on the plate.
 Template View –similar to the Body Plan view but offsets each plate template
downwards so that you can clearly view the shape of each individual template.
 Pin Jig View –displays a plan view of the plate and displays the location and height
of each pin supporting the plate.
 Shell Expansion View – displays the shell expansion.

Development View
Shows the 2D developed shape of the plate. This is the shape that you would cut out of a
flat sheet of metal. The plate will only appear in this window if the plate has been
developed by one of the Calc Plate commands from the Plate menu.

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Plan View
The Plan view allows you to view the edges, centreline, baseline, girth distances and
diagonal distances along the plate. If the option to display Plate Girths is turned on in the
Structure dialog, then a series of labels on the diagram which show the cumulative girth
measurements away from the baseline and the centreline with the distances marked to
each contour will be displayed. The girth display will use whichever contours are
currently displayed. This means you can display any of the standard sections, waterlines
etc as well as the plate templates. The result is a complete summary of girth information
for the plate.

If the option to display Plate Diagonals is turned on in the Structure dialog, a number of
3D straight line diagonal measurements are shown on the plate. This provides a useful
set of checks when checking the accuracy of plate forming. The diagonals run from plate
corners to centreline and baseline ends and to the first template each side of the
centreline.

Profile View
The Profile view allows you to view the plate from side on and displays the longitudinal
locations of the plate forming templates, the height of the sight line of the templates
above the plate, and the angles of the templates to the plate baseline. If frames are
displayed, this view will also display lines showing the orientation of each frame relative
to the plate.

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Also see
Plate Templates on page 337, for the definition of the plate baseline.
Body Plan View
The Body Plan view shows a cross section view of the plate in the plate UCS. This is
useful for checking the shape of the templates of the plate.

Also see:
Plate User Coordinate Systems on page 336.
Template View
The template view shows the same orientation as the body plan view but each template is
offset downwards to that you can clearly see the shape of each template. When exported
to DXF for cutting or plotted at full size, this view provides shapes which can be cut out
to create the templates for the plate.

Pin Jig View

The pin jig view is a plan view on the plate or plate assembly. The view displays the
height of each of the pins in the grid of pins which support the assembly. You can set the
spacing of the pins using the Preferences dialog in the Edit menu.

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In addition to the height of each pin, this view also displays the height and the horizontal
distance of each row and column from the edge of the plate. All of these heights and
edge distances are also displayed in the Pin Jig table in the Data window.
Shell Expansion View
To display the shell expansion drawing, activate the Parts window and then select the
Display | Plate | Shell Expansion or use the button on the Part toolbar.

If you require the plate thickness displayed in the shell expansion drawing check the
“Display plate thickness” box in the bottom right of the Structure Visibility dialog. Plate
names, stringer names, frame names and deck names may also be displayed in the shell
expansion drawing, this flag is also set in the Structure visibility dialog.

All colours in the shell expansion are taken from the associated part colours. For
example the stringer expanded contours are the same colour as stringers. These colours
are set from the Colours and Lines dialog (View | Colours and Lines…).

Go to Shell Expansion on page 339 for information on how to create shell expansion
drawings.

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Working with Parts

Once you have developed all of the parts you require, you can view the parts in the Part
window. Plates, frames, decks and stringers are all displayed in this window. You can
choose which part is displayed by choosing from the pop-up menu at the top left corner
of the Part window.
Calculating Part Weights

In the Parts Tab of the Data Table the weights of all parts are automatically calculated.
Note that when a Part has no material assigned to it, it will not have any weight. To
ensure that the weights table is up to date, select Calc All Parts from the Data menu.

Note
Stringer weights are calculated from the volume of the stringer multiplied
by the material density. The volume is calculated from the stringer cross
sectional area multiplied by the stringer path length. The density is a
property of the material assigned to the stringer.

Exporting Parts

You can copy, print or plot the parts in the same way you produce output for other lines
in MODELER. The most common option is likely to be export of a DXF file for use by a
CAD or CAM system.

You can export one or more parts from the Part window

To save a DXF file of a part or parts:

 Bring the Part window to the front
 Select the part from the pop-up menu at the bottom left
 Choose Export from the File menu

A dialog will appear allowing you to copy one or more parts

 Click the check boxes to specify which parts to copy

 Click OK

The usual copy dialog will appear allowing you to specify the format and scale of
the exported parts
 Choose the DXF and 2D copy options
 Click OK
 Type in a name and select a destination folder for the DXF file

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You will then be able to read this file into any DXF compatible CAD or CAM system.
You can also export the parts into a 3D DXF file by going to the Perspective window and
using Export DXF and choosing the 3D DXF option.

When exporting data as a 2D DXF file, there is an option to export the line as a series of
polylines or a series of polylines and arcs. Controllers of different cutting machines
work better with different polyline data. If you wish to export arc segment data you need
to specify the maximum radius of arc that you wish to be exported as arc data rather than
polyline data. For example if a radius of 0.25 m is specified in the radius edit box, all
curves with an arc radius of less than 0.25 m will be exported as arc data and all those
above will be exported as a series of straight line segment data. Units used are those
currently set in the units dialog box.

The remove redundant points option will delete all points that lie on a straight line apart
from the start and end points. This reduces file size and aids in downstream processing.
Exporting parts to Stability Load case file (.hml)
It is possible to export structural part weight and position information as a Stability Load
group file (.hml file). This file may then be loaded directly into Stability for stability
calculations. Prior to exporting, check all parts are present in the “Data” window,
“Parts” tab. If a part has no weight then this will be because it does not have a material
assigned.

To export the information simply choose File | Export | Structure Parts | Stability
Loadcase… from the menu.

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To import the information into Stability go to the load case window and choose File |
Open Load Case… from the menu.

The part information is automatically set as a load group (see the Stability manual for
more information). This enables the structural information to be cross referenced into all
the load cases (e.g. as a lightship weight).

As well as part weight and centre of gravity information, fwd and aft extents of each part
are included in the file which can be used for longitudinal strength calculations in
Stability.

Materials and Section Libraries

Materials Library

In order to determine the thickness offset used when calculating plate shapes and to
determine weights of parts in the design, it is necessary to specify material types for
frames, decks, stringers and plates. These materials are stored in the Sections Library and
can be edited using the Edit Materials… command from the Edit menu.

To add, edit or delete a material:

 Choose the Edit | Edit Materials command from the menu
 Choose Add Material, Edit Material or Delete Material from the submenu
To add a Material:

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 Choose the Edit | Edit Materials | Add Material from the menu and the Add Material
dialog will appear

This is the standard Add Materials dialog used across all Applications in the suite. Only
the Density field is used. However if the design is to be processed in a downstream
application such as Multiframe it is advisable to fill in the other property fields.

To remove a Material:
 Choose the Edit | Edit Materials | Delete Material from the menu and the Delete
Material dialog will appear

 Choose the material you wish to delete and Click the OK button

To edit a Material:

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 Choose the Edit | Edit Materials | Edit Material from the menu and the Select
Material dialog will appear

 Select the material you wish to edit and click OK. The Edit Material dialog will then
appear

 Alter the fields you wish to edit.

To save your changes to the materials:

 Click the OK button

The materials will be saved in the Sections Library automatically. They are saved along
with the stringer shapes and cutouts, and will be available next time you use the program.
Sections Library

Modeler uses a Sections Library .slb file to store the stringer shapes & cutouts and
materials. Working with this library is completely automatic. Every time you start
Modeler, the application will look for the default file path (see below) and load the
library automatically.

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If you don’t want Modeler to load the library automatically on start-up, you should
rename the library file in the default directory. Modeler will then ask you which library
you wish to load each time it starts up. The library will be automatically saved to this file
when you close Modeler.

Default library location:

 Windows Vista/Windows 7 – C:\Users\Public\Documents\MAXSURF\MAXSURF##
 Other Operating Systems - C:\Program Files\MAXSURF ##

, where ## is the version number. The default library name is “MAXSURF

StructureLibrary.slb”. A sections library is common across all the applications including
Multiframe. This is to allow ease of transfer of design data between the applications.

Once Modeler is running, a new library may be opened via the file menu item File |
Load Sections Library…. Modeler will save and close the currently open library and
open the new library.

In previous versions of Modeler a separate library was used the *.wsl file. To upgrade a
*.wsl file to a *.slb file choose the File | Convert Library command from the menu.
Modeler will then ask you to locate the *.wsl file you wish to convert, then it will ask
you for the name and location you wish to save the converted *.slb file to.
Sharing library files
It is possible to share library files across a network. However, you should be aware that
changes to the Library file can easily be overwritten by someone else if that person
closes Modeler after you did. You can create a shortcut Section Library .slb file to the
shared library file on the server to share the library. Please note that most of the other
applications in the suite use the sections library file and will also automatically save to
this shared library. It may be easier to occasionally distribute the physical library file.

Data exchange
Data exchange is a key requirement in the modern design office and Modeler supports a
wide range of industry standard formats. You can copy and paste numerical tables to and
from Microsoft Excel for custom calculations and formatting. Graphical views can be
copied and pasted to other applications to help create presentation materials and reports.
The following is a list of file formats supported for data exchange:

Importing Exporting
NURBS surfaces and NURBS and trimesh
MicroStation DGN MicroStation DGN
curves surfaces and curves
NURBS surfaces and NURBS surfaces and
IGES IGES
curves (untrimmed) curves
NURBS surfaces and NURBS and trimesh
Rhino 3DM Rhino 3DM
curves surfaces and curves
IMSA NURBS surfaces IMSA NURBS surfaces
USNA / Fastship NURBS surfaces USNA / Fastship NURBS surfaces
Curves and Markers,
DXF DXF Polylines
Background
GHS Marker sections BMT Microship Sections
PIAS ascii Marker sections MHCP Sections
Seaway Marker sections HYDROS Sections
Wolfson LHF Marker sections IHI Sections
nuShallo PAN Trimesh surface IMSA Hull parameters
Polygon mesh PLY Trimesh surface GHS Sections
Stereo Lithography mesh
Trimesh surface nuShallo Mesh
STL

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WAMIT med GDF Trimesh surface Parametric Sections

Image PNG, JPEG, GIF Background image PD Strip Sections
NURBS surfaces and
MicroStation DGN PIAS ascii Sections
curves
SHCP Sections
Shipflow Sections and waerlines
Stereo
Veres (MASHIMO) Sections
Wintech Sections
Wolfson LHF Sections
Polygon mesh PLY Trimesh surface
Stereo Lithography mesh
Trimesh surface
STL
WAMIT med GDF Trimesh surface
Direct X Trimesh surface
Wavefront Trimesh surface
Image BMP Background image

Input of Data
Modeler can import a range of data formats to assist you in creating a Modeler design to
match existing data. Point and line data can be imported via DXF, surface data can be
imported via IGES and Rhino 3dm files and image data can be imported in a range of
bitmap formats such as GIF, BMP and PNG.

In this section:
 Pasting (General)
 Importing Background Images
 Importing DXF
 Importing DXF Markers
 Importing IGES Curves and Surfaces
 Importing Rhino .3dm files

Before continuing this section, you may wish to read the Modeler Coordinate System on
page 27.

Note
If your File | Import submenu is greyed out, make sure you create a new
design first from File | New.

Pasting (General)

You can paste data from any spreadsheet, word processor or text editor into the tables in
Modeler. See Paste in the Table Windows – General section on page 68.
Importing Background Images

Modeler has the ability to display background images in each of the design views. Those
in the Plan, Profile and Body Plan views may be re-positioned and resized to match the
design and can then be used to assist in fairing to an existing design. The image in the
perspective view is always displayed at full image size and from the top left corner; by
using the zoom and pan control you can re-position your vessel in the scene.

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Modeler has no built-in image manipulating commands, other than to control the position
and scale of the image. Hence you must ensure that the image is in the correct orientation
prior to loading into Modeler. It is also helpful if you make the background colour of
your image similar to that of the Modeler background colour, since it will be easier to see
the control points and other lines which are drawn over the top of the image by Modeler.
Scanning an Image
When scanning the lines plan it is important to do this at a reasonably high resolution to
minimize any digitizing errors. In this document, scanning refers to the process of
creating a bitmap image (such as a jpeg or bmp file) from a paper drawing, while the
term digitizing refers to the creation of a point in 3D space (i.e. having x,y and z
coordinates) from information on a scanned drawing.

It is also important to make sure that the scanned image is not rotated relative to the
screen, this will make it extremely difficult to digitize accurately. If you find that your
image does have a slight rotation, it is necessary to correct this in a paint program such as
Photoshop or Paintshop Pro prior to importing it into Modeler.
Importing an Image
Modeler can load image files of the type jpg, gif, bmp and png. Once you have a suitable
image of for example your body plan
 Open Modeler and select File| New Design… from the file menu.
 To import the image, switch to the body plan view and select File|Import|Image
Background…
This will import the image in the Body Plan window.

When first opened, the image will be scaled so that it is displayed at full size at the
current window zoom level. Once you have loaded the image, you can re-position it by
locating the zero point in the image. The image will then be moved so that the image
zero point is in the same position as the design zero point.
Setting the Zero Point
The next step is to centre the image in Modeler’s coordinate system. To do this,
 Select Display | Background | Set Image Zero Point.
 Zoom in and click on the point on the image that you wish to be the zero point.
The most likely location for this example image is the intersection of the centreline with
the DWL or the baseline. For an image in Profile you may pick the Aft Perpendicular
and the same DWL or Baseline.

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When you click the mouse, the background image will move so that the point you just
clicked lines up with the design's zero point:
Setting the Scale
You can specify a known position on the image to scale the image. To do this you only
need to know the value of a single dimension on your drawing in either the horizontal or
vertical direction. For most drawings this is trivial as they will have a known waterline
and/or buttock spacing and these can be directly measured.
 Select Display| Background | Set Image Reference Point.
 Zoom in and click one of the waterlines, preferably the one that is the greatest
distance from the DWL.
A dialog will appear asking you to specify a value for this distance. For example, if you
know that your waterline spacing is 1.5 meters, and you clicked on waterline 3, enter 1.5
m.
 Make sure that the Direction item has Vertical selected and click OK.

See the Modeler Coordinate System on page 27 for information about UCS directions
and sign conventions in Modeler. Note that the aspect ratio of the image is always
maintained.

Images in all the views are independent so you can load a profile and buttock lines sketch
into the Profile view, a sketch of the sections into the Body Plan view and a sketch of the
waterlines into the Plan view.
Setting up a Grid
The next step is Setting up the Grid, see page 38 of this manual.

Note that Modeler uses a coordinate system that increases in value towards the bow, so if
your station zero is at the bow, and you wish your profile view to have the bow on the
right hand side, you will need to have the negative values for the station locations. If you
place your zero point at the transom, station locations will be positive values.

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Once you have specified the station spacing and clicked OK, it is likely that the Inset
Box in the top right corner of the Body Plan window will be blank. This is because there
are no surfaces specified and Modeler needs to be forced to rescale its internal viewing
parameters so that the station locations will appear, scaled to the length of the Inset Box.
To force this to happen,
 select View | Home View.
Small marks should now appear at the top of the Inset Box corresponding to the locations
of the stations. Click on the right most of these marks – a black vertical line should
appear below it –

Inset box in top right of Modeler Body plan window

You have successfully selected station zero of your background grid as the current
station. This sets the longitudinal position of any point you digitize in the Body Plan
view, providing the third value of the x, y, z coordinates for the point.
Digitising a Background Image
The next step is to select the Add Marker tool and click on a point on the section at
station zero. The most efficient way to do this is to drag the Markers Toolbar onto the
Body Plan window so that you can repeatedly select Add Marker. Alternatively, Add
Marker can be selected by using the Ctrl-M key combination.

You can now add marker points for as many points on the section as you like. Remember
that you can use the zoom tool to zoom in as far as you like when adding markers to get
the most accurate points possible.

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Once you have finished digitizing the points for station zero, click on the indicator for
station 1 in the inset box. This sets the longitudinal position of any subsequent markers
that are inserted to the location of Station 1. In this way we build up a three-dimensional
set of marker points, rather than just a two dimensional dataset.

Again, digitize the points for the section at that station location. It helps if the drawing is
clearly labelled with the station number, as in this example, as it is very easy to get the
longitudinal location confused and accidentally digitize a section at the wrong
longitudinal position.

Continue digitizing points for each section, then selecting the next station location until
all stations have been digitized. If you now switch to the perspective view, you should
find that you have a complete, three-dimensional set of data points entered for all the
stations.

If you have a profile view scanned, you can now switch to the Profile View window and
perform the same process. In this case you are probably just interested in the bow profile,
and this is easy as the marker points you insert will be added on the centreline.

Import your image as before, set the zero point to the intersection of the DWL and
Station zero, then set your scale by selecting the position of one of your aft stations and
entering its location in the Reference Point Dialog. In this case remember to select
Horizontal for the measurement direction.

You can now proceed with the digitizing of the bow profile, and this will be added to
your set of marker points.

Also see:
Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers on page 239.
Working with Markers on page 91
Images in the Perspective View
The background image in the Perspective view can be used for generating presentation
pictures. The background image remains in the centre of the screen, use the zoom and
pan controls to place the Modeler design in the desired position over the background:

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Note that the images are not saved with the design file, only the path name to the image
file. If you change the directory of your images or their file names, Modeler will no
longer be able to find them and the images will not be automatically loaded when the
design is re-opened.
Importing DXF splines and polylines as curves

DXF line, polyline and spline entities can be imported to Modeler as curves. To do this
run the File | Import | DXF... command. Lines will be converted to a Modeler curve of
stiffness 2 (linear) and have two points (start point and end point). Polylines will be
converted to a Modeler curve of stiffness 2 (linear) with n+1 points, where n is the
number of line segments in the polyline. A dxf spline will open as a Modeler curve with
the same stiffness, number of control points and knot vector.

Importing DXF background

Using the Import DXF Background command from the File menu enables you to import
a DXF file into Modeler to use as construction lines. The DXF file will be displayed in
all design views. DXF backgrounds can be really useful when you have a 3D lines plan
in for example AutoCAD that you want to manually fit a surface to.

Note: You can only have one DXF background for your Modeler design. This single
DXF background will be displayed in all 4 design windows. In case you want the profile
lines displayed in the Profile window, and the section lines displayed in the Body Plan
window, you have to convert your 2D lines plan drawing to a 3D lines plan in AutoCAD
before saving as a .DXF.

Note
If your File | Import submenu is greyed out, make sure you create a new
design first from File | New.

See also:
Importing DXF Markers on page 355
Background in the Display Menu section on page 413
Importing DXF Markers

The importing of marker information is possible from DXF as well as GHS and Seaway
section data files.

The Import DXF Markers command from the File menu can be used to import lines, arcs
or polylines from a DXF file and display them as markers in the graphics views in
Modeler. Each point at the end of a line or along a polyline will be converted into a
marker.

To import a DXF file as markers:

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 Choose Import->Import DXF Markers from the File menu

 Set the XYZ orientation of the data in the file

Note
If your File | Import submenu is greyed out, make sure you create a new
design first from File | New.

You can use the radio buttons in the middle of the dialog to specify the orientation of the
points in the file relative to the Modeler coordinate system. For example, choosing +ve
(positive) and X in the Forward section means that +ve X coordinates in the DXF file
will be aligned with the forward direction of the Modeler model.
Also see: Modeler Coordinate System on page 27

The coordinates in the file are positioned relative to the current Modeler zero point.
 Set the units of the data in the file
Click on the radio button corresponding to the units of the data in the file.
 Optionally set the arc segment length
If you are importing arcs from the file, these will be converted into line segments before
importing. This field can be used to specify the length of the line segments along the arc.

Note:
You can only import ARC objects in the DXF file. Arcs within polylines
will not be imported, you should explode the polyline first before importing.

 Optionally save the configuration

You can use the Add button at the bottom left of the dialog to add a configuration and
save the setting for future usage. For example, if you frequently import from AutoCAD,
you might like to set up a configuration, named AutoCAD, to save your import settings.
 Click OK to import the data
Once imported the markers can be manipulated in the usual way, including assigning to a
particular station or associating with a surface. See also Working with Markers.

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Converting a 2D DXF to a 3D DXF

It is generally recommended to convert a 2D DXF file to a 3D DXF file prior to
importing it into Modeler. The simplest way to convert a 2D DXF bodyplan is to shift
each station to its correct longitudinal position:
 Choose one section that remains at the Z = zero plane eg the section at the Aft or
Fwd perpendicular. This will be your zero point.
 In AutoCAD select the adjacent section line
 Type <M> in the command line and specify <0,0,1500> to move the section for
example 1500 mm in the Z-drection.
 Do this for each section.
Importing IGES Curves and Surfaces

To import NURB curves and surfaces into Modeler, use the Import IGES Surfaces and
Curves command from the File menu. If you are starting a new design by importing an
IGES file, make sure you create a new design first from File | New.

IGES stands for the Initial Graphics Exchange Standard. It is an extremely powerful
format and is compatible with the majority of major CAD programs. IGES trimmed
NURBS surfaces are represented as an entity 128, which contains the surface geometry,
together with an entity 144, which contains only the trimming information.

Modeler can only read the entity 128 data, but does not support importing the entity 144
trimming data.

Note: importing trimming surfaces

Modeler does not support importing trimmed surfaces. All surfaces have to
be re-trimmed manually. Also see: Importing Rhino .3dm files on page 358
for Rhino data exchange options that support trimming.

Each NURB surface found in the file will become a surface in Modeler. Each NURB
curves will become a Curve in Modeler.

The orientation of the imported model into the Modeler coordinate system depends on
the orientation of the axis in the program where the .IGES file originates from.

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Note:
See: Modeler Coordinate System on page 27

The options at the bottom of the dialog can be used to correctly orientate the control
point net with respect to Modeler’s usual conventions.

Note:
Not all IGES curve types are supported by Modeler. A dialog will appear
warning if an unsupported type is encountered.

Importing Rhino .3dm files

To import NURB surfaces into Modeler, you can use the Import | Rhino .3dm file
command from the File menu. When importing a Rhino file which has trimmed surfaces
a dialog box will appear asking you whether you wish to try and replicate the trimming.

Each NURB/Trimesh surface found in the file will become a NURB/Trimesh surface in
Modeler. Currently NURBS surfaces, NURBS curves, trimesh surfaces and Markers are
the only entities saved/opened via the .3dm format.

The orientation and dimensions of the imported model into the Modeler coordinate
system depends on the orientation of the axis and units set in the 3dm file where the
model originates from.
General Guidelines for Importing Rhino models into Modeler
Multipurpose 3D NURBS surface modelling programmes like Rhino are fantastic
modellers that allow the user to quickly achieve some impressive shapes. However, these
programs are not necessarily ideally suited for the creation of faired hullshapes. Models
can easly end up with large numbers of trimmed or hacked up surfaces with 1000’s of
control points. This is fine for most shapes but for hullshapes that need to be faired it
becomes difficult, if not practically impossible to fair the hullshape.

Rhino is however a very useful software tool to complement Modeler. Our recommended
workflow approach is to start designs in Modeler to create the major hull surfaces which
require highest fairness, and then to use Rhino for superstructure modelling and for
modelling of other features like fillets or deck features and other details that are not
important from a stability or other performance point of view; in this way you are
playing to the strengths of each tool.

Tug model in Modeler. Tug model in Rhino.

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Example of a hull modelled in Rhino large numbers of surfaces with large numbers of control points; this is
when it becomes difficult to manipulate and fair the model.

However, if you have existing models in Rhino, the following sections provides some
general guidelines on successfully bring Rhino models into Modeler.
Units
Ensure that the mdel in Rhino is at full scale, because Modeler expects to be dealing with
real vessels, models whould be of a reasonable size. If you are actually modelling a scale
model of a vessel then consider scalling it up so that it is at least a couple of metres long.
So check the size and units of the model in Rhino before attempting to read the file in
Modeler.
Appropriate level of detail
Delete all parts of the Rhino model that do not contribute to the watertight envelope of
the hull or those that are required to model complex tank shapes. Details like portholes,
deck stanchions, sails, standing rigging, propellers etc should generally be removed from
the model: if a surface does not contribute to one of the following then it should
generally be removed:

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 Contribute significant buoyancy to the watertight envelope of the hull

 Define complex tank geometry (eg spherical or cylindrical tanks, etc)
 Define shapes that are to be expanded for plate-cutting. However if these are
superstructure plates, consider saving these into different files.
 Modeler is limited to a maximum of 1200 NURBS surfaces, if the Rhino model
exceeds this number they will be ignored by Modeler.
Explode Manifold, Poly and other Compound surfaces
Modeler, can only read standard NURBS surfaces from the Rhino file, so if you have any
compound surfaces in the Rhino file, explode them before attempting to read into
Modeler. A manifold surface in Rhino is basically a group of surfaces. Modeler cannot
import manifold surfaces and an error message will be displayed.

Manifold surface in Rhino

Manifold surfaces need to be exploded into the component surfaces in rhino prior to
importing the model into Modeler.
Do surface edges really touch?
In some cases Rhino will approximately fit surface edges; at a distance it seems that the
surfaces share and exactly common edge, but actually the surfaces have a different
number of control points or the control points do not match. In Modeler, when bonding
surface edges, the two surfaces are forced to have identical edges: the number and
locaton of the edge control points must match as must the surface stiffness in that
direction:

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Indicated edges are not necessarily of identical shapes in both surfaces which are supposed to share a
common edge

Symmetry
Modeler can automatically replicate port and starboard symmetry. So if the model is
symmetrical port and stbd - delete one side of the model in Rhino prior to importing into
Modeler, this halves the number of surfaces you have to deal with. You can delete either
side of the hull. However, we would recommend deleting the port side simple because
the Stbd side is +ve in Modeler and is easier to work with.

When you bring half the model into Modeler make sure you remember to set the surface
properties to ‘symmetrical’. If you have a model with 1000’s of surfaces then the best
way is to go to the surface window and set one surface to symmetrical and then use the
right click ‘fill down’ option.

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Trimming Guidelines
There are some fundamental differences with the way the trimming works in Modeler
and in other 3d modelling programs like Rhino – Modeler attempts to replicate the rhino
or iges trimming but it does not always work because the different programs follow
different rules.

When you bring a trimmed rhino model into Modeler a dialog will ask you if you want to
replicate the trimmed regions.

If you click ‘Yes’ Modeler will attempt to replicate the trimming regions as per the rhino
model. If you click ‘No’ the model will come into Modeler untrimmed and the user can
then re-trim the model in Modeler if required.

If at all possible leave the cutting objects in the Rhino file. As you will see below this
will make it easier to recreate the trimming in Modeler.
Surface to Surface trimming
If the rhino model trimming is surface to surface trimming then there shouldn’t be a
problem when importing the model into Modeler, provided there is an intersection
between the 2 surfaces.

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Surface to Surface intersection in rhino and Modeler

To check that there is a significant surface intersection you can view the surface
intersections in Modeler using the ‘show intersections’ command (Display – contours –
intersections).

Another useful tool is selecting the surface, then right clicking the mouse and selecting
‘show intersecting surfaces’. This allows you to concentrate on the surface intersections
for one particular area.

View only those surfaces which intersect the selected surface

Sometimes it is simpler (and you end up with a better model) to ignore the trimming
information in the Rhino file and then recreate the trimming in Modeler:

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 Read in the Rhino model but choose not to recreate the trimming regions
 Remove all cutting surfaces from all of the surfaes (easily done in the Surfaces
table by removing all cutting surfaces from the first surface, then using the fill-
down command)
 For each surface that needs to be trimmed, first specify the correct cutting surfaes,
then trim the surface.
 Troubleshooting: When surfaces do not trim as expected, check that surfaces
intersect properly and that the selected cutting surfaces form closed intersection
boundaries which completely subdivide the surface to be trimmed into separate
regions.
Rhino trimmed surfaces without surface to surface intersections
For surfaces that are trimmed in Rhino but do not appear to have any trimming curves or
trimming surfaces associated with it Modeler will try and replicate the trimming by
putting a curve on the surface where the surface is trimmed in Rhino. You can view these
curves in Modeler by displaying the trimming curves (Display – contours – trimming
curves).

Single trimmed surface in Rhino with no other surfaces

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Trimmed surface above in Modeler with the replicate trimming regions option

Modeler by default associates no cutting surfaces with each rhino surface that is
imported. This can be manually altered by the user. For more information refer to the
section on cutting surfaces.

Note: Importing trimming surfaces

On importation of a trimmed model from Rhino, trimming curves that do
not necessarily lie on a surface/surface intersection may be present. These
contours can be used to trim the surfaces as any normal intersection line.
Visibility of these Rhino trimming contours may be turned on and off via
the Display | Contours dialog.

ShrinkTrimmedSrf Command in Rhino

Prior to importing a trimmed-surface rhino model into Modeler it is often very useful to
run the ShrinkTrimmedSrf command on all the trimmed surfaces in Rhino. This
generally creates a much more robust model and reduces the size of the file.
Duplicate surfaces
If a model has been brought into Modeler with surfaces lying exactly on top of other
surfaces, then when it comes to trimming all bets are off. The Modeler trim engine
cannot calculate the trimming regions hence it doesn’t know what to trim. You can fix
this by carefully selecting the Cutting surfaces for each surface in Modeler

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Example of Rhino model imported into Modeler with 2 surfaces lying on top of one another

Zero Area surfaces

When you bring a rhino model with large numbers of surfaces into Modeler it is worth
checking the surfaces areas, as it is possible to create surfaces in Rhino with zero area. In
Modeler select the ‘calculate areas’ command from the data menu and check that there
are no surfaces with Zero area as this has been know to cause problems with Modeler
trimming.

Plan B - Rhino data Points to Markers – Create a TriMesh Surface in Modeler

If all else fails and you are not having any success in bringing the Rhino model into
Modeler then it is possible to get the offsets out of rhino, then bring these offsets into
Modeler as Markers. In Modeler, the Markers can be used either to fit NURBS surfaces
(see Working with Markers on page 91) or to generate a TriMesh (see Trimesh Surface
on page 250). The steps below describe one method of creating offsets, exporting them
from Rhino and bringing them into Modeler as Markers.
 In Rhino, Step 1
You can create sections on the surface in Rhino by:
Curves – Curve from Object - Sections
You then select the surfaces (that you want a section on) and then draw a vertical line
where you want the section. This command can be done on multiple surfaces.

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Adding section curves to a Rhino model

 Step 2
Now one you have drawn the sections on the Rhino surfaces you can create data points
along this section curve. This can be done by;
Curve – Point object – Divide curve by – (either length of segments or number of
segments)
This yields data points along the curve. (Note this can be done for multiple curves in one
command)

Data points created along the section curves in Rhino

 Step 3
Now you can export the curves point data from Rhino
You can do this by selecting all the points – (edit – select – points)
Then either – File – export selected - export as a .txt file
This file can then be opened in Excel.
Alternatively find a macro that does this for you …
http://wiki.mcneel.com/developer/scriptsamples/exportpointstoexcel
 In Modeler, now that you have the point data in Excel
Launch Modeler – Open a new design – Go to the Markers window – add markers (add
the number of markers that you have data for in excel)
Then copy and paste the marker data from excel into the Modeler Marker window.

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Rhino offset data brought into Modeler as Markers

 Sort the Marker data and generate a TriMesh surface in the usual way
For more information see, Trimesh Surface on page 250 .

TriMesh Model in Modeler

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Output of Data
Modeler can output your design lines in a wide variety of file formats and hard copy. File
formats available are 2D IGES, 3D IGES, 2D DXF, 3D DXF, 3DMF, 3dm (Rhino) and
VRML. Lines from any of the drawing windows may be saved as files or output directly
to printers. Data from the Calculations, Markers, Control Points and Offsets files can be
printed, saved to text files or copied into the clipboard for pasting into spreadsheets or
other applications. Modeler also allows saving of animation files.

This section will describe the following output options:

 Printing
 Copying
 Offsets Data Output
 Animation Files
 Exporting a Modeler Design
Also see:
 Appendix A – Data Export
Printing

Modeler prints the contents of the window that is topmost on the screen. Choosing Print
from the File menu will display a print preview, allowing you to view the output, page-
by-page, on screen.

Use Page Setup, also from the File menu, to adjust the paper size, margins, orientation
etc.
Standard Views
When printing a standard view of the design, you will be asked select the scale at which
you wish to print. There are a number of default scales but you may also enter your own
custom scale factors.
 Bring the window you wish to print to the front.
 Choose Print from the File menu.
 Choose the desired Scale.
 If the print preview is as required, click the Print Button.

Printing from Modeler is straightforward and is usually a matter of setting the Page Setup
parameters and selecting Print. If you encounter problems, check that the following have
been done.

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 Make sure your printer is connected to the computer.

 Make sure you have selected a default printer using the Printer control panel

Rendered Perspective Views

Printing a rendered perspective view is the same as printing a standard view except you
will not be prompted for a custom scale. Rendered perspective views can only be printed
on one page.

The image displayed in the print preview window may have some slight differences from
the final printed version, this is only due to scaling in the print preview window.

Also see:
Exporting a Modeler Design, section: Bitmap Image on page 380.
Colour Printing
Modeler supports colour output to suitable devices. You may choose whether you wish
to print in colour or black and white in the print preview by clicking the Colour button.
Setting Page Size , Orientation and Margins,
The paper size, paper orientation and margins may all be set in the Page Setup dialog
accessed from the File menu.

You may choose the printer you wish to print to by clicking the Printer button.

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Further printer specific options may be chosen by clicking on the Properties button. The
options available will depend on the printer and the printer driver you are using.
Print Titles
You can specify titles to be placed on the head and foot of each page you print. Use the
Titles button in the print preview window:

This will bring up the Titles dialog, which allows you to set your print titles.

Other Data Output options include:

 Copying
 Offsets Data Output
 Animation Files
 Exporting a Modeler Design
Copying

When copying from a drawing window

 Select the window you wish to copy.
 Select Copy from the Edit menu (or use Ctrl C).
To paste this selection into a word processor or spreadsheet
 Select Paste from the Edit menu (or use Ctrl V).

Copying Numeric Data

When copying from a data window:
 Select the appropriate column by clicking in the column title bar.
or
 Select the appropriate row by clicking on the row number.
or
 Select the whole window by clicking in the top left hand corner.

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 Select Copy from the Edit menu (or use Ctrl C).
 To copy the column titles as well as the selected data, hold down the Shift key
while selecting Copy (or use Shift Ctrl C)

It is also possible to select arbitrary blocks of text rather than complete rows or columns
or individual cells.

To achieve a rectangular selection, hold down the mouse button in the cell that you wish
to be a corner of the required selection. Drag the mouse in any direction and multiple
cells will highlight. If you drag the mouse outside of the table boundaries, the cells will
automatically scroll in the correct direction.

Alternatively, click in one cell, than hold down the Shift key and click in a second cell.
All cells between the two chosen will be selected.

To paste into the selected cells, choose Paste from the Edit menu (or use Ctrl V).

Other Data Output options include:

 Printing
 Offsets Data Output
 Animation Files
 Exporting a Modeler Design
Export Lines Plan

An auto generated dxf lines plan can be generated from the NURBS model. The
function is executed by choosing File | Export | Lines Plan… from the menu. All
contours that are visible will be displayed in the lines plan. The lines plan will show the
three orthogonal views, with each group of contours (sections etc) displayed on
individual layers in the dxf file. This function is mainly used to export Water lines,
Buttock lines and Section lines (and maybe edges contours) to the lines plan.

A typical example for the NURBS model below:

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Produces the following dxf lines plan:

Offsets Data Output

The following output option exist for offset data:

 Copied and pasted into Excel
 Saving the table of offsets as a text file from the Offsets window
 Using Link.

Using Link to Export Offsets Data

Modeler supports saving of offset data in a format suitable for input to other analysis
systems. This is done by Link, a separate application in the Modeler suite. Link can read
in a Modeler design and save the offset data in a format suitable for input into many
other analysis systems.

Other Data Output options include:

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 Printing
 Copying
 Animation Files
 Exporting a Modeler Design
Animation Files

Animations generated in the perspective view may be saved in avi format for playback at
a later date or for use in presentations etc.

To generate an animation:
 Go to the perspective view and adjust the display, rendering and colours to obtain
the desired view.
 Select Animate from the Display menu, set-up the desired animation options and
tick the Save Animation to disk box.

 Click OK and then choose a file name for the animation file.
 Click Save and then select the Compressor type.

Please note that some of the compressors will not work with all graphics settings. The
Full Frames (Uncompressed option) should work with all graphics settings.

 Click OK

The animation will now be generated and saved to the file. This may take a few seconds,
particularly if there are many surfaces to be rendered in the model.

Other Data Output options include:

 Printing
 Copying
 Offsets Data Output
 Exporting a Modeler Design

Exporting a Modeler Design

Modeler allows you to export your design file in different formats.

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 DXF File
 IGES File
 Rhino .3dm file
 Modeler V8.0 , export to earlier Modeler file formats. Note that this may lead to
some loss of data
 Others

You may export the following file formats to other platforms by selecting them from the
Data Export dialog box in the File menu:
 IGES
 DXF
 3DMF
 Vrml
 3dm

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2D IGES Polylines.igs, lines in 2D that can be controlled with

IGES control points. Similar to a spline in AutoCAD.

3D IGES Polylines.igs, a line in 3D that can be controlled with

control points. Similar to a spline in AutoCAD.
spline in AutoCAD.
spline in AutoCAD.
NURBS.igs, consists of the control points, control point
weights, surface stiffness and possibly trimming.

Polylines.dxf, straight-line segments in 2D

DXF DXF approximating the NURB surface. Contour lines are
exported as displayed on screen.

DXF Polylines.dxf, straight-line segments in 3D

approximating the NURB surface. Contour lines are
exported as displayed on screen.

3D Face.dxf, Similar to polylines, but instead of

approximating a curve, faces approximate a surface.

3D Mesh.dxf, approximates a surface by dividing the

surface up into a number of “faces” see 3d faces.

3DMF File format for Quickdraw3D.

Vrml Virtual Reality Modelling Language format. This is a

file format especially designed for delivering 3D
models over the internet.
3dm
File format for Rhinoceros (.3dm files).

When exporting as a dxf you can shoose to “Remove redundant points”, this option will
remove points that lie on a straight line.
Microstation .dgn File
Round trip interoperability between Modeler and Microstation via the Microstation *.dgn
file format is now operational. Entities exchanged include NURBS curves and surfaces
as well as trimesh surfaces. To import a .dgn model choose File | Import | Microstation.

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Publish i-model
Bentley Sysytem’s i-models can be used to exchange information for projects associated
with the lifecycle of infrastructure assets. You can ensure that information flows easily,
completely, and accurately between, and within design, construction, and operations
environments. The .i-model is compact and optimized for mobile apps. You can review
.imodel files with Navigator Mobile or Bentley Navigator Desktop on the Windows
platform that contain business data and embedded documents.

To publish an i-model from Modeler:

 Choose Publish i-model from the File menu. The following dialog will appear, which
allows you to set up i-model options:

Click OK button and an i-model with the .imodel extension wil be saved.

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IGES File
IGES stands for the International Graphics Exchange Standard. It is an extremely
powerful format and is compatible with the majority of major CAD programs. Design
information may be transferred using a 2D or 3D IGES file. If a 3D IGES file is chosen
you have the option of transferring the lines that are visible in the drawing windows
(polylines), or using the complete B-spline curve and surface definition (NURBS).
For more information on IGES export, please refer to Appendix A – Data Export from
page 420.

IGES export example. An .IGES file contains all NURBS surface information.

DXF File
DXF is the Drawing eXchange Format. Design information is transferred using a 2D or
3D DXF file as either a polyline file or a 3D face or mesh. If the “Polylines with arcs”
option is chosen a dxf file will be exported that contains lwpolyline, polyline and arc
entities. All arcs that have a radius less than that specified in the “Radius” edit box will
be exported as arc entities otherwise they will be exported as polyline entities. Only arcs
that lie in an orthogonal plane will be exported as arc entities (i.e. XY,YZ or XZ planes).

3D Polyline export example.

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3D Mesh export example. The number of segments used to display the surface is dependent on the surface
precision.

3D Face export. The mesh is divided up into a number of faces.

3DMF
3DMF is the file format for Quickdraw3D.
VRML
Modeler is able to export models in the ISO standard VRML (Virtual Reality Modelling
Language) format. This is a file format especially designed for delivering 3D models
over the internet for their display in standard browsers such as Netscape Navigator or MS
Internet Explorer. This feature means that Modeler models can be readily included in
web pages; this facilitates sharing information on a global (internet) or internal (intranet)
level. Further information on VRML is available from the Web3D consortium, whose
web site may be found at: http://www.web3d.org/
Rhino .3dm file
3dm is the file format for Rhinoceros NURBs modelling software. Both trimmed and
untrimmed Modeler NURBS surfaces can be saved in Rhino file format, along with
NURB curves, Trimesh surfaces and Markers. Because there is no concept of
symmetrical surfaces in Rhino, any symmetrical surfaces in Modeler will be duplicated
and mirrored about the centreline when exported to Rhino using the Export | Rhino .3dm
file command from the File menu in Modeler. 3DM file units will always be in m
irrespective of unit settings in Modeler (this doesn’t effect the size of the model).

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Note
The Modeler assembly tree can be accessed from within Rhino via a Rhino
Plug-In. The Plug in is included in the Modeler installer. For more
information refer to the Rhino Plug-In Manual (found in the folder \Modeler
XX\RhinoPlugInManual.pdf where XX is thre version number) which is
installed along side the Modeler Manual.

Bitmap Image
Bitmap export gives you the ability to export Rendered Perspective Views to a bmp file.
This is similar to Edit | Copy (Copy to Clipboard), however File | Export | Bitmap Image
allows you to specify the size of the image; the larger the size, the better the quality.
This is a useful feature for creating high resolution promotional material.

This function is not available for the Simple Shading rendered mode.

Note
For additional information on data export from Modeler, see: Appendix A –
Data Export on page 420.

Other Data Output options include: Printing | Copying | Offsets Data Output | Animation
Files

Moses File
A Modeler file can be exported to the Moses text file format. Choose Moses File from
the File menu. The following dialog will appear:

Mesh target edge length refers the average triangle edge length in the mesh the user is
targeting. For addition information on the other variables please refer to the Moses
manual.

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Exporting Parts to Rhino

The parts in a Modeler model can be exported directly to native Rhino .3dm file format.
Once a design has been developed past the initial parametric design stage (i.e. hull shape
is fixed and all major structural components have been developed) the parts may be
exported to a rhino 3dm file for further detailing:

Since Modeler is a parametric modeller (all parts are linked dynamically to an underslyig
NURBS surface) the data exchange is unidirectional (i.e. from Modeler to Rhino) only.
Plates, frames and decks may be exported as trimmed NURBS surfaces or as a mesh to
the *.3md file.
Exporting Parts to Multiframe

Modeler is able to export the parts (trimeshes and stringers) defined in the model to the
Multiframe text file format. To export to Multiframe
 Show (make visible) only what you want to be exported.
 Choose File | Export | Trimeshes | Multiframe text file…
 Choose the location of the files to be saved and click OK

The process will be illustrated in an example below. The basic process is:

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1.Model the structure in Modeler Using NURBS

2.Generate trimeshes on structural parts
3.Assign section shape to stringers
4.Bond stringers to trimeshes
5.Export to Multiframe text file format
6.Import into Multiframe
7.Assign loads
8.Run analysis

In this example, the deck structure from around a hatch is going to be exported for
structural analysis in Multiframe. Here is an image of the complete vessel:

The NURBS surface model of the geometry in the area of interest (hatch at bow):

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A series of longitudinal stringers with T cross section is added to the underside of the
deck:

A trimesh can then be added on each of the NURBS surfaces:

The triangle nodes of the trimesh do not necessarily coincide with the stringer nodes, to
achieve this the Trimeshes are “Bonded” to the Stringers using the “Bond to Curve”
command:

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Once the structure geometry has been created then each part to be exported needs to have
a material assigned (trimeshes and stringers). To export the model to Multiframe simply
choose “File | Export | Trimeshes | Multiframe text file…” from the menu.
Before importing the file into Multiframe, ensure that you have the same library (*.slb)
loaded into Multiframe as that wich was used in Modeler to create the model initially.
From the menu choose File | Import | Multiframe Text… and select the file you just
saved from Modeler:

Before an analysis can be performed the restraints and loads need to be applied. In this
case we will apply a simple load of 5kN at each of the four corners of the hatch:

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A Linear analysis of the structure can now be performed by choosing Analyse | Linear
from the menu.

Results can then be viewed either in graphical or tabulated format. The following image
shows the deflection of the stiffners and reaction forces at the restrained nodes:

The results can also be sent to a report or animated for presentation.

This process can be followed for a global analysis of an entire structure or for other local
regions of structure for detailed analysis.

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Chapter 6 Modeler Reference

This chapter describes the toolbars and menu commands available in Modeler.
 Toolbars
 Menus
 Right Click Menus
 Ribbon

The functions available in the different Modeler windows are explained in Chapter 4
Modeler Windows on page 27.

Toolbars
Modeler has a number of icons arranged in toolbars to speed up access to some
commonly used functions. You can hold your mouse over an icon to reveal a pop-up tip
of what the icon does.
Customising Toolbars

All applications in the Modeler suite contain fully customisable toolbars. This enables
you to make your most frequently used commands available with just one click and
delete any toolbar buttons that you don’t need. The toolbar buttons themselves are also
fully customisable, including text and button images.

Adding/Deleting Standard Toolbar Buttons

The standard toolbars available in each of the Modeler suite’s applications can easily be
edited by clicking on the little triangle on the right side of any of the toolbars and select
“Add or Remove buttons”. This allows you to select which button you wish to add or
delete buttons by simply ticking or un-ticking the command.

By selecting “Reset” the Standard toolbar will be restored to its default state. Note: this
will delete any extra buttons you may have added to the standard toolbar.
Creating Your Own Toolbars
You can customise all toolbars in all Modeler applications via the customise toolbars
function. This is available via the View | Toolbars | Customise Toolbars menu item or by
clicking on the little triangle on the right side of each toolbar and selecting “Add or
Remove buttons”. Alternatively simply right click on a blank space on the toolbar area of
the application window and select “Customize”. This brings up the following tabbed
dialog:

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Toolbars tab
Use this tab to add or delete toolbars. Note: the standard toolbars that were
installed with the applications cannot be deleted or renamed.
Commands tab
On this tab you will find all commands available in the application sorted per
menu. To add a command to a toolbar, simply select the command and drag and
drop it onto the toolbar. Note: As long as the Customize dialog is open, you can
drag and drop toolbar buttons between different toolbars and the toolbar buttons
are inactive; i.e. they will not work.

Dragging and dropping a command onto a new toolbar.

Options tab
This tab allows you to customise the menu and toolbar display.

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 Always show full menus will only show the most commonly used commands in the
menu based on the command usage history. This command usage tracking
function is not enabled in the Modeler applications; this means you can ignore the
top half of this dialog.
 Large icons displays the toolbar buttons larger.
 Show ScreenTips on toolbars will enable the little text boxes that display which
command is invoked by that toolbar button.
 Show shortcut key in ScreenTips will also show you the shortcut key (if available).
This can be quite handy for you to learn the shortcut keys which allow you to
operate the program even faster.
 Menu animations allows you to set how you want the menus to appear.

Editing Toolbars Buttons

When the Customize dialog is open (from View | Toolbar |Customize Toolbars menu),
you can right click on a toolbar button to edit it via a right click menu.

A couple of interesting things that this allows you to do are:

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 Edit button image will pop up a dialog that allows you to draw your own toolbar
button image.
 Change the toolbar button image to one from the standard toolbar button images
library.
 Select how you want to display the toolbar button image. For example: if you have
trouble distinguishing between different toolbar buttons, you can select the Image
and Text option to display both the image and the toolbar button name (the image
button name is the command name by default).

Saving a Customised User Interface

Each time you close any of the applications in the suite, the application will
automatically save your toolbar settings and windows layout to an ##Settings.xml file in
the Modeler root directory. The Modeler root directory is by default
C:\Program Files\Bentley\Offshore\MAXSURF *.

For example: After closing Stability, your current user interface will be saved in
C:\Program Files\Bentley\Offshore\MAXSURF ## \MSSettings##.xml. The next time
you start up Stability, it will look for this file for the application user interface settings.

If you want to save a copy of a user interface settings file, simply use windows explorer
to locate the .xml file mentioned above, duplicate it and rename the duplicate to for
example: HMSetting_Custom1.xml.

* In Windows Vista the .xml files are stored in the

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Roaming\MAXSURF\.. directory.
Restoring a Customised User Interface

Restoring a toolbar
If you want to restore only one toolbar, use the View | Toolbars | Customise
Toolbars command, select the Toolbar you wish to reset and then press Reset.
Restoring the user Interface
Use the Restore default layout from the Windows menu to restore to the default
windows and toolbar settings. Alternatively you can hold down the shift key at
start-up. Note that the latter clears your Modeler Settings. See the manual for each
of the applications in the Modeler suite to find out which settings are reset when
you hold down the shift key!
Restoring to a saved settings file
If you want to restore to a saved setting, use the following steps:
1. Rename or delete your current ##Settings.xml in windows explorer. Your
current user interface settings file is located in the Modeler root directory and is
called MSSettings.xml for Modeler, HMSettings.xml for Stability etc.
2. Rename the custom.xml file to the default name. For example to restore
custom1 settings: rename HMSettings_Custom1.xml to HMSettings.xml.
Modeler Toolbars

File Toolbar

The File toolbar contains icons that execute the following commands:
New – Open – Save | Cut - Copy - Paste | Print | Help

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Edit Toolbar

The Edit toolbar contains icons that execute the following commands:
Undo – Redo
View Toolbar

The View toolbar contains icons that execute the following commands:
Saved Views combo – Zoom – Shrink – Zoom Extents – Pan – Rotate – Saved Views
dialog – Home View – Set Home View – Assembly window – Properties Pane.

The Rotate command is only available in the Perspective window.

Markers Toolbar

The Marker toolbar contains icons that execute the following commands:
Add Marker, Delete Marker | Snap Control Point to Marker, Fit Edge to Markers
Controls Toolbar

The Controls toolbar contains icons that execute the following commands:
Add Row/Column – Delete Row/Column | Align To Vector – Align To Plane – Compact
– Group – Ungroup – Bond - Unbond | Mask – Unmask
Display Toolbar

The Display toolbar contains icons that change the state of the following parts of the
display:
Shape – Net – Half – Compress – Outside Arrows – Ruling Lines | Hide Curvature –
Show Curvature | Hide Markers – Show Markers for Current Station – Show All Markers
– Connect Markers
Window Toolbar

The Window toolbar contains icons that make the corresponding window come to the
front:
Perspective – Plan – Profile – Body Plan | Calculations – Control Points – Markers –
Surfaces – Graph – Offsets
Render Toolbar

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The Render toolbar lets you switch rendering on/off and change light settings. These
toolbar commands are only available when you are in the Perspective window.
Render on/off – Light directions (4x) - Lighting Options

Visibility Toolbar

The Visibility toolbar contains icons that can be used to quickly toggle the display of
certain contours:
Stations – Buttocks – Design Water Line – Waterlines – Diagonals | Edges – Bonded
Edges – Feature Lines – Parametrics | Intersections – Trimming Curves.
Surface Toolbar

The Surface toolbar contains icons that are used to access the surface manipulation
commands:
Move – Duplicate – Flip – Rotate – Align
Stringer Toolbar

The Stringer toolbar contains icons which execute the following commands;
Add Stringer Point - Add Stringer
Structure Toolbar

The Structure toolbar contains icons which change the visibility of the following parts in
the structure;
Plates - Plate Meshes - Stringer Points - Stringers - Frames - Decks - Upstands
Part Toolbar

The Part toolbar in the Part window contains a number of icons which allow you to
quickly switch between different views of the current plate. These views are -
Development - Plan - Profile - Body Plan - Template - Pin Jig | Shell Expansion | Inverse
Bending Lines

Menus
Modeler uses the standard set of Windows menu commands for File, Edit and Window
operations. It also has a range of menus for control point and surface manipulation and
control of data and view displays.

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 File Menu
 Edit Menu
 View Menu
 Marker Menu
 Trimesh Menu
 Curves Menu
 Display Menu
 Data Menu
 Window Menu
 Help Menu
File Menu

The File menu contains commands for opening and saving files, importing and exporting
data, and printing.
New
Select New when you wish to commence a new design. Alternatively, if the Calculations
window is uppermost a new calculations sheet will be created.
Open
Modeler has the ability to save designs to disk and recall them at a later date. By
selecting Open, a dialog box appears with a list of available designs. Select the design
you wish to recall, click the Open prompt, and the requested design will be read in.
Open will remain active until you are using the maximum number of surfaces available
in your version of Modeler. This allows you to read in multiple designs and overlay
them, or to read in the same design twice so that any changes can be compared with the
original.

When the Calculations or Markers windows are active, Open will allow you to open a
calculations sheet or a set of markers from a text file.
Quick Start
A user can open a reference design as a starting point by using the quickstart function.
The user can choose one of six standard designs and enter the length beam and draft,
Modeler will then create a design to those specifications. The user can then customise
their design from there. This function is only anabled when a blank design is open.
Close
Select Close when you wish to finish with the current design. Before closing, a dialog
box will appear asking whether you wish to save the current design. If you select ‘Yes’
the current design will be saved onto the disk.

When the Calculations window is uppermost Close will close the calculations sheet.
Save
Selecting Save will save the current design onto disk.

When the Calculations, Markers, Offsets, Control Points or Surfaces windows are active
Save will allow you to save the calculations sheet or Markers, Offsets, Control Points or
Surfaces data to a text file.

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Save As
Selecting Save As enables you to save the current design under a new name. This is
useful if you modify a design, but wish to keep a copy of the old version as well as the
new.

When the Calculations window is active Save As will allow you to save a new
calculations sheet.
Import
Selecting Import enables you to import a DXF, GHS or Seaway file directly into
Modeler as a set of markers, or an IGES file with surface entities directly into Modeler as
a surface.

Modeler is able to import a variety of other data formats that do not contain NURB
surface information. These are imported as markers and where supported in the incoming
data format, connectivity data is maintained. This results in either a full Trimesh
representation of the vessel (e.g. nuShallo, WAMIT, and STL formats); markers
organised into sections (e.g. Seaway) or simply a scattering of markers with no
connectivity information (e.g. DXF).

Import DXF Background enables you to import a DXF file into Modeler to use as
construction lines. The DXF file will be displayed in the design views.

Import DXF enables you to import a dxf file converting all lines, polylines and splines to
Modeler curves. The DXF file will be displayed in the design views.

Note that if you intend to load DXF markers and a DXF background, the DXF
background should be loaded after loading the DXF Markers. If a zero-point shift of the
DXF background occurs due to loading DXF markers, the DXF background should be
reloaded.

Import Image Background enables you to import an image file (jpg, gif, bmp or png) file
into the background of any of the Modeler design views.
Export
Selecting Export enables you to export a Modeler file as a variety of different file
formats such as DXF or IGES.

You may also export to earlier Modeler file formats. Note that this may lead to some loss
of data.
Export Render Mesh
Selecting Export | Render Mesh submenu lets the user select from three mesh file
formats: wavefront (*.obj), sterolithography (*.stl) or direct X (*.x).
Export Plate Mesh Text
Used to export a special text file containing geometric information about the mesh used
to develop the plate.
Export ShipConstructor Files
Used to export all frames, decks, plates and stringers to ShipConstructor.

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Export Bitmap Image…

This function exports a bitmap image of the current graphics window. For example the
contents of the current profile view.
Export Workshop Version 12…
This function exports the current design to a Workshop Version 12 file. Due to changes
in file format some of the parts may need recalculation when opened in Workshop
Version 12.
Export Workshop Version 13…
nodeThis function exports the current design to a Work Version 13 file. Due to changes
in file format some of the parts may need recalculation when opened in Workshop
Version 13.
Export Hydromax Loadgroup File…
Used to export loading information of parts in the design to a Stability Loadgroup file
(.hml) this may then be loaded into Stability for analysis.
Export Rhinoceros 3dm File…
Exports all parts to native Rhino 3dm file format. All parts currently visible will be
exported. Data exchange is uni-directional (i.e. from Modeler to Rhino only).
Export Multiframe Text File…
Used to export parts to multiframe text file format. Only visible parts will be exported.
All visible parts except plates, frame rider bars and non-planar longitudinal girders get
exported.
Export Lines Plan…
A dxf lines plan will be automatically generated from the NURBS model. All contours
that are visible will be displayed in the lines plan.
Page Setup
The Page Setup dialog allows you to change page size and orientation for printing.
Print
Choosing the Print function prints out the contents of the active Modeler window.
Load Sections Library
Used to load a new library file. Library files have the extension .slb and contain
imformation about the materials that can be assigned to surfaces. The default library is
named WorkshopLibrary.slb and is located (by default) in
C:\Program Files\Bentley\Offshore\MAXSURF XX \ on pre Vista operating systems and
C:\Users\Public\Documents\MAXSURF\ for Vista and post vista operating systems.
Exit
When you have finished using Modeler choose Exit to close the program. If Modeler has
a design open that has not been saved to disk, you will be asked whether you wish it to
be saved.
Edit Menu

The Edit menu contains commands for copying and pasting data, and working with
tables.

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Undo
The Undo function will reset the control point net back to its previous state after an
accidental or experimental movement of a control point or group of control points.
Redo
The Redo function will reinstate the changes that were discarded with the Undo
command.
Cut
Cut cannot be used in Modeler.
Copy
This function performs the standard Copy function.
Paste
Choose the Paste command to Paste data into a table. Paste may also be used with other
applications, but cannot be used on Modeler drawing windows.
Select
Facilitates the selection of table cells, columns and rows. The triangle selection
commands allow the user to increase or decrease a selection by 1 ring of neighboring
triangles.
Fill Down
Choose the Fill Down command when you want to change several cells in a column to
the value of the first cell. This function may be used in most of the tables, and may also
available by clicking the right mouse button, which brings up a context menu.
Preferences
The Preferences function allows you to customise some of Modeler's features.
Structure Preferences
Displays a dialog allowing you to set a number of optional settings relating plate forming
information and number of undo/redo levels. The default material and thickness to be
used for parts can also be set.
View Menu

The View menu contains commands for controlling the appearance of the display in the
graphical windows.
Zoom
The Zoom function allows you to work on any part of your design by enlarging the
selected area to fill the screen.
Shrink
Choosing Shrink will reduce the size of the displayed image in an active drawing
window by a factor of two.
Pan
Choosing Pan allows you to move the image around within a drawing window.

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Rotate
Activates the Rotate command, which is a virtual trackball which lets you freely rotate a
design in the Perspective view window.

After selecting the Rotate tool, move the mouse to a location in the Perspective window
and press the left mouse button. With the left button depressed, you can rotate the image
by dragging the mouse around and the rotation is performed by projecting the
movements onto a virtual sphere on the screen – essentially like a virtual trackball.
Generally speaking, moving the mouse left and right rotates about a vertical axis while
moving the mouse up and down rotates about a horizontal axis. The Rotate mode is
exited when the left button is released.
Auto rotate cent.
Toggles the automatic update of the view rotation center when the model is panned or
zoomed. When enabled, this helps maintain the part of the model near the center of the
screen in view whilst rotating the view direction.
Saved Views
Open the Saved Views dialog where you can add, edit and delete the home and other
saved views.
Home View
Choosing Home View will set the image back to its Home View size. Modeler starts up
with default Home View settings for all its drawing windows. However, the Home View
may be set at any time by choosing the Set Home View function.
Set Home View
Choosing Set Home View allows you to set the Home View in each drawing window.

To set the Home View, use Zoom, Shrink, and Pan to arrange the view as you require,
then select Set Home View from the View menu.
Perspective
Set the perspective camera angle (field of view).
Colours and Lines
The Colours and Lines function allows you to set the colour and thickness of lines,
controls, and graphs.
Font
The Font command allows you to set the size and style of the text in the current window.
Toolbars
Allows you to select which toolbars are visible.
Assembly Pane
Displays the Assembly Pane. Shortcut key = F2. See Assembly Pane on page 62.
Properties Pane
Displays the Properties Pane. Shortcut key = F3. See Properties Pane on page 65.
Status Bar
Allows you to show or hide the Status Bar at the bottom of the main window.

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Marker Menu

The Marker menu contains commands for managing markers and fitting surfaces to
existing sets of markers. Also see the section Working with Markers on page 91 for more
detailed explanation of commands.
Add Marker
The Add Marker command is used when you wish to place a reference marker in the
Body Plan, Profile, Plan or Markers windows.
Delete Marker
This is used when you wish to delete a marker from the Markers window or from the
Body Plan, Profile or Plan windows.
Generate Markers for Developable Surfaces
This command generates markers from the ruling lines on the developable surfaces and
is only available if the design contains surfaces with surface type “Developable”.

Also see:
NURBS Surface on page 118 for more information about developable surfaces
Fit Surface to Markers on page 398 for information on how to use the Fit Surface
to Markers command to lock the surface edges and fit the internal surface to the
markers generated from the ruling lines.
Move Selected Markers
Translates the selected markers by the specified distance.
Rotate Selected Markers
Rotate the selected markers by the specified angles.
Delete Duplicate Markers
This will delete any duplicate markers with the same position (to within a tolerance of
0.5mm) from the selected group of markers (or all the markers, if none are selected).
Generate Grid from Markers
This command will generate the grid (sections, buttocks and waterlines) based on the
marker data and also associate markers with the correct marker station index. Sections
are generated at the markers’ longitudinal position; buttocks at their transverse offset;
and waterlines at their vertical location. See Setting up the Grid on page 38 for more
information.
Group Markers by Stations
This will change the order of the markers in the markers table and collate all markers
with the same station index reference number together in the markers table (without
changing the order of the markers for a given station index number). This command is
useful if a new station of marker points has been added and the new station has been
added out of sequence, at the end of the Marker table.
Sort Markers within Stations
After transverse sections have been defined and a Station Index for each marker has been
assigned, the markers with the same station index may be sorted into order (using a
nearest neighbour sort). This process is automatic on the entire marker set and is
independent of current marker selection. See Sorting Markers on page 97 for more
information.

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Re-order Selected Markers

This command sorts all markers in a selection in the order of selection. Running this
command twice will sort (or: order) the markers in the opposite order. This command
can only be run after 2 or more markers are selected. See Sorting Markers on page 97 for
more information.
Re-sort Selected Markers
This command automatically sorts all markers in a selection in a nearest neighbour
approach starting from the centreline lowest position. It is possible to run this command
for a selection of markers over a number of stations. See Sorting Markers on page 97 for
more information.
Reverser Ordering for Current Station
This will invert or reverse the ordering of the markers on the current section (as selected
in the Body Plan view Inset Box). The marker in bold (when Connect Marker Stations is
turned on) is the first marker on the station.
Snap Control Point to Marker
See Corner Control Points on page 241.
Fit Edge to Markers
In a similar way that the Snap Control Point to Marker moved a single control point onto
the marker, the Fit Edge to Markers will fit the selected edge to the selected markers. See
Fitting a Surface Edge on page 242 for more information.
Smooth Interior Controls
Smoothes the interior control points of the Current Surface based on the positions of the
edge control points. The edges remain unchanged. Useful for getting an initial fitted
surface once the edges have been fitted (see Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers)
Fit Surface to Markers
See Fitting a NURB Surface to Markers on page 244.
Compact Marker points
Compacts the selected markers to the location of the first-selected marker
Measure Surface Error
After Markers have been linked to a specific surface, the distance between the markers
and the surface can be measured using this command. See Measuring Surface Error on
page 249 for more information.
Marker Properties
Allows you to edit the properties of the selected marker(s).
Trimesh Menu

Add Trimesh
Adds atrimesh using one of the standard shapes such as a plane, box or cylinder.
Generate From Markers…
See Generating a Trimesh surface from a NURB surface on page 250. This command
will only be enabled when there is at least one marker in the design.

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Add From Surfaces…

See Trimesh Surface on page 250. This command will only be enabled when there is at
least one NURBS surface in the design.
Add from Parts…
See Trimesh Surface on page 250. This command will only be enabled when there is at
least one part (Frame, Deck or Plate) in the design.
Add by extruding curve…
Add a trimesh by extruding the selected curve along a user specified vector. The user
can also choose to close the ends of the extrusion, this will create a closed volume (if the
curve is closed).
Extrude Trimesh
This function is enabled when a trimesh surface is chosen in the assembly tree. The
selected (non-closed) trimesh will be extruded along the user specified vector to form a
closed volume trimesh.
Mesh from planar Cuve…
This function is enabled when a curve is selected in the Assembly tree. The user is asked
for a target edge length of the mesh and the curve will have a planar mesh fitted to it.
The plane on which the trimesh is created is a least squares fit to the selected curve
points.
Delete…
This command will display the “Please select the trimeshes to delete” surface dialog.
This command will only be enabled when there is at least one trimesh surface in the
design.
Snap Node(s) to Surface
This function will be enabled when one or more trimesh verticies are selected. The
function snaps selected nodes to the closest point on a NURBS surface chosen by the
user.
Delete Triangles
This command will be enabled when there is at least one trimesh in the design and one or
more trianlges are selected. To select a triangle, in non-rendered mode lock the trimesh
and use the mouse to select, either by left clicking individual trianlges or dragging a
selection rectangle over a group of triangles.
Flip Triangle Pair
This command swaps the common edge of a pair of adjacent triangles is selected (two
triangles that share a common edge).
Visibility…
This command will display the “Visible Trimeshes” dialog. This command will only be
enabled when there is at least one trimesh surface in the design.
Locking…
This command will display the “Locked Trimeshes” dialog. This command will only be
enabled when there is at least one trimesh surface in the design.

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Invert Direction…
This command will display the “Please select the trimeshes to invert” dialog. This
command will only be enabled when there is at least one trimesh surface in the design.
Inverting the direction of a trimesh will invert the direction of the outside arrow of every
element (triangle) of the trimesh. Individual elements (triangles) can be inverted by
manually clicking on the tip of the outside arrow for that element.
Trimesh Repair…
Repair holes in trimesh to form a closed mesh. Make sure all triangle normals are in a
consistent direction before performing a trimesh repair operation.
Clean
This command will be enabled when there is at least one trimesh in the design. The
command will remove any duplicate nodes or degenerate triangles as well as
recalculating trimesh connectivity.
Remesh Triangles…
Remeshes a selected group of triangles at a new mesh density. The command will be
enabled when a group of triangles is selected. Once executed a dialog will appear asking
for the desired target edge length of the triangles to be remeshed. To select a triangle, in
non-rendered mode lock the trimesh and use the mouse to select, either by left clicking
individual trianlges or dragging a selection rectangle over a group of triangles.
Add Trimesh Node
Converts the mouse pointer to add trimesh node pointer. The next left mouse button
click will add a node into the trimesh at the pointer location. To cancel the command
prior to adding a node hit the escape key. A trimesh node can only be added to an
unlocked trimesh. The command is only enabled if there is a trimesh in the design.
Delete Trimesh Node
Converts the mouse pointer to delete trimesh node pacman. The next left mouse button
click will delete the node over which the pacman is currently places. To cancel the
command prior to adding a node hit the escape key. A trimesh node can only be deleted
from an unlocked trimesh. The command is only enabled if there is a trimesh in the
design.
Compact Trimesh Node
If two or more trimesh nodes are selected (highlighted) then the Compact Trimesh Nodes
command becomes enabled. All selected nodes will be moved to the location of the first
selected nodes. Any resulting degenerate triangles (zero area) will be removed from the
trimesh.
Node Properties…
This command is enabled when one or more triangle nodes are selected. Nodes will only
appear if the trimesh is unlocked. Executing the function will launch a dialog displaying
the node properties (position etc.) that can be edited.
Move trimesh…
Moves selected trimeshes a defined distance, an array can be created by duplicating a
number of specified times. The trimesh must be unlocked to be moved. For more
information see Moving a Trimesh Surface

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Move trimesh freeform

Moves a trimeshusing the mouse. To execute unlock the trimesh and choose move
trimesh freeform from the trimesh menu, next click the mouse near a vertex on the
trimesh you wish to move and holding the left mouse button down drag the trimesh.
When the left mouse button is released the trimesh will be placed in that location.
Size Trimeshes…
Function used to scale selected trimesh surfaces. The surfaces can be scaled in each of
the orthogonal directions and can be scaled proportionally. For more information see
Size a Trimesh Surface
Flip Trimeshes…
Mirrors a trimesh surface about an axis. For more information see Flip a Trimesh
Surface
Rotate TRimeshes…
Rotates a trimesh surface about an arbitrary axis. For more information see Rotate a
Trimesh Surface
Align Trimeshes
Aligns two trimesh surfaces. For more information see Align Trimesh Surfaces
Offset Trimeshes…
Offsets a trimesh surface in the direction of the normal. For more information see Offset
a Trimesh Surface
Split trimesh…
Split a trimesh into separate trimeshes by a cutting surface. For more information see
Split Trimesh.
Join…
Join command is enabled when there are at least two trimeshes in the design. Once
executed a dialog will appear asking the user which trimeshes they want joined into a
single trimesh.
Bond | To Curve(1 or 2 trimeshes)…
This command will be enabled when at least one curve and at least one trimesh is present
in the design. Once executed the user will be asked to specify a target edge length for
the triangle edges along the bond.
Bond | At Visible Intersections…
This command will bond trimeshes that currently have visible intersections displayed.
The bond will occur at the intersections. The user will be asked for a target edge length.
See the Bond | At Visible Intersections…section for more information.
Controls Menu

This menu provides commands to manipulate control points.

Add
To Add a control point, select the add command and click in the current view at the
location desired. Control point columns may be added in the Plan and Profile windows;
control point rows may be added in the Body Plan window.

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Delete
The delete command allows you to delete a row or column of control points from a
surface. Select the delete command and click on the desired control points using the
delete cursor. Control point columns may be added in the Plan and Profile windows;
control point rows may be added in the Body Plan window.
Copy Position
Copies all three parameters of the control point’s coordinates and its weight.
Paste Position
Pastes the copied position and weight to the selected control points. Hold down the shift
key to select which data are updated.
Smooth Controls
Smoothes a complete or partial row or column, or a patch of control points. Smooth is
always applied in three dimensions, not simply in the current view.
Straighten Controls
Straightens a complete or partial row or column, or a patch of control points. Straighten
can be applied in the plane of the current view, (e.g. straightening a sheer line only in the
profile view, while leaving it curved in the plan view), or in all three views
simultaneously.
Move Controls
This function allows you to move a group of control points by a specified amount.
Size Controls
This function allows you to scale and re-proportion a group of control points by their
principle dimensions.
Rotate Controls
This function allows you to rotate a group of control points about a specified centre of
rotation.
Align to Vector
Aligns a number of selected control points to the 3D vector defined by the first two
control points selected. To constrain the movement in certain directions hold the shift
Align to First Selected
Similar to Compact, but the geometric relationship of the control points remains
unchanged. i.e. The selected control points are translated to so that the first and second
selected control points are coincident. Hold the shift key to restrict which ordinates are
updated.
Align to Plane
Moves a number of selected control points into the plane defined by the first three
control points selected. To constrain the movement in certain directions hold the shift
key down whilst selecting this command. A dialog box will appear within which you
define the constraints.

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Compact
There may be occasions when a number of control points need to be placed at precisely
the same point in space. To do this, select the points and choose Compact. The points are
all compacted onto the first point in the selection. Hold the shift key to restrict which
ordinates are updated.
Group
Any number of control points may be selected from a surface or multiple surfaces and
grouped to move as one by selecting the control points and grouping them with the
Group command.
Ungroup
This function performs the opposite of the Group function. All control Points that were
previously in the selected group will return to being individual control points.
Bond Edges
Two Surfaces may be bonded together by joining along a common edge. The two edges
may be selected for bonding by clicking on the edges or by selecting a control point
(other than corner points) from each edge.

When Bond Edges is selected the two edges are bonded together and will show a single
row or column of control points along their common edge. Bonded edges may be
displayed by selecting Bonded Edges from the Contours dialog in the Display menu.
Unbond Edge
Any edge that is bonded may be unbonded. Choose any control point along the desired
edge and select unbond. The selected edges will now be unbonded and may be moved
independently.
Mask
The Mask command allows you to select a particular group of control points, which will
remain visible while the remainder of the net is hidden.
Unmask
The Unmask command restores a masked surface display to one where all control points
in a surface net are visible.
Control Properties
This command lets you change the control point properties for a group of selected
control points. This command can be quite useful if you want to set a group of control
points to the same position or plane; e.g. move a group to the centreline or a specific
deck height. See Control Point Properties on page 215 for more information.
Advanced
This gives you advanced functions that may be used to adjust the control point net. Row
and column indexing may be changed and rows and columns transposed. The actual
surface shape remains unchanged.
Curves Menu

The Curve menu contains commands for manipulating curves.

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Add Curve
Add Curve gives the option of adding 5 different types of curves to the design. The Add
curve command is only available when a design is open and one of the four drawing
windows is the currently active window. Arc and circle curves can only be added in the
three orthogonal views (ie not perspective).
Delete Curve
The delete curve command deletes the currently selected Curve(s) from the design. If a
curve is accidentally deleted it can be retrieved via the undo command. Delete command
is only enabled when a design is opened and a curve is selected in one of the drawing
windows.
Add Data Point
The add data point command will enable the user to add a new data point to the currently
selected curve. The curve will pass directly through the data point. The add data point
command is enabled when a design is opened and a data point curve is selected.
Add Control Point
The add control point command will enable the user to add a new control point to the
currently selected curve. The add control point command is enabled when a design is
open and a control point curve is selected.
Move Curve
The move curve command will activate the move curve dialog box. Any number of
curves selected in the dialog may be moved numerically longitudinally, vertically or
horizontally by this command. The move curve command is enabled when a design with
one or more curves is open.
Size Curve
The Size Curve function allows you to scale and re-proportion a curve or group of curves
by their principle dimensions. The size curve command is enabled when a when a design
with one or more curves is open.
Flip Curve
This command allows you to flip, or mirror, a curve or group of curves about a specified
longitudinal, transverse or horizontal plane. The flip curve command is enabled when a
when a design with one or more curves is open.
Rotate Curve
The Rotate Curve command rotates one or several curves about a specific centre of
rotation. The rotate curve command is enabled when a when a design with one or more
curves is open.
Reverse Curve
The reverse curve command will reverse the order of the control points in a curve, so that
the first becomes the last and visa versa. This command will only become enabled when
a curve is selected.
Project Curve onto Surface
This function is enabled when there is at least one surface and at least one curve in the
design. When the function is executed a dialog will appear asking the user to specify
which curve is to be projected onto which surface and in which projection direction.

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Break Curve
This command will break the curve into two curves at the currently selected control
point. The command will only be enabled in the menu if a curve control point is
selected.
Join Curves
The join curves command will join the two curves that have end control points selected
into one curve. Selection order is important as the second selected control point will be
moved to the first selected control point. This command will only be enabled in the
menu if two end control points from two separate curves are selected.
Fit Curve To Markers
The fit curve to markers command will add a new curve and fit it to a selected set of
markers if only markers are selected. If a curve as well as markers are selected the
selected curve will befitted to the selected markers. The curve will fit to the markers in
the order they are selected. The fit curve to markers command is enabled when a design
is open and 2 or more markers are selected and one of the four drawing windows is the
currently active window.
Fit Edge To Curve Marker Stations
Fit Curve to Marker Stations command will become available if 2 or more markers that
are assigned to station indexes are selected. When the command is executed Modeler
sorts the markers for each station from centreline lowest marker and then fits a curve
through each set of Markers for each station.
Fit Edge To Curve
The fit edge to Curve will fit the selected surface edge to the currently selected markers.
The edge will be fitted to the markers in the order that they are selected. The command
will be enabled when 2 or more markers are selected and one surface edge is selected.
Fit Curve To Contour
A curve may be fitted on a surface contour. Select any curve (or multiple curves) to
enable the command in the Curve menu.
Visibility
This function allows you to select which curves are visible. The visibility of any carve
may also be changed in the curve properties dialog and curves window. This function is
enabled when a design with one or more curves is open and a drawing view is the current
window.
Locking
This function allows you to lock and unlock curves. This function is enabled when a
design with one or more curves is open and a drawing view is the current window.
Curve Properties
Each curve that is created in a Modeler design has a unique set of properties associated
with it. The Properties command allows you to view and modify these properties. The
properties of all the curves may also be edited in the curves window. The properties
command is enabled when a design is open and one or more curves is selected.
Surfaces Menu

The Surface menu contains commands for manipulating surfaces.

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Add Shape
A number of basic shapes may be added, these include cylinders, boxes and spheres.
Delete Surface
Choosing Delete Surface displays a dialog that allows you to select the surfaces to be
deleted.
Move Surfaces
This command move the selected surfaces. You may select the number and relative
positioning of duplicates.
Size Surfaces
The Size function allows you to scale and re-proportion a surface or group of surfaces by
their principle dimensions. This function is particularly useful when modelling
geometrically similar variations from a parent design, and also allows precise
specification of principle design parameters.
Flip Surfaces
This command allows you to flip, or mirror, a surface or group of surfaces about a
specified longitudinal, transverse or horizontal plane.
Rotate Surfaces
Choosing Rotate Surface rotates one or several surfaces about a specific centre of
rotation.
Align Surfaces
Choosing Align Surfaces allows you to select two surfaces for aligning by way of
selecting a control point from each surface. Aligning takes place by movement of the
complete surface such that the two control points are coincident. The surface whose
control point was selected first is fixed.
Offset Surfaces
The offset surface command from the surface menu is enabled when a design contains
one or more surfaces. The offset surface command can only be performed on unlocked
surfaces. The original surface may be kept or destroyed. To offset a surface choose
“Offset Surfaces…” from the surfaces menu, in the dialog select the surface and enter the
offset distance. A positive offset distance will offset the surface in the direction of the
outside arrow of the surface, if negative the opposite direction.
Split Surfaces
The Split Surface command from the surface menu is enabled when a parametric curve is
selected on an unlocked surface or a control point is selected. The split surface
command splits a surface into two separate surfaces along the chosen parametric (or at
the parametric position of the chosen control point). To execute choose a parametric
curve or edge contro l point on an unlocked surface, choose Split Surface from the
surface menu.
Join Surfaces
The join surfaces command is enabled when 2 edges are selected on separate unlocked
surfaces. The join surfaces command joins two surfaces into one surface. To join two
surfaces select an edge of the first surface, holding the shift key down select an edge of
the second surface. To execute, choose Join Surfaces from the Surfaces menu.

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Skin Curves
The skin curves command creates a surface by skinning around a set of selected curves.
The order in which the curves are skinned is dependent on the selection order. The skin
surfaces command is enabled when a design is open and 2 or more curves are selected.
Sweep Surface
The sweep surface command creates a surface from two curves. The first curve selected
is termed the “section curve” and the second curve the “trajectory curve”. The new
surface is created by sweeping the section curve along the path of the trajectory curve.
The swept surface command is enabled when a design is open and two curves are
selected.
Create 4 Sided Patch
Creates a four sided surface patch defined by 4 selected Curves. Four curves must be
selected to enable the command from the surfaces menu. The last point of the first curve
must be coincident with the first point of the second curve and so on until the 4 curves
create a closed loop.
Extrude Surface
Creates a surface by extruding a section curve or surface contour. To enable the
command at least one curve or surface contour must be selected. When the command is
executed the user will be prompted to enter a direction vector for the extrusion.
Surface of Revolution
Surface of revolution command becomes enabled when a curve or a contour on a surface
is selected. The curve is then rotated about the axis defined by the user in the dialog box
to create a surface. The curve is rotated a user defined number of degrees about the axis.
Approximate Surface to Markers
This command does a least squares approximation of a surface to the selected markers.
Optionally 4 curves may be selected that define the edges of the surface to be fitted. To
enable the command at least 4 markers must be selected and optionally 4 edge curves.
The command will display a dialog asking the user to enter the number of control point
rows and columns as well as the longitudinal and transverse stiffness of the surface to be
created. The number of markers required to fit a surface is equal to the number of control
point columns multiplied by the number of control point rows defined by the user when
the command is executed.
Visibility
This function allows you to select which surfaces are visible. The visibility of any
surface may also be changed in the Properties dialog and Surfaces window.
Locking
This function allows you to select which surfaces are locked. Locking hides all control
points in the surface, which prevents modification of the shape. The locking of any
surface may also be changed in the Properties dialog and Surfaces window.

If you hold down the "Shift + Ctrl" keys when clicking OK in the Locking dialog, the
surfaces are locked and made read-only forever!
Note that you can never unlock them, so be careful! You can use this to send a design to
someone, where you do not want them to be able to modify the design or create a new
design based on your model. Use Save As to create a new file before using this feature.

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Appearance
This dialog allows you to select the surface colours that are used for rendering in the
Perspective window, and displaying the surface's parametric curves. This may also be
specified in the Surfaces window.
Surface Properties
Each surface that is created in a Modeler design has a unique set of properties associated
with it. The Properties command allows you to view and modify these properties. The
properties of all the surfaces may also be edited in the Surfaces window.
Start Trimming
Select the name of the surface you wish to trim from this sub-menu and then click on the
regions of the surface to turn trimming on and off. When you are happy with the trimmed
state of the surface, or if you just want to stop trimming, choose the Trim command.
Trim Surface <name>
Select this command when you have finished clicking on the regions of the surface you
are currently trimming, and you want to confirm your trimming changes.
Untrim Surface <name>
Removes all trimming information from the selected surface.
Frame Menu

The Frame menu allows you to add, delete and modify frames.
Add Frames
Add frames at the locations of the sections selected in the front window.
Delete Frames
Delete the frames which are selected in the front window.
Frame properties
Brings up a dialog allowing you to specify the frame characteristics of the selected
frames in the front window.
Calc All Frames
Calculates the shape of all the frames you have defined. The shapes includes the
properties you have defined using the Frame Shape dialog and the cutouts for any
stringers which pass through frames.
Calc Selected Frames
Calculates the shape of the selected frames in the front window.
Deduct Skin Thickness
If this item is ticked, the skin thickness will be deducted from the perimeter of the frame.

Also see:
Check Surface Thickness on page 274
Check Outside Arrows on page 274
Deck Menu

The Deck menu allows you to add, delete and modify decks.

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Add Decks
Add Decks at the locations of the waterlines selected in the front window.
Delete Decks
Delete the decks which are selected in the front window.
Deck Properties
Brings up a dialog allowing you to specify the deck characteristics of the selected decks
in the front window.
Calc All Decks
Calculates the shape of all the decks you have defined. The shapes includes the
properties you have defined using the Deck Shape dialog.
Calc Selected Decks
Calculates the shape of the selected decks in the front window.
Stringer Menu

The Stringer menu contains commands for working with stringers and upstands
Add Point
Add a stringer point in the front window. If a graphics window is in front, the point will
be projected onto the hull surface underneath it in the current view. The point will be
added to the closest stringer. If the Stringer Data window is in front, a new point will be
added at the bottom of the table.
Delete Points
Deletes the stringer points that are selected in the front window.
Add Stringer
Add stringer in the front window. You draw the stringer by clicking at the location of
stringer point and double clicking at the last point (or hitting return to indicate the last
point of the stringer). Each point will be projected onto the hull in the direction
perpendicular to the current drawing plane.
Add Longitudinal Girder
Add a longitudinal girder in the front window. You draw the girder by clicking at the
location of stringer point and double clicking at the last point (or hitting return to indicate
the last point of the girder). Each point will be projected onto the hull in the direction
perpendicular to the current drawing plane. A girder’s stiffness by default is 2 (Linear).
Delete Stringers
Deletes the stringers that are selected in the front window.
Duplicate Stringers
Duplicates the stringers that are selected in the front window. Stringers can be duplicated
in a vertical, transverse, longitudinal or girth direction.
Mirror Stringers
Duplicates and reflects the stringers that are selected in the front window.
Break Stringers
Breaks any stringers with selected points in the front window at the selected locations.

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Join Stringers
Joins two stringers into one. Only enabled when two stringer points are selected.
Stringer points must lie on different stringers and be at the end of their stringer.
Add Stringer On Contour
Adds a stringer on each of the currently selected contours. Allows you to specify a
longitudinal start and end locations for the generated stringers.
Generate Stringers
Shows a dialog allowing you to automatically generate a number of stringers at
prescribed girth spacing around a surface. Generating Stringers on page 291 for more
information.
Generate Family
Displays a dialog allowing you to automatically generate a family of smoothly
transitioning stringers between two selected ‘parent’ stringers. See Generating a Family
of Stringers on page 293 for more information.
Point Properties
Displays a dialog allowing you to specify the projection direction for the selected
stringers.
Stringer Properties
Displays a dialog allowing you to specify the type and surface for the selected stringers.
Upstand Properties
Displays a dialog allowing you to alter the behaviour of the stringer/frame associated
with this cutout.
Shape & Cutout
Displays a dialog allowing you to choose the stringer shape and cutout for the selected
stringer or for any selected upstands.
Orientation
Shows a dialog allowing you to specify the orientation of the selected stringers or
selected upstands.
Calc All Stringers
Fit all of the stringers through all of the stringer points.
Calc Selected Stringers
Fit the selected stringers through all of their stringer points.
Calc Inverse Bending Lines
Calculates the Inverse Bending Lines for the currently selected stringer(s). If there are
no currently selected stringers and the active view is the part view with a stringer
displayed then the inverse bending lines for that stringer will be calculated. To display
the Inverse Bending Lines, go to the parts window, select the stringer and click on the
Inverse Bending Lines Button from the Parts toolbar.

See Calculating Stringer Inverse Bending Lines on page 310 for more information.

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Calc Upstands
Calculate the upstands for all of the stringers. An upstand is a short line that runs from
the intersection of a stringer and a frame in the orientation-direction of the stringer. It
allows you to override the orientation and cutout shape of a stringer at a particular frame.
Snap to Grid
If Snap to Grid is turned on, stringer points will automatically snap to the specified grid
spacing. The Snap to Grid command is used to turn snapping on or off and also to
specify the grid spacing. The grid origin is at the zero point.
The Snap to Grid command can also be used when editing shapes in the library window.
Girth Centreline
This may be used to specify a transverse offset from which girth measurements are take.
This can be particularly useful for catamaran designers.
Plate Menu

The Plate menu contains commands for working with plates.

Add Plate
Add a plate defined by the four contours selected in the front window. You must first
select two contours on opposite sides of the plate and then the other two sides.
Add Surface Plate
Add a surface as a plate. This will automatically use the four edges of the surface as the
boundaries of the plate, unless the surface is trimmed and trimming is on. In this case
the plate will take into account the trimmed surface boundary.
Delete Plates
Delete the plates currently selected in the front window. You select a plate by clicking
inside the plate.
Plate Properties
Displays a dialog for the currently selected plate allowing you to set plate properties.
Plate UCS
Displays a dialog for the currently selected plate allowing you to set the UCS (User
Coordinate System) for the plate.
Plate Templates
Displays a dialog for the currently selected plate allowing you to set the location of
forming templates along the plate.
Assembly UCS
Displays a dialog for the currently selected plate allowing you to set the UCS (User
Coordinate System) for the assembly the plate belongs to.
Calc All Plates
Calculate the developed shape of all of the plates.
Calc Selected Plates
Calculates the currently selected or displayed plate.

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Calc Shell Expansion

Creates the shell expansion drawing. This drawing is displayed in the Part window, shell
expansion mode (click on the Shell Expansion icon in the Part toolbar).

For more information on creating a shell expansion drawing see Shell Expansion on page
339.
Flip Vertical
Flip the expanded shape in the Part window vertically.
Flip Horizontal
Flip the expanded shape in the Part window horizontally.
Display Menu

The Display menu contains commands for turning on and off items displayed in the
graphics windows.
Net
The Net display shows the complete control point net for all visible and unlocked
surfaces.

The net can be manipulated by clicking on a control point vertex and dragging it about
the window. Once you are familiar with the results of modifying the net directly, it is an
extremely efficient way of modifying a shape to effect global changes.

Control points may be moved in any drawing window, but in the Perspective window the
movement is limited to the plane that is most perpendicular to the angle of view. An
indicator showing the most perpendicular plane is displayed in the lower right hand
corner of the window.
Half
For symmetrical surfaces, the control point net exists only for one half of the
symmetrical surface. The Half function controls whether the surface's mirror image is
displayed across the longitudinal centreline.

By choosing the 'Split Surface Display' option in the surface Properties dialog, the Body
Plan window will display the forward half of a surface on the right hand side and the aft
half on the left hand side, when the Half function is selected.
Compress
The vertical and transverse axes are increased by a factor of four relative to the
longitudinal axis. This is useful for fairing longitudinal curvature.
Curvature
Displays curvature porcupines for any edge, section, waterline, buttock, diagonal or
feature line by clicking on the curve and selecting Show Curvature. Porcupines are
displayed perpendicular to the curve and their lengths are inversely proportional to the
square root of the radius of curvature at that point on the curve. Note that the smallest
radius on a given curve is displayed at the end of the porcupine corresponding to its
position on the curve. The porcupines can be scaled via the modeless dialog that appears
when the function is active.

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Trimming
Turns on or off the trimming option in Modeler. This command also lets you trim
surfaces Invisible or Gray.
Precision
Modeler has five levels of calculation and display precision. The appropriate precision
may be set at any time depending on the performance of your computer, the complexity
of the design and the level of detail required. Also see Surface Precision on page 127.
Drawing Settings
Sets various drawing parameters, such as Snap, Drawing Grid and Drawing Depth.

See Drawing Settings on page 43 for more information.

Outside Arrows
Displays the arrows which show the surface's current outside direction. All surfaces
should point outwards. The surface direction may be inverted by clicking in the circle at
the end of the arrowhead. This is important for rendering, skin thickness direction and
correct interpretation of the design when it is loaded into Stability or Structure.
Ruling Lines
Ruling lines can be turned on and off from the Ruling Lines command in the display
menu. This function is only enabled if the design contains a surface of type
Developable. A surfaces type is set in the surfaces property dialog box.
Markers
You can choose to display all markers or no markers, or you may choose to only show
those markers whose station number is the same as the current station. The Connect
Marker Stations command displays a connecting line between markers on the same
station. See Sorting Markers on page 97 for more information.
Background
Controls whether the background DXF construction lines and the background images are
displayed or not. The background may be loaded from an existing DXF file using the
Import function in the File menu. Tools for positioning and scaling the background
image are also here.

The commands in the submenu are only available when a background image or DXF has
been imported. See:
 Importing DXF background on page 355
 Importing Background Images on page 350

Hide DXF
Hides the DXF background.
Show DXF
Shows the DXF background.
Delete DXF background
Deletes the DXF background.
Hide Image
Hides the background image in the current view window.

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Show Image
Shows the image in the current view window.
Set Image Zero Point
Sets the image zero point. This command is not available for images in the
perspective window.
Set Image Reference Point
Sets the image reference point. This scales the image, see Importing Background
Images on page 350.
Delete Image
Deletes the background image in the current view window.
Grid
When Show Grid Only is selected, the positions of the Sections, Waterlines, Buttocks
and Diagonals as specified by the Design Grid function from the Data menu, will be
drawn.

When Show Grid and Labels is selected, the names assigned to each grid line in the
Design Grid option will also be shown on the screen and hardcopy.
Contours
The Contours option allows you to select which contours are drawn on the screen at any
given time. Any combination of contours may be chosen from the contours dialog.
Strain
Used to select which, if any, strain is displayed on plates in the Part window. The strain
map shows the strain which will need to be applied to the developed plate in order to
make it fit the hull. The colour map indicates the magnitude of the strain; blue denotes
compression (shrinking) required and red expansion. Green areas require bending only
and no in-plane strain. The colour map is limited to +/-0.5%.

None: no strain map displayed

Forming Direction: maximum principal direct strain. For plates developed using the
General method, the forming direction will be indicated by an arrow. For the other
methods, the forming direction will be from the first to the second selected edge, i.e. butt
to butt.

Perpendicular to Forming Direction: minimum principal direct strain.

Shear: maximum shear strain.

Part
Displays a sub-menu allowing you to choose which view of the developed plate is
displayed in the Part window.
Render
Render may only be selected when the Perspective window is active. Selecting Render
performs hidden line removal on the design with a choice of surface shading and false
colouring.

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Animate
Animate may only be selected when the Perspective window is active. Modeler will
attempt to draw as many views as possible with the available memory, up to the
maximum number specified in the animate dialog.

When these views have all been drawn they can be played back as a moving picture by
moving the mouse from side to side. Clicking the mouse button will terminate the
animation.

Animations may be saved to AVI files for playback at a later time.

Data Menu

The Data menu contains commands for calculating and changing the numerical data that
defines the design.
Units
A variety of metric and imperial units may be specified.

Irrespective of the default units specified, the Size, Design Grid, Girth, and Markers
options, and data input windows will accept dimensional data in any units. For example,
if the default units were metres, all of the following input would be accepted and
converted accordingly:

3 (interprets as 3.00 meters)

2.5c
33cm
328mm
650.44 mil
6ft 3.1in
5f 5i
11.25 feet
5’4"
4 inches
3.25"
Coefficients
Allows you to specify how you want to display the LCB and LCF position and how the
hydrostatic calculations should be carried out.

See Hydrostatic Coefficient Calculation Parameters on page 263 for more information.
Design Grid
This menu function allows you to specify the positions of Sections, Waterlines, Buttocks,
and Diagonals.

See Setting up the Grid on page 38 for more information.

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Frame of Reference
Choosing this function allows you to set the positions of the Fore and Aft Perpendiculars,
the DWL and the Baseline of the design; the Midship position is altered indirectly since
it is assumed to be mid way between the Fore and Aft Perpendiculars. All values are
entered relative to the Zero Point. However, it may be that the Zero Point is set to the
position of one of the elements in the Frame of Reference. In this case the Zero Point is
not updated until you have clicked OK in the Frame of Reference dialog.

See Setting the Frame of Reference on page 28 for more information.

Zero Point
This function sets the longitudinal and vertical reference point for all measurements. See
Setting the Zero Point on page 30 for more information.
Vessel Type
Lets you specify the type of vessel you are modelling. See Setting the Vessel Type on
page 31 for more information.
Windage Surfaces
Lets you specify the surfaces that define the windage and underwater profiles of the
vessel. See Setting the Windage Surfaces for more information.
Girth
Measures halfgirths or locates the position at which a particular halfgirth occurs.

See Calculate Girth on page 264 for more information.

Calculate Offsets
When Calculate Offsets is selected, the Offsets window will be filled with offset data for
the grid that has been specified via the Design Grid command.

See Offsets Window on page 76 for more information.

Go to Offset
This command allows you to select the station for which the offsets are displayed in the
Offsets window. This item is available only when the Offsets window is active.
Calculate Areas
Calculates the areas and centres of the surfaces in the design.

See Calculate Areas on page 265.

Calculate Hydrostatics
Calculates the upright hydrostatics of the design at the DWL.

See Hydrostatics on page 262 for more information.

Solve Calculations
Choose this command to solve the calculations currently displayed in the Calculations
window. The dialog box that appears can be used to set the longitudinal extent of the hull
to be used in the calculations.

See Calculations Window on page 83 for more information.

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Parametric Transformation
Activates the Parametric Transformation dialog, which allows you to manipulate an
existing design.

See Using Parametric Transformation on page 256 for more information.

AC Rule
If you have a license for the America's Cup Rule software, this menu item will be
available. Modeler will automatically measure your hull and calculate its rating under the
America's Cup Rule.
Calc All Parts
Calculate all of the parts including all stringers, frames and plates. This command is
useful for calculating a large number of parts at once.

Note:
All parts will be calculated at the current precision.

Calc All Visible Parts

Calculate all of the visible parts including stringers, frames and plates. This command is
useful for calculating a large number of parts at once.
Window Menu

The Window menu allows you to make any window selected from the menu the active
window.
Cascade
Displays all the Windows behind the active Windows.
Tile Horizontal
Lays out all visible windows across the screen.
Tile Vertical
Lays out all visible windows down the screen.
Structure Datasheets
Brings the selected table to the front.
Arrange Icons
Rearranges the icons of any minimised window so that they are collected together at the
bottom of the Modeler program window.
Help Menu

Provides access to Modeler help and other resources.

Modeler Help
Display the Modeler help manual.
Modeler Automation Reference
Display the Modeler Automation reference help manual.

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Online Support
Provides access to a wide range of support resources available on the internet. You must
have internet access to access this functionality.
Service Request Manager
Submit and manage your technical support requests with Bentley Systems. You must
have internet access to access this functionality.
Check for Updates
Provides access to our website with the most recent version listed. You must have
internet access to access this functionality.
News
Display the Bentley Systems Offshore news feed. You must have internet access to
access this functionality.
Legal Notice
Display the Bentley Systems Legal Notice.
About Modeler
Displays information about the current version of Modeler you are using and other
diagnostic information. Use this to obtain version and diagnostic information when
reporting a problem to the Support Staff at Bentley Systems, Incorporated.
Bentley Cloud Services Menu

Provides access to Bentley Cloud Services resources. You must be logged in with the
CONNECTION Centre to access this functionality.
Associate Project
Register the current file you are working on with a CONNECTED Project.
Disassociate Project
Unregister the current file you are working on from a CONNECTED Project.
CONNECTION Centre
Display your personal CONNECTION Centre web portal in your web browser.
ProjectWise Projects
Display the CONNECTED Project in your web browser.

Right Click Menu

Some of the most commonly used commands can be accessed from a right click menu
that is dependent on the object currently selected. These so called right click commands
are exactly the same as the commands in the regular menus of the application. Please
consult the Menus section on page 391 for an explanation of the individual commands.
Surface Selection Right Click Menu

A floating menu will appear if the right mouse button is clicked when a surface contour
is selected in any of the view windows or a rendered surface is selected in the perspective
window. The following menu will appear next to the cursor:

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 Chapter 6 Modeler Reference

Right click menu after a surface has been selected.

Menu items will be enabled, disabled or hidden depending on the context of the right
click and application settings. For example, when trimming has been set to Trimming
Off in the Display menu and a surface is selected by right clicking, the trimming
commands in the right click menu will be hidden. You will have to switch trimming to
Trimming Invisible or Gray first to be able to trim the surface.

Ribbon
Some versions of Modeler use a Ribbon interface instead of the Menu bar. The Ribbon
is divided into Tabs which contain Groups of related commands. According to what tasks
you are performing or which part of the application you are working with you will select
the appropriate Tab which will normally contain the majority of relevant commands; the
Home Tab contains a broad range of common commands. The other ribbon tabs are
arranged broadly according to the object being manipulated.

The idea of the Ribbon is to improve productivity, however should you wish to display
the menus, this can be done in the Settings Tab, Legacy Group, Toggle menus command.

Legacy support: Toggle Menu display

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Appendix A – Data Export

Appendix A – Data Export

Modeler provides a number of alternative methods for transferring data between Modeler
and other software applications on other computers. Each of the different methods of
data transfer has various advantages and disadvantages. This appendix will help you
determine which method is most suitable for your work.

Broadly speaking the data interchange can be divided into five types.
 Pictures and Text
 2D Drafting Data
 3D Drafting Data
 3D Surface Definition

Also see: Surface Precision on page 127.

Supported File Formats

Modeler supports the following file formats:
Importing

MicroStation DGN NURBS surfaces and curves

IGES NURBS surfaces (untrimmed)
Rhino 3DM NURBS surfaces and curves
IMSA NURBS surfaces
USNA / Fastship NURBS surfaces
DXF Curves and Markers, Background
GHS Marker sections
PIAS ascii Marker sections
Seaway Marker sections
Wolfson LHF Marker sections
nuShallo PAN Trimesh surface
Polygon mesh PLY Trimesh surface
Stereo Lithography mesh STL Trimesh surface
WAMIT med GDF Trimesh surface
Image PNG, JPEG, GIF Background image
Exporting

MicroStation DGN NURBS surfaces and curves

IGES NURBS surfaces
Rhino 3DM NURBS surfaces and curves
IMSA NURBS surfaces
USNA / Fastship NURBS surfaces
DXF Polylines
BMT Microship Sections
MHCP Sections
HYDROS Sections
IHI Sections
IMSA Hull parameters
GHS Sections
nuShallo Mesh
Parametric Sections

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 Appendix A – Data Export

PD Strip Sections
PIAS ascii Sections
SHCP Sections
Shipflow Sections and waerlines
Stereo
Veres (MASHIMO) Sections
Wintech Sections
Wolfson LHF Sections
Polygon mesh PLY Trimesh surface
Stereo Lithography mesh STL Trimesh surface
WAMIT med GDF Trimesh surface
Direct X Trimesh surface
Wavefront Trimesh surface
Image BMP Background image

Pictures and Text

Copying the drawing

The drawing in any of the views may be copied in two ways:

The first method will copy a scaled drawing to the clipboard which may then be pasted
into another application such as MS Word. To do this select Copy from the Edit menu.

Modeler supports the transfer of pictures and tables of text on the clipboard for use by
other applications. (If you are not familiar with copying information to the clipboard,
consult your computer's owner's guide.) In Modeler you can copy pictures by using the
Copy command from the Edit menu or by using Ctrl C.

When copying a design, the Copy dialog allows you to choose what scale you would like
to copy the picture at. A picture on the clipboard can be pasted into word processors,
page layout applications or drawing applications.

The main disadvantage of pictures is their limited resolution. This effect may be
minimized by copying at a large scale and then reducing the size of the picture in the
destination application. Some CAD programs have a 'Re-scale when Pasting' option that
allows you to reduce a set of lines copied into the Clipboard from Modeler at a 1:1 scale,
down to the scale you are using at the time.

The second method makes a copy of the actual screen image (similar to a copy made by
screen capturing software or the print screen button). To activate this method, press Ctrl I
whist in the view. Alternatively you can directly save the window image to a bitmap file
by holding down the Shit key whilst pressing Ctrl I. This will then prompt you for the
file name (by default the file name contains the design name and the view name).
Copying Text

As well as copying pictures to the clipboard, Modeler allows you to copy text from the
Control Points, Markers and Offsets windows or any of the tables in the dialogs to the
clipboard. It is also possible to Paste text into these windows.

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Appendix A – Data Export

Before copying or pasting you must select the range of data you wish to copy from or
paste into. You can select a single cell, row, column, arbitrary rectangular range of cells
or the whole table of data. You can click at the top of a column to select the whole
column, click at the left of a row to select a whole row, and click at the top left of a table
to select the whole table.

Text copied from Modeler will be placed on the clipboard in "Tab Delimited Format".
This means each number is separated from the next number in the row by a Tab
character, and each row of numbers is terminated by a Return character. If you paste this
text into a word processor or text editor such as Microsoft Word, the data will be
displayed with each row on a separate line, and tabs between the numbers. If you paste
the text into a spreadsheet such as Excel, the numbers will be displayed in individual
cells exactly as they are shown in the tables in Modeler.

If you hold down the Shift key while using the Copy command in a table, the headings of
the columns will also be included in the clipboard.

It is also possible to save the contents of the Control Points, Markers and Offsets
windows as text files. With the appropriate window frontmost on the screen, choose Save
As… from the File menu and Modeler will save the contents of the window into a text
file. This data will also be in Tab Delimited Format, i.e. the contents of the text file will
be exactly the same as the text placed on the clipboard if you copy the whole table. Text
files created in this way can be read into a word processor, text editor or spreadsheet.

If you wish to write a program that reads data from Modeler, these text files are an easy
way to access the data. If you want to reconstruct a Modeler surface exactly, you can
read in the control point positions and use them to generate the surface coordinates from
the standard B-spline algorithm (see Appendix B – Surface Algorithms on page 426).

Note:
Surface stiffness and other properties may be saved from the Surfaces
window.

2D Drafting Data
Modeler includes support for IGES and DXF files, the two most commonly used
interchange formats for computer-generated drawings. These files are the most effective
way of transferring lines drawings to a CAD system for further drafting work.

Two-dimensional output is always in the z=0 plane. The positive y-axis corresponds to
the upward vertical screen axis and the positive x-axis to the right-hand-side horizontal
screen axis.

DXF (Drawing Exchange File) was originated by AutoCAD and is supported by almost
all CAD systems on most platforms.

IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Standard) is a widely supported by CAD systems on all
types of computers and is published by the US Dept of Commerce, National Bureau of
Standards. IGES is widely supported by workstation and mainframe based CAD systems.

These files are the most accurate way to transfer lines drawings from Modeler to a CAD
system with data accurate to 5 decimal digits.

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 Appendix A – Data Export

Note:
Modeler designs exported in this way are at the current Modeler precision.
For best quality, set the Modeler precision to High or Highest before writing
the file.

When you choose Export from the File menu, with a drawing window frontmost,
Modeler will present you with the export dialog, allowing you to choose whether you
wish to save DXF or IGES format data. If you choose either of these options and click
OK, Modeler will ask you for the name of the file and allow you to save it to disk. This
file will contain the DXF or IGES format data, which can then be read into your CAD
system (e.g. using the DXFIN command in AutoCAD). Use the 2D option in the Export
dialog to copy drawings in this way.

Note:
Many programs (such as AutoCAD) require a file extension for both DXF
and IGES files. File names should have either the .DXF or .IGS extension
appended to them.

Modeler supports the DXF format and is compatible backwards to release 10. It supports
the Line and Polyline entities. Each contour from Modeler will be saved as a polyline in
the DXF file.

If the export “polylines with arcs” option is chosen for 2D drawings the user needs to set
a maximum radius value. All arcs in the polyline with radius smaller than this value will
be exported as polyline entities with dxf bulge values set for the arc segments. All arcs
with radius greater than this value will be exported as polyline vertices only.

Modeler supports IGES, version 4.0. It supports IGES entity number 106, the copious
data entity. Each contour from Modeler is saved as a linear path of copious data, with x,
y and z coordinates.

Also see: Surface Precision on page 127.

3D Drafting Data
If you use your CAD system in 3D, you can use the DXF or IGES methods to save the
lines from the Modeler design as three-dimensional lines rather than just 2D. This allows
you to do things like interior space planning in three dimensions. Choose the 3D IGES or
3D DXF file format as required.

Modeler exports 3D poly-line and surface data so that it will be correctly interpreted by a
CAD system which has the following right-handed co-ordinate system: x-axis, positive
along the forward longitudinal axis of the vessel; y-axis, positive along the port
transverse axis of the vessel; and z-axis, positive along the upward vertical axis. This
means that the y-ordinates will be the negative of the Modeler “Offset” values since, in
Modeler, “Offsets” are measured transversely, but positive to starboard.

Modeler supports the 3DLine, Arc and 3DPolyline entities. Each contour from Modeler
will be saved as a 3D polyline in the DXF file.

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Appendix A – Data Export

If the export “polylines with arcs” option is chosen for 3D drawings the user needs to set
a maximum radius value. All arcs with radius smaller than this value will be exported as
dxf arc entities. All arcs with radius greater than this value will be exported as polylines.

Modeler supports IGES entity number 106. Each contour from Modeler is saved as a
linear path of copious data, with x, y and z coordinates.

Also see: Surface Precision on page 127.

3D Surface Definition
Modeler supports IGES NURB surfaces, which allow you to transfer an exact surface
description from Modeler, if you use a CAD system, such as ShiCpConstructor,
SolidWorks or Catia which supports B-spline surfaces. This is the most advanced and
accurate way to transfer the model and ensures that accuracy is preserved. Use the
Export function to export an IGES NURBS surface model in 3D. When your CAD
system reads in the data it will accept the surfaces and will then allow you to manipulate
them in any way that the system allows.

As well as the usual contours, which are saved as IGES entity number 106, Modeler will
save an IGES entity number 128 for each Modeler surface and any associated trimming
data as entity 144. This entity is a NURB (Non Uniform Rational B-spline) surface,
which has the positions of the control points and the stiffness of the surface stored within
it.

If you wish to write custom software that needs to read accurate Modeler surface
descriptions, we recommend that you support input of the IGES file and this entity in
particular as the most effective way of accessing the Modeler surface description.

Please note that there are some surface topologies that may cause difficulties when they
are exported as trimmed IGES surfaces. In these cases the trimming may have to be re-
done in the importing application. In most cases the trimmed IGES export should work
correctly: For example the topology shown below with multiple edge and interior trims,
including intersecting trim regions, will work correctly.

There are two cases where IGES NURBS surface trimming is known to break down. The
topology shown below (right), where a trim region contains an untrimmed region, will
display correctly in Modeler but may not transfer correctly through IGES – this may be
dependent on the receiving program.

The major limitation of IGES NURBS transfer is in the interpretation of a surface that
has been divided into two or more independent regions, as in the following examples:

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 Appendix A – Data Export

Exporting to ShipConstructor Hull

If you wish to export surfaces to ShipConstructor’s Hull module, you should follow the
following sequence -

Set Units in Modeler to mm using the Units command from the Data menu.

If you wish to export Trimmed surfaces, then set Pecision to Highest and turn trimming
On. This is to ensure any trim curves are accurate. Precision does not affect the surface
data itself.

Use Export IGES from the Export sub-menu in the File menu

Choose Format: 3D IGES, Scale: 1:1, Geometry Type: NURBS Surfaces, Precision: 2
decimal places.
This last precision setting is important to avoid roundoff error in larger numbers of
decimal places when using mm for dimensions.

In ShipConstructor Hull module, Use Import Iges to Import the file. In the Import dialog
box, set the tolerance to 0.5mm. This will usually give you a good quality surface mesh.
You could go down to 0.25mm if you want a really fine mesh but its best to avoid
tolerances finer than this as the resulting meshes in Hull will likely be too large.

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Appendix B – Surface Algorithms

Appendix B – Surface Algorithms

This appendix describes the mathematical basis of the Modeler models, and will be of
interest to users who wish to write software to recreate Modeler surfaces.

Modeler constructs its shapes using the Rational B-spline formulation as described by the
IGES standard. Modeler uses a uniform knot vector. However, non-uniform knot vectors
are permissible.

B-spline curves and surfaces are dependent on a set of basis functions, which define the
influence of each control point at any given point on the curve. The basis functions are
determined by a vector of knots T where T = {t0,...,ti,ti+1,...,tm} and m = number of control
points + order of the curve. The parameter t varies from zero to n – k + 2. In general, the
B-spline basis function on a curve of degree p (order k = p + 1) is given by

1 if ti  t < ti+1 and ti < ti+1

Ni,0((t) =
0 otherwise

Ni,p(t) = t - ti Ni,p-1(t) + ti+p+1 - t Ni+1,p-1(t)

ti+p-ti ti+p+1 - ti+1 assuming 0/0=0.

The elements of the open uniform knot vector, ti , are given by

ti = 0 1ik
ti = i - k k+1 i n+1
ti = n – k + 2 n+2 i n+k+1

where there are n+1 control points on the curve, and k is the order of the curve
(k = p + 1).

A rational B-spline surface is given by

m n

N i,p(u) Nj,q(v) Wij Pij

i=0 j=0

S(u,v) = ______________________ _
m n

N i,p(u) Nj,q(v) Wij

i=0 j=0

where S(u,v) is a point on the B-spline surface at parametric coordinates u,v,

Ni,p(u) and Nj,q(v) are the B-spline basis functions, Wij are the rational weighting values,
and Pij are the control point positions.

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 Appendix C – Command Keys

Appendix C – Command Keys

There are several functions in Modeler that are not obvious to the user as they rely on
key combinations to activate them. This is a summary of the various key combinations
and their effects:
 Modifier Keys
 Special Keys
 Control Point Weights
 Menu Shortcuts

Modifier Keys
The following keys modify a function while they are held down.

Shift or Ctrl - select of points.

Adds or removes control points from the current selection.
Shift - drag of points.
Constrains movement to horizontal or vertical planes.
Ctrl - drag of points.
Lets you drag control points on a symmetrical surface over the centreline.
Ctrl - while developable surface is drawing
Calculates markers which can later be used as guides for designing a developable
surface.
Shift + Ctrl + C
Copies the column headings along with the data in a data window such as control
points or markers.
Shift - While starting Modeler
Will prompt you to reset the Modeler preferences. This will reset the windows
registry. For more information see Modeler Settings.
Shift + Save
Adds the current surface to the bottom of the list in the Add Surface menu.

Special Keys

Key Function
Space bar Force a redraw of the front window
F1 Help/Contents
F2 Displays Assembly Pane
F3 Toggles Snap On / Off
F4 Displays Properties Pane
F5 Displays Drawing Setting Dialog Box
Ctrl+F6 Next Window
Ctrl+Shift+F6 Previous Window

Control Point Weights

The following keys change the weights of the currently selected control points.

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Appendix C – Command Keys

Key Keyboard symbol Function

MultKey * Increase current weight by factor of 2.0
DivKey / Divide current weight by 2.0
PlusKey + Add 0.1 to current weight
MinusKey - Subtract 0.1 from current weight
ZeroKey 0 Set weight to 0.7071 (value required for mid
point on a 3-point circular arc)
1..9 1..9 Set weight to 1.0 to 9.0 respectively

Menu Shortcuts
The following keyboard shortcuts access menu commands
Key Menu Function
Ctrl+A Controls Add Column/Row
Ctrl+C Edit Copy
Ctrl+Shft+C Edit Copy, including the column headers
Ctrl+D Controls Delete Column/Row
Ctrl+E View Zoom
Ctrl+F Edit Fill Down
Ctrl+G Controls Group
Ctrl+H View Home View
Ctrl+I - Copy the design screen to a clipboard image
Shift+Ctrl+I - Copy the design screen to a bitmap file
Ctrl+K Controls Compact
Ctrl+L Edit Delete Marker
Ctrl+M Edit Add Marker
Ctrl+N File New
Ctrl+O File Open
Ctrl+P File Print Preview
Ctrl+R View Shrink
Ctrl+S File Save
Ctrl+T Surfaces Trim
Ctrl+U Controls Ungroup
Ctrl+V Edit Paste
Ctrl+W View Pan
Ctrl+X Edit Cut
Ctrl+Y Edit Redo
Ctrl+Z Edit Undo
Ctrl+Insert Edit Copy
Shift+Insert Edit Paste
Alt+Backspace Edit Undo
Shift+Delete Edit Cut

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 Appendix D – Moving Files Across Platforms

Appendix D – Moving Files Across Platforms

Modeler design and data files may be moved easily between PC an Macintosh
computers. The data file structure used by the two formats is identical on both platforms.
The changes required when moving files from Macintosh to PC are only to allow the
Open File dialogs to determine the contents of the file.
 Moving Files From Macintosh to Windows
 Moving Files from Windows to Macintosh

Moving Files From Macintosh to Windows

Copy your Macintosh file to your Windows computer, either via a network or by
inserting a DOS formatted floppy disk into your Macintosh computer and copying the
required files onto the floppy disk. Put the disk into your PC and copy the files to the
desired location on your PC's hard disk.

It is necessary to add a file extension to the file name so that your PC can determine the
contents of the file. If you already have Modeler installed on your PC, once you have
added the correct .msd file extension to your Modeler design files, these files will have
the Modeler icon associated with them.

The following file extensions are given to files saved on the PC. Macintosh users
copying files from Macintosh to PC should add the appropriate file extension so that the
files are recognised correctly.

Modeler File Extension

Modeler Design Files .msd
Modeler Calculation Files .msc
Marker, Offsets, Control Points Files .txt
Data eXchange Files .dxf
Iges Files .igs

Stability
Stability Loadcase Files .hml
Damage Case Files .dcs
Room and Sounding Pipe Definition Files .htk
Down Flooding Points, Margin Line Points, .txt
Modulus Points, Output Data Files
Report(Rich Text Format) .rtf

Link
USNA, IMSA NURBs, Output Data Files .txt
Nakashima Stereo Files .nst

Structure
Structure Design Files .wsd
Materials Library Files .slb

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Appendix D – Moving Files Across Platforms

Resistance
Resistance Measurement Files .hsd

Fitting
Fitting Offsets Files .pfd

VPP
VPP Data Files .spd

Motions
Motions Data Files .sld

Image Formats
Quickdraw 3D Metafiles .3dmf
PICT Files .pic
Renderman Files .rib
Video for Windows .avi

Other
Rich Text Format .rtf
Text Files .txt
Temporary Files .tmp
EPS (expanded PostScript) Files .eps

Moving Files from Windows to Macintosh

Windows Modeler designs with the file extension .msd will automatically open on the
Macintosh. Other files must have their type and creator attributes changed once they
have been copied to the Macintosh. This may be done with software such as ResEdit.
The following type and creator attributes are required:

Application and File type Type Creator

Modeler
Modeler Design Files SHA3 SURF
Modeler Calculation Files TEXT SURF
Marker, Offsets, Control Points Files TEXT MWRT
Data eXchange Files TEXT ????
Iges Files TEXT ????

Stability
Stability Loadcase Files CGDA SHED
Tank Definition Files TKDF STAB
Down Flooding Points, Margin Line TEXT MWRT
Points, Modulus Points, Output Data Files
Report RPRT STAB

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 Appendix D – Moving Files Across Platforms

Structure
Structure Design Files SHOP SHOP
Materials Library Files WSLB SHOP

Resistance
Resistance Measurement Files ZIS1 ZIST

Fitting
Fitting Offsets Files PFIN PFIT

VPP
VPP Data Files QKS1 QKSL

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Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Appendix E – MOSES Objects

User Interface
The MOSES Objects are defined in the corresponding tables:

MOSES Object table

This window may be accessed from the following button on the ribbon in the Home tab

Button to access the MOSES Objects window

MOSES Objects are drawn when they and their parent hierarchy are ‘Included’ in the
model.

MOSES Objects are drawn when they and their parent hierarchy are ‘Included’ in the model.

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 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Introduction
The MOSES Objects table allows you to setup the MOSES model for analysis and link it
to geometry elements generated in the Modeler. The MOSES model can then be saved
directly as a MOSES.dat file along with an accompanying MOSES.cif file which
provides a starting point for setting up your analysis and facilitates viewing the model in
MOSES Executive.

When saving the MOSES.dat file all geometry is updated automatically; it is not
necessary to manually update any geometry. Furthermore, only selected parts of the full
model can be included in the MOSES.dat file adding further flexibility.

The complete MOSES Object definition along with any customised options are all stored
in the normal model.msd file making it very easy to restore a previous work session.

This documentation only explains how MOSES Objects are defined within the MOSES
Modeler. Please refer to the MOSES manual and examples for full details of the MOSES
Objects and the various options and parameters pertinent to each object type and how
they are used.

MOSES Model
The MOSES analysis model objects form a hierarchy as shown below. There are broadly
two main parts of the model. The top level of the model is the BODY; several,
independent bodies may be defined in a single model file where both the hydrodynamic
and structural models may coexist.
 Hydrodynamic model
 Structural model

Schematic of MOSES Object hierarchy

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Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Hydrodynamic model

The MOSES hydrodynamic model is made up of several PARTs. Each PART may
contain several COMPARTMENTs and a COMPARTMENT is made up of PIECEs. The
actual geometry is defined at the PIECE level and there are three types of hydrodynamic
PIECE:
 PANEL meshes
 PGEN sections (definitinon of PGEN Objects in Hull Modeler is not supported)
 TUBTANK prismatic, circular tubes

A COMPARTMENT is used to define the buoyant hull as well as the internal

subdivision of spaces within the buoyant hull.
Structural model

Similarly, the PARTs can contain structural model elements. These are defined two
object types:
 PLATE meshes
 BEAM elements

Nodes are defined as the joints between the PLATE mesh elements and beams; these are
generated automatically from the specified geometry elements.

Definition of MOSES Objects

The MOSES Objects are all defined in the MOSES Objects window with an individual
table for each type of object. The object hierarchy follows from left to right, with the
highest level objects, the bodies, on the left. Each row of a table corresponds to a single
MOSES Object.

Definition of MOSES Objects

When hovering over a cell in the tables you will notice tooltips which provide a helpful
prompt as to the meaning of the data in each column.

Hover over cell for help when entering data

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 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Automatic PART, COMPARTMENT and PANEL objects

When you add a new BODY MOSES object a corresponding PART and
COMPARTMENT are added with the same name – this reflects what was automatically
done by MOSES, and is normally the outer watertight envelope of the BODY. In
addition a PANEL object is also created, this should contain the exterior watertight
geometry of the BODY. The name of the PART will have ‘P’ appended to the name of
the BODY, but this can be changed if required; furthermore, and more importantly It will
have the following options:
-CS_CURRENT 1 1 1 -TANAKA 0 -DIFTYPE 3DDIF’
automatically added and will also be given a permeability of 1.0 corresponding to a
PIECE providing positive buoyancy. (These options and permeability, as well as the
name of the PANEL PIECE may be modified if desired.)
Geometry symmetry of PLATE and PANEL objects

In common with NURBS surface and Curve objects, Trimesh surfaces can be defined to
have port/starboard symmetry; in this case the original geometry has also a mirrored
geometry which is reflected across the centerline plane of y=0. It is generally
recommended, for these symmetrical geometries, that the original geometry be modeled
on the starboard side (with positive y-offsets) with the mirrored geometry appearing on
the port side (with negative y-offsets). The geometry’s symmetry flag is easily set in the
appropriate table:

Trimesh symmetry can be set in the Surfaces table

The geometry of MOSES PLATE and PANEL objects created in Modeler is defined by a
Trimesh surface. If the PLATE or PANEL object’s Trimesh is symmetrical, then you can
select which part of the Trimesh should be used. You can select from:
 Original – the side of the Trimesh that is actually modeled; it is recommended that this
be the starboard side
 Reflection – the mirrored reflection of the ‘Original’ across the centerline plane of y=0;
this is typically the port side
 Both – both the ‘Original’ and the ‘Reflection’ will be used. Nodes which lie on the
centerline plane will not be duplicated. If there are no nodes on the centerline plane
then the two halves will be disconnected (the two halves will not be connected across
the centerline plane).

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Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Use the Symmetry column in the PLATE and PLANEL tables to specify which part of the Trimesh should define
the geometry of the MOSES object.

Symmetrical Trimeshes of only the starboard side create the full, symmetrical, geometry.

MOSES objects using ‘Original’, ‘Reflected’ and ‘Both’ instances of the Trimesh geometry.

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 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Model as seen in MOSES Executive

Having to only model half the geometry of symmetrical parts of the vessel can provide
significant time saving end also ensure exact symmetry between port and starboard sides.
Node Reuse

Nodes may be reused for the geometry of PLATE, BEAM and PANEL objects. BEAM
objects can be made to use existing nodes from the PLATE meshes if they are within the
specified tolerance; similartly PLATE objects can reuse the nodes of existing PLATE
objects.

PANEL objects can also be made to reuse existing nodes if they are within the specified
tolerance. PANEL objects will first search through the nodes of other PANEL objects
and reuse those nodes in preference. If a suitable PANEL node is not found, it will then
try to find a suitable PLATE node. PLATES and BEAMS will not use reuse PANEL
nodes.

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Appendix E – MOSES Objects

Node Reuse Tolerance

Nodes are only reused within the same PART. The same tolerance specification is used
for BEAMS, PLATES and PANELS. A small positive tolerance may be specified, in this
case it is possible for there to be some slight change in geometry, because the reused
node may not be at exactly the same location, only within the specified tolerance. For an
exact match (to the number of decimal places the nodes are written in the file) specify a
tolerance of zero – if an exact match is found, the node will be reused. If the tolerance is
left blank (not specified) then the object will create all the nodes it needs and not seek to
reuse any existing nodes already defined in the PART.
Verifying the Model and Object data

Some general verification of the MOSES object definition to help ensure a properly
defined MOSES model is provided. This is done automatically when the MOSES model
is saved or can be done at any time with the Verify Model command:

Basic MOSES object model verification

Potential problems are identified and given a severity, as well as a suggested action to be
taken to resolve the issue. This is done automatically when saving the MOSES model,
but in this case the dialog will only be shown if there are warnings.
Saving Model and Object data

There are three subtly different ways in which the MOSES Objects are saved.

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 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 As with all model information, all the MOSES Objects defined in these tables are
automatically included in the model.msd file when save. This happens when you
select “Save” from any window or “Save As” from one of the main drawing
windows.
 The MOSES Object tables may be saved as a standalone file by using the “Save
As” command when the MOSES Objects window has focus:

 The MOSES Objects and geometry may be saved to a MOSES.dat (and

accompanying MOSES.cif) file for analysis in MOSES Executive:

DEFAULT values in the model file

When you save the MOSES model file, the model.dat file generated will include some
default settings and set the default material properties to those of generic steel. Full
details of these settings can be found in the MOSES documentation.

439
Appendix E – MOSES Objects

DEFAULT settings and set the default material properties added to moses.dat file

Table UI and Column editing

Most of the columns are simple text fields and support copy and paste. There are two
exceptions:

440
 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 Include column: This is a checkbox. In all but the CLASS table, this is used to
select whether an object is visible and included in the saved MOSES.dat file. In the
CLASS table, this column is read-only and indicates whether the particular CLASS
is used by visible objects (and hence included in the saved MOSES.dat file). As
discussed further below, for an object to be included, its parent objects above it in
the hierarchy must also be included; a convenient way to do this is to hold down
the Ctrl key when turning ON include for an object. Furthermore, holding down the
Ctrl key when selecting a parent object will also select all child objects below it in
the hierarchy.
 List selection columns: These columns are used to select MOSES Objects or
geometry entities (Surfaces, Trimeshes or Markers) which already exist in the
model. Double clicking in these cells will display the appropriate selection dialog
rather than initiating editing of the cell. You can however also edit the text directly,
to do so you must press F2 to edit the existing text; typing directly will overwrite
the existing data (use the Escape key to abort manual editing). If you edit the text
directly you should specify a space-delimited list of the objects. Matching is case-
insensitive and you use a ‘*’ wildcard character after the first few characters of the
object’s name.

441
Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 Color: Double click on the cell to show the Color Picker dialog. The MOSES name
of the closest color to that chosen will be used and written in text in the cell.
Alternatively simply type the MOSES color name (auto complete is available). Use
F2 to edit the existing text.

 Adding objects (Ctrl+A) – if a whole Row(s) is selected the number will be used to
determine the number of new objects to add. They are inserted below the selection.
If the selection is not a whole row you will be prompted for the number of objects
to add, and the new objects will be added to the bottom of the table.

 When a new object(s) (unless a BODY or CLASS) is added, you will be prompted
for its parent (the new object will then be automatically added to the parent).

442
 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 The commands in the Edit menu can be used to Add, Delete objects; move objects
within the list and copy, paste, fill data between cells.

Common columns

There are two columns which are common to all the tables:
 Include column: This checkbox (in the first column of all tables) specifies whether
the object should be included in the MOSES.dat file. This feature allows variant
objects to be defined and included or excluded from the MOSES.dat file as required
(whilst still being saved in the main model.msd file). This column also controls
which objects are displayed in the Modeler drawing windows. Because of the
object hierarchy, objects are only visible and included in the MOSES.dat file if their
parent objects are themselves included. Holding down the Ctrl key when you turn
on include for an object will also turn on all related parent and child objects. This
facilitates ensuring that all desired objects are included. For instance, to ensure
that all child objects of a specific BODY are included, turn on include for the
desired BODY with the Ctrl key pressed: this will also turn on all child objects all
the way down the hierarchy ensuring that the full BODY definition is included.
Conversely, to ensure that a specific child object, for example a BEAM is included,
turning on include for the desired BEAM whilst holding down the Ctrl key will
ensure that all parents are also included, thus ensuring that the BEAM itself is
included. This special Ctrl functionality only works when turning objects on (not
off). The logic behind this is that for an object to be included, all parent objects
must also be turned ON; however to exclude, it is sufficient just to turn off the
specific object.
 Options column: This is a free-text field where any further options (that do not have
their own specific columns) can be included for each object. An understanding of
the MOSES language is required to make meaningful use of this feature.

BODY table

When you add a BODY, a PART and (exterior) COMPARTMENT of the same name are
automatically added to the corresponding tables, this is done for convenience since a
BODY must have at least one PART and will normally have an exterior
COMPARTMENT for the buoyant part of the model. If you modify the name of the
BODY, the names of the associated PART and COMPARTMENT will also update. The
associated PART and COMPARTMENT may be deleted if desired.

443
Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 BODY name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES Object.
 PART List: PARTs belonging to the body. Double click to select from the dialog or
press F2 to edit manually. The PARTs are referenced by their name and the list is
space-delimited.

PART table

 Parent: The BODY to which this PART belongs.

 PART name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES Object.
 Type: user-defined or one of the inbuilt types (JACKET, PCONNECT)
 COMPARTMENT List: COMPARTMENTs in the PART
 PLATE Piece List: PLATE mesh PIECEs in the PART
 BEAM List: BEAMs in the PART
 POINT List: POINTs in the PART
COMPARTMENT table

 Parent: The BODY > PART to which this COMPARTMENT belongs.

 COMPARTMENT name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object.
 Type: Whether the COMPARTMENT is internal or external (not included in
MOSES.dat file). This field is non-editable and automatically updated; if the
COMPARTMENT name is the same as that of its parent PART and the PART’s
parent BODY, then it will be an exterior COMPARTMENT, otherwise it will be an
interior COMPARTMENT
 PANEL Piece List: PANEL mesh PIECEs defining the COMPARTMENT
 TUBTANK Piece List: TUBTANK PIECEs defining the COMPARTMENT
Piece: PLATE table

 Parent: The BODY > PART to which this PLATE belongs.

 Structure name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object.
 Color: Color of the PLATE PIECE
 Class: CLASS describing the plate’s structural properties.
 Geometry (trimesh): The Trimesh surface defining the geometrical shape of the
PLATE
 Symmetry: If the Trimesh defining the PLATE geometry is symmetrical, the
Original, Reflection (about y=0 plane) or Both sides may be used for the PLATE
 Node Prefix: Two-letter prefix to be used for all the NODEs defining the mesh
geometry; must include the asterisk character ‘*’ prefix
 DNV stiffened plate: Select this option if you wish the plate to be setup so that it
can be included in the DNV stiffened plate code checking (this can only be applied
for a limited range of specific plate geometries)
 PLATE node Merge tol. : If specified, the nodes of PLATEs included earlier in the
file will be used if they are within the specified tolerance instead of creating new
nodes.
 Transparency: Transparency fraction (when rendered in Hull Modeler only).
Piece: PANEL table

444
 Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 Parent: The BODY > PART > COMPARTMENT to which this PIECE belongs.
 PANEL Piece name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object.
 Color: Color of the PANEL PIECE
 Permeability: Value for -PERMEABILITY option. (Internal compartments are
expected to have negative permeability, so that they may be flooded if required;
External compartments contributing to buoyancy are expected to have positive
permeability.)
 Geometry (trimesh): The Trimesh surface defining the geometrical shape of the
PANEL. This should normally be a closed trimesh with normals facing outwards.
 Symmetry: If the Trimesh defining the PANEL geometry is symmetrical, the
Original, Reflection (about y=0 plane) or Both sides may be used for the PANEL
 Node Prefix: Two-letter prefix to be used for all the NODEs defining the mesh
geometry; must include the asterisk character ‘*’ prefix
 PANEL, PLATE node Merge tol. : If specified, the nodes of PANELs (and then
PLATEs) included earlier in the file will be used if they are within the specified
tolerance instead of creating new nodes.
 Transparency: Transparency fraction (when rendered in Hull Modeler only).
Piece: TUBTANK table

 Parent: The BODY > PART > COMPARTMENT to which this TUBTANK belongs.
 TUBTANK Piece name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object.
 Color: Color of the TUBTANK PIECE
 Permeability: Value for -PERMEABILITY option. (Internal compartments are
expected to have negative permeability.)
 Geometry (2 Markers): The two ends of the tube. To be used for MOSES Object
defition, Marker names must be prefixed with ‘*’.
 Diameter: The diameter of the tube in mm (if metric units are selected) or inches (if
English units are selected)
 Transparency: Transparency fraction (when rendered in Hull Modeler only).
BEAM table

 Parent: The BODY > PART to which this BEAM belongs.

 BEAM Piece name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object.
 Color: Color of the BEAM
 Class: CLASS describing the BEAM’s structural properties
 Geometry (Markers): List of markers defining the segments of the BEAM. To be
used for MOSES Object defition, Marker names must be prefixed with ‘*’.
 Orientation: Section orientation value in degrees for the -CA option
 Offset 1 (x, y, z): Offset at end 1 of the BEAM
 Offset 1 Axes: Offset axis system is Global (-GO1) or Local (-LO1)
 Offset 2 (x, y, z): Offset at end 2 of the BEAM
 Offset 2 Axes: Offset axis system is Global (-GO1) or Local (-LO1)
 Flood: If selected the -FLOOD YES option is added for the BEAM

445
Appendix E – MOSES Objects

 PLATE node Merge tol. : If specified, the nodes of PLATEs included earlier in the
file will be used if they are within the specified tolerance instead of creating new
nodes.

CLASS table

 CLASS Piece name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object; must start with a tilde character ‘~’.
 Section: Section information may be defined manually by typing (use F2 key to
begin editing), for example “TUBE 1600.0 30.0”.
Double-clicking will display a section dialog from which the section shape may be
selected from the standard section shape library (moses.aux) file.
 Added Plate: Dimensions of added plate as specified by the PT and PW parameters
for certain section types
 Added Mass diameter: Value for the –AMASDIAMETER option
 Drag diameter: Value for the –DRAGDIAMETER option
 Tran. Stiffener Number: NUMBER parameter for the -NT_STIFF option
 Tran. Stiffener Spacing: SPACE parameter for the -T_STIFF option
 Tran. Stiffener Location: WHERE parameter for the transverse stiffeners
 Tran. Stiffener CLASS: CLASS name of the transverse stiffeners
 Long. Stiffener Number: NUMBER parameter for the -NL_STIFF option
 Long. Stiffener Spacing: SPACE parameter for the -L_STIFF option
 Long. Stiffener Location: WHERE parameter for the longitudinal stiffeners
 Long. Stiffener CLASS: CLASS name of the longitudinal stiffeners
POINT table

 Parent: The BODY > PART to which this POINT belongs.

 POINT Piece name: Upper case, maximum eight character name for the MOSES
Object; must start with an asterisk character ‘*’.
 Color: Color of the POINT.
 Geometry (Marker): Marker which defines the location of the POINT; when selected
this automatically updates the location data. To be used for MOSES Object defition,
Marker names must be prefixed with ‘*’.
 Location (x, y, z): You can specify the location of the POINT directly without first
adding a Marker.

446
 Index

Index
when to use ............................................. 162
A
Bonding within a Surface ........................... 167
About ..........................................................418 Bonding, Commands Affected ................... 168
AC Rule ......................................................417 Breaking Stringers ...................................... 305
Add Marker .................................................397 Brightness Level ......................................... 132
Add Shape ...................................................406 B-Spline ...................................................... 230
Add Stringer On Contour ............................410 B-splines ....................................................... 24
Add Surface ................................................137 Built-in Functions ......................................... 85
Adding a Frame Opening ............................279 Buttocks .................................................. 38, 45
Adding an Inclined Frame ..........................278
C
Adding Inclined Sections ............................316
Adding Points To Stringers .........................299 Calc All Decks ............................................ 409
Aft Perpendicular ..........................................28 Calc All Frames .......................................... 408
Align ...........................................................142 Calc All Parts .............................................. 417
Align Surfaces.............................................406 Calc All Stringers… ................................... 410
Align to Plane .............................................218 Calc Selected Decks ................................... 409
Align to Vector ...........................................216 Calc Selected Stringers… ........................... 410
Americas Cup..............................................273 Calc Upstands ............................................. 411
Amidships .....................................................28 Calculate Areas ................................... 265, 416
Animate .......................................................415 Calculate Hydrostatics ................................ 416
Animation Files...........................................374 Calculating Frames ..................................... 283
Appearance .................................................408 Calculating Part Weights ............................ 344
Approximate Tangency ...............................165 Calculating Plates ....................................... 330
Arrange Icons ..............................................417 Calculating Stringers .......................... 309, 310
Assembly Calculating Upstands .................................. 315
Icons ..........................................................65 Calculations Window.................................... 83
Assembly Pane ...................................... 63, 396 Cascade ....................................................... 417
Context Sensitive Menus ..........................64 Check for Updates ...................................... 418
Docking .....................................................63 Circular and Elliptical Surfaces .................. 232
Drag and Drop...........................................64 Circular Arcs............................................... 231
Editing .......................................................63 Close ........................................................... 392
Hiding .......................................................63 Coefficients ................................................. 415
Associate Project.........................................418 Colour ................................................... 88, 396
Auto rotate center ........................................396 Column Hiding ............................................. 71
Automation Reference ................................417 Command Keys .......................................... 427
Auto-save ......................................................89 comparison.................................................. 271
Compress .................................................... 412
B
CONNECTION Centre ............................... 418
Background .................................................413 Constraining Movement ............................. 215
Background Image, Importing ....................351 Constraints .................................................. 248
Background Image, Perspective View ........354 Contour Tolerance ................................ 88, 128
Background Image, Scaling ........................352 Contours...................................................... 414
Background Image, Zero Point ...................351 display ....................................................... 45
Background Images ....................................350 select ......................................................... 48
Baseline .........................................................28 Control Point
Bibliography .................................................24 Display .................................................... 228
Body Plan Window .......................................52 Control Point Column Ordering ................... 88
Bond Edges .................................................403 Control Point Display Format ....................... 75
Bonded Edges ...............................................46 Control Point Editing .................................... 75
Bonding .......................................................163 Control Point Group
Types .......................................................164 Moving.................................................... 222

447
Index

Resizing ..................................................224 Curvature ............................................ 130, 412

Rotating ...................................................225 Curvature Display Using Rendering ........... 130
Control Point Properties ..............................215 Curvature on Contours ................................ 129
Control Point Weight ..................................229 Curvature Porcupine Size ............................. 88
Control Point Weights.................................428 Curve of Areas Window ............................... 82
Control Point Window ..................................74 Cut .............................................................. 395
Control Point, Adding .................................212
D
Control Point, Align To First Selected........215
Control Point, Aligning...............................216 Data Export ................................................. 420
Control Point, Compacting .........................225 Data Interpolation ......................................... 80
Control Point, Copy and Paste ....................214 Data Menu .................................................. 415
Control Point, Deleting ...............................213 Datum Waterline..................................... 28, 45
Control Point, Grouping..............................228 Deck Info .................................................... 409
Control Point, Moving ................................214 Deck Limitations ........................................ 289
Control Point, Smoothing ...........................219 Deck Menu.................................................. 408
Control Point, Smoothing a Patch ...............220 Deck Opening ............................................. 288
Control Point, Straightening .......................219 Decks .......................................................... 286
Control Point, Straightening a Patch ...........220 Add ......................................................... 287
Control Points .............................................212 Add ......................................................... 409
Add..........................................................401 Copy........................................................ 289
Advanced ................................................403 Delete .............................................. 287, 409
Align to Plane .........................................402 Modifying ............................................... 289
Align to Vector .......................................402 Move ....................................................... 289
Compact ..................................................403 Visibility ................................................. 288
Control Points Decks table.................................................... 79
Move Controls ....................................402 Deduct Skin Thickness ............................... 408
Control Points Deducted Sections ........................................ 47
Copy Position ......................................402 Delete DXF background ............................. 413
Paste Position ......................................402 Delete Marker ............................................. 397
Control Properties ...................................403 Delete Surface............................................. 137
Delete ......................................................402 Deleting Stringer Points .............................. 302
First Selected...........................................402 Developable surfaces .................................. 102
Group ......................................................403 DGN............................................................ 376
Mask........................................................403 Diagonals ................................................ 38, 46
Rotate Controls .......................................402 Digitising a Background Image .................. 353
Size Controls ...........................................402 Disassociate Project .................................... 418
Smooth Controls .....................................402 Discontinuities ............................................ 226
Straighten Controls .................................402 TriMesh ...................................................... 254
Ungroup ..................................................403 Display
Unmask ...................................................403 Animate .................................................. 415
Control Points, Synchronization ...................76 Background ............................................. 413
Controls Menu ............................................401 Compress ................................................ 412
Controls Toolbar .........................................390 Contours.................................................. 414
Convergence Limits ....................................247 Curvature ................................................ 412
Converting a 2D DXF to a 3D DXF ...........357 Grid ......................................................... 414
convex hull ....................................................24 Half ......................................................... 412
Convexity ....................................................132 Markers ................................................... 413
Coordinate system.......................................278 Net .......................................................... 412
Copy ............................................................395 Outside Arrows ....................................... 413
Copying .......................................................371 Render ..................................................... 414
Copying Drawing ........................................421 Trimming ................................................ 413
Copying Numeric Data ...............................371 Display Area ................................................. 68
Copying Text ..............................................421 Display Menu.............................................. 412
Current Surface ...........................................134 Display Toolbar .......................................... 390

448
 Index

Display, Part................................................414 Fit Surface to Markers ................................ 398

Displaying a TriMesh surface .....................254 Fit Surface to Markers, automated .............. 244
Displaying Inclined Sections ......................317 Fit Surface to Markers, least squares .......... 249
Drafting Data, 2D........................................422 Fit Surface to Markers, manual................... 239
Drafting Data, 3D........................................423 Flat Bottom ................................................. 248
Drawing Decks............................................288 Flat Side ...................................................... 248
Drawing Depth ............................................413 Flexibility............................................ 124, 248
Drawing Grid ..............................................413 Flip Horizontal ............................................ 412
Drawing Settings.........................................413 Flip Surfaces ............................................... 406
Drawing, Copying .......................................421 Flip Toe Direction....................................... 314
duplicate markers ........................................251 Flip Vertical ................................................ 412
Duplicating Stringers ..................................304 Font ................................................. 72, 89, 396
DWL .............................................................28 Forming Direction ...................................... 326
DXF ............................................................344 Forming Process ......................................... 328
Forward Perpendicular.................................. 28
E
Frame Boundary Surfaces........................... 277
Edges .............................................................46 Frame Clipping ........................................... 276
Edit Menu ...................................................394 Frame Material............................................ 276
Edit Toolbar ................................................390 Frame Menu ................................................ 408
Editing ...........................................................72 Frame of Reference................. 28, 29, 274, 416
Editing, Copy ................................................73 Frame Opening ........................................... 277
Editing, Fill Down ........................................73 Frames ........................................................ 275
Editing, Fill Right .........................................74 Add ................................................. 275, 408
Editing, Paste ................................................73 Calc All ................................................... 408
Editing, Typing .............................................72 Calculate ................................................. 283
Elliptical Arcs .............................................232 Copy........................................................ 285
Exit ..............................................................394 Delete .............................................. 285, 408
Export..........................................................393 Info.......................................................... 408
Export Bitmap .............................................394 Modifying ............................................... 285
Export Loadgroup .......................................394 Move ....................................................... 285
Export Multiframe text ...............................394 Visibility ................................................. 284
Export Plate Mesh Text ..............................393 Frames table .................................................. 79
Export Rhino ...............................................394
G
Export ShipConstructor Files ......................393
Export Workshop ........................................394 Gaussian Curvature..................................... 130
Exporting parts to Multiframe.....................381 General........................................................ 326
Exporting parts to Rhino .............................381 Generate Stringers… .................................. 410
Expressions ...................................................84 Generating Stringers ........................... 291, 293
Girth .................................................... 264, 416
F
Girth Centreline .................................. 309, 411
Fabric ..........................................................330 Go to Offset ................................................ 416
Feature Lines................................... 46, 78, 226 Graph Type ................................................... 87
Field of view .................................................60 Grid ............................................................... 38
File Format, 3DMF .....................................379 Grid Labels ................................................... 40
File Format, DXF ........................................378 Grid Lines, Adding ....................................... 39
File Format, IGES .......................................378 Grid Lines, Copying and Pasting .................. 41
File Format, VRML ....................................379 Grid Lines, Deleting ..................................... 41
File Menu ....................................................392 Grid Lines, Editing ....................................... 40
File Toolbar.................................................389 Grid Lines, Sorting ....................................... 40
Files, Backup.................................................89 Grid Lines, Spacing ...................................... 39
Files, Recovery .............................................89 Grid, Generate from Markers........................ 42
Fill Down ....................................................395 Group and Compact .................................... 228
Fit Edge to Markers ....................................398
Fit Surface to Marker stations, automated ..246

449
Index

H Markers ....................................................... 413

Markers from Excel ...................................... 96
Half ...............................................................54
Markers Toolbar ......................................... 390
Help Menu ..................................................417
Markers, Adding ........................................... 95
Hidden Surface Elimination ........................130
Markers, Compact....................................... 398
Hide DXF ....................................................413
Markers, Delete Duplicates......................... 397
Hiding a TriMesh surface ...........................254
Markers, Deleting ......................................... 96
Home View ..................................... 48, 50, 396
Markers, Developable Surfaces .......... 102, 397
Hydrostatic Coefficient Calculation
Markers, Displaying ..................................... 92
Parameters ...............................................263
Markers, Fit Surface to ............................... 398
Hydrostatics ................................................262
Markers, Generate Grid .............................. 397
I Markers, Generate Grid from Markers ......... 42
Image rotation .............................................351 Markers, Group Markers by Stations .......... 397
i-model ........................................................377 Markers, Measure Surface Error ................. 398
Import..........................................................393 Markers, Modifying ...................................... 96
Import DXF Background ............................393 Markers, Move Selected ............................. 397
Import DXF Markers ..................................393 Markers, Properties ............................. 398, 399
Import IGES Surfaces .................................393 Markers, Reading Files ............................... 102
Import Image Background ..........................393 Markers, Re-order Selected ........................ 398
Importing DXF background ........................355 Markers, Re-sort Selected ........................... 398
Importing DXF markers ..............................355 Markers, Reverse Ordering for current station
Importing IGES Surfaces ............................357 ................................................................ 398
Inclined Sections ...........................................47 Markers, Rotate Selected ............................ 397
Input of Data ...............................................350 Markers, Selection ........................................ 94
Inserting Marker - Procedures.....................239 Markers, Snap control point to ................... 398
Inset Lines ...................................................337 Markers, Snap Control Point to Marker...... 398
Installing .......................................................26 Markers, Sort within Stations ..................... 397
Intersections ..................................................47 Masking ...................................................... 229
Iterations .....................................................248 Material ....................................................... 124
Material properties ...................................... 126
J Materials ..................................................... 346
Joining Stringers .........................................306 Measure Surface Error ........................ 249, 398
Menu Shortcuts ........................................... 428
L Menus ......................................................... 391
Learning ........................................................26 Microstation ................................................ 376
Legal Notice ................................................418 Model checking .......................................... 273
Library ........................................................346 Modifier Keys ............................................. 427
Library, Materials .......................................346 Modifying Stringer Points .......................... 303
Library, Sections .........................................348 MOSES Objects .......................................... 432
Lighting Options .........................................133 MOSES, skin thickness .............................. 127
Limits ..........................................................247 Mouse Holes ............................................... 277
Loadcase, Exporting ...................................345 Mouse Wheel Support .................................. 50
Loadgroup, Exporting .................................345 Move Controls ............................................ 222
Locking ............................................... 123, 407 Moving Files Across Platforms .................. 429
Locking Surfaces ........................................145 Moving Files From Macintosh to Windows429
Longitudinal Curvature ...............................131 Moving Files from Windows to Macintosh 430
Moving Stringer Points ............................... 300
M
N
Manual Plate Precision ...............................330
Margins .......................................................370 New ............................................................. 392
Marker distance from surface .....................103 News ........................................................... 418
Marker Menu ..............................................397 No Tangency............................................... 164
Marker Station ............................................101 Nudge.......................................................... 413
NURB ......................................................... 230

450
 Index

O Plate, Add Surface ...................................... 411

Plate, Assembly UCS.................................. 411
Offsets .........................................................416
Plate, Calc All ............................................. 411
Offsets Data ................................................373
Plate, Calc Selected .................................... 411
Offsets File ....................................................79
Plate, Centreline Mirrored .......................... 320
Offsets Window ............................................76
Plate, Delete ................................................ 411
Offsets, Calculating.......................................77
Plate, Strain ................................................. 414
Offsets, Copying ...........................................78
Plate, triangular ................................... 324, 325
Offsets, Customising .....................................79
Plate, triangular surface .............................. 325
Offsets, Displaying .......................................78
Plates
Old Developable .........................................329
Add ................................................. 321, 411
Online Support ............................................418
Delete ...................................................... 324
Open ............................................................392
Plates table .................................................... 79
Orientation ..................................................370
Precision ............................................. 127, 413
Orientation… ..............................................410
Precision, high ............................................ 128
Output of Data.............................................369
Precision, highest ........................................ 128
Outside Arrow Size .......................................88
Precision, low ............................................. 128
Outside Arrows ........................... 125, 274, 413
Precision, lowest ......................................... 127
P Precision, medium ...................................... 128
Page Setup...................................................394 Precision, structure ..................................... 275
Page Size .....................................................370 Preferences............................................ 87, 395
Pan .................................................. 48, 49, 395 Preferences, Structure ................................. 395
Panning .........................................................49 Print ............................................................ 394
Parametric Transformation ................. 266, 417 Print Titles .................................................. 371
Parametrics....................................................46 Printing ....................................................... 369
Part Toolbar ................................................391 Printing, Colour .......................................... 370
Part Window ........................................... 62, 79 ProjectWise Projects ................................... 418
Parts table ......................................................80 Provide access to Bentley Cloud Services .. 418
Parts, Exporting...........................................344 R
Paste ............................................................395
Redo ............................................................ 395
Pasting .........................................................350
Refresh Options ............................................ 88
Perspective ..................................................396
Render ......................................................... 414
Perspective camera angle ..............................60
Rendered Net Colour Coded ....................... 133
Pictures and Text.........................................421
Rendered Selection ..................................... 132
Pin Jig table ...................................................80
Rhino file, Exporting .................................. 379
Pin Jigs ........................................................338
Rhino file, Importing .................................. 358
Plate
Ribbon ........................................................ 419
baseline ...................................................338
Rider Bar..................................................... 282
centreline .................................................338
Rotate .................................................... 59, 396
Template sightline...................................338
Rotate Controls ........................................... 225
User Coordinate Systems ........................336
Rotate Surfaces ........................................... 406
Plate clash detection ....................................325
Row Sorting .................................................. 72
Plate development .......................................326
Ruling Lines................................................ 413
Plate Development
Plating a Whole Surface..........................318 S
Trimmed Surfaces ...................................319
Save ............................................................ 392
Plate Dimensions table ..................................80
Save As ....................................................... 393
Plate Information ........................................411
Saved Views ......................................... 50, 396
Plate Menu ..................................................411
Saving Calculations ...................................... 86
Plate Mesh Options .....................................330
Saving Markers ........................................... 101
Plate Strain ..................................................333
Scaling factors ............................................ 270
Plate Templates ...........................................411
scanning ...................................................... 351
Plate UCS ....................................................411
Search Parameters....................................... 267

451
Index

Section Splitting ............................................55 Station Indicators .......................................... 53

Sectional Area Curve Stations ......................88 Status Bar .................................................... 396
Sectional Area Curve Type ...........................87 Straighten Controls ..................................... 220
Sections ................................................... 38, 45 Strain ........................................................... 414
Select ...........................................................395 Strain Ratio ................................................. 327
Selection........................................................68 Strain, Forming Direction ................... 334, 414
Selection, Block of Cells...............................70 Strain, None ................................................ 414
Selection, Complete Table ............................70 Strain, Perpendicular to Forming Direction
Selection, Contiguous Rows and Columns ...69 ........................................................ 334, 414
Selection, Single Cell ....................................68 Strain, Principal .......................................... 334
Selection, Single Column..............................69 Strain, Shear........................................ 334, 414
Selection, Single Row ...................................69 Strict Tangency ........................................... 166
Service Request Manager ...........................418 Stringer Info… ............................................ 410
Set Home View ...........................................396 Stringer Library .......................................... 313
Setting Shapes & Cutouts ...........................313 Stringer Menu ............................................. 409
Shape & Cutout… .......................................410 Stringer Orientation .................................... 314
Shapes, Adding New ...................................134 Stringer Points
Shapes, Box.................................................135 Add ......................................................... 409
Shapes, Cylinder .........................................135 Delete ...................................................... 409
Shapes, Hemisphere ....................................135 Info…...................................................... 410
Shapes, Sphere ............................................135 Stringer points table ...................................... 79
Sheel expansion ..........................................339 Stringer Toolbar .......................................... 391
Shell Expansion ..........................................412 Stringers ...................................................... 289
create .......................................................339 Add ......................................................... 409
display .....................................................343 Break ....................................................... 409
Shell thickness ............................................126 Delete ...................................................... 409
Shift Key .....................................................215 Duplicate ................................................. 409
Show DXF ..................................................413 Join.......................................................... 410
Show Intersecting Surfaces ...........................64 Mirror...................................................... 409
Show Negative Values ................................131 Stringers table ............................................... 79
Show Only ....................................................64 Stringers, Adding ........................................ 290
Show Positive Values .................................131 Stringers, Modifying ................................... 293
Shrink ........................................ 48, 49, 68, 395 Stringers, Tips ............................................. 290
Simple Shading ...........................................130 Structure...................................................... 273
Size Controls ...............................................224 Structure Datasheets ................................... 417
Size Surfaces ...............................................140 Structure Toolbar ........................................ 391
Sizing Columns .............................................70 Sub-menu Length.......................................... 88
Sizing Columns, Dragging ............................71 Supported File Formats............................... 420
Sizing Columns, Size to Text........................71 Surface
Skin thickness .............................................126 Bonding .................................................. 161
Skin Thickness ............................................284 Cutting, trimming ................................... 159
Skin Thickness Deduction ............................77 Untrim..................................................... 158
Skin thickness, modelling for MOSES .......127 Surface Algorithms ..................................... 426
Smooth Controls .........................................220 Surface Appearance .................................... 122
Smooth Interior Controls ............................398 Surface Columns ......................................... 248
Smooth Plate Edges ............................ 329, 331 Surface Definition, 3D ................................ 424
Smooth Shading ..........................................130 Surface Fitting (NURB) – Procedures ........ 238
Smooth Surface Interior ..............................243 Surface Name.............................................. 123
Snap to Grid ................................ 300, 411, 413 Surface Operations.............................. 134, 145
Solve Calculations ................................ 85, 416 Surface Properties ............................... 122, 408
Split Section Display............................. 55, 124 Surface Thickness ....................................... 274
Start Trimming ............................................408 Surface Toolbar .......................................... 391
Statement Syntax ..........................................84 Surface Topology........................................ 240
station index ................................................100 Surface Trimming ....................................... 274

452
 Index

Surface Type ...............................................123 Trimesh Delete triangle .............................. 181

Surface Use ......................................... 123, 124 Trimesh Direction ....................................... 181
Surface Use, Type .......................................274 Trimesh Duplicate ...................................... 182
Surface, Adding New ..................................137 Trimesh Flip................................................ 183
Surface, Aligning ................ 142, 143, 144, 406 Trimesh Flip triangle pair ........................... 181
Surface, Conic .............................................119 Trimesh from 3 or 4 markers ...................... 169
Surface, Deleting.........................................137 Trimesh from Extruded curve ..................... 176
Surface, Flipping .........................................141 Trimesh from Markers ................................ 250
Surface, Intersections ..................................151 Trimesh from Planar curve ......................... 174
Surface, Mirror............................................141 Trimesh Hotline .......................................... 199
Surface, Moving..........................................138 Trimesh Join ............................................... 188
Surface, Moving, Freeform .........................138 Trimesh Menu............................................. 398
Surface, Moving, Numerical .......................139 Trimesh Move............................................. 182
Surface, NURB ...........................................119 Trimesh Offset ............................................ 185
Surface, Rotating.........................................142 Trimesh Rendering ..................................... 209
Surface, Trimming ......................................150 Trimesh Rotate............................................ 184
Surfaces Trimesh Size ............................................... 183
Add..........................................................406 Trimesh Snap node ..................................... 180
Allign ......................................................406 Trimesh Split .............................................. 186
Appearance .............................................408 Trimesh Statistics........................................ 208
Approximate to markers .........................407 TriMesh Surface, Generate ................. 398, 399
Delete ......................................................406 Trimesh Triangle selection ......................... 180
Duplicate .................................................406 TriMesh Troubleshooting ........................... 251
Flip ..........................................................406 TriMesh, Joining ......................................... 255
Locking ...................................................407 TriMesh, Remeshing................................... 254
Rotate ......................................................406 TriMesh, Visibility ..................................... 254
Size..........................................................406 TriMesh, Welding ....................................... 256
Visibility .................................................407 Trimmed surfaces ....................................... 153
Surfaces list .................................................137 trimming
Surfaces Menu .................................... 403, 405 untrim...................................................... 158
Surfaces Window ..........................................76 Trimming .................................................... 413
Surfaces, Displaying Trimmed ...................158 Concept ................................................... 151
Symmetrical ................................................123 Rules ....................................................... 154
when to use ............................................. 153
T
Trimming curves ................................... 47, 365
Tab ................................................................74 Trimming Off.............................................. 158
Taking Measurements ...................................37 Trimming, Cutting Curves .......................... 159
Templates ....................................................337 Trimming, Cutting Surfaces ....................... 159
Thickness, skin............................................126
U
Tile Horizontal ............................................417
Tile Vertical ................................................417 UCS ............................................................ 336
Toolbars .............................................. 386, 396 Unbond Edge .............................................. 403
Transpose ....................................................234 Unbonding .................................................. 167
Transverse Curvature ..................................131 Undo ........................................................... 395
Trim ............................................................408 Undo Levels .................................................. 88
Trim Gray............................................ 157, 158 Units................................................ 37, 85, 415
Trim Invisible...................................... 157, 158 Untrim......................................................... 408
Trimesh Add node.......................................179 Upstand Cutouts.......................................... 316
Trimesh Align .............................................184 Upstand Orientation .................................... 316
Trimesh Bonding ........................................192 Upstands table............................................... 79
Trimesh Boolean Intersection .....................188 Use Surface Colour for Drawing Parametrics
Trimesh Boolean Union ..............................188 .................................................................. 88
Trimesh Compact nodes .............................182
Trimesh Delete node ...................................180

453
Index

V W
Variables .......................................................84 Waterlines ............................................... 38, 46
Versions, coordinate system .........................15 Windage Surfaces ................................. 32, 416
Vessel Type........................................... 31, 416 Window Menu ............................................ 417
Vessel Type, catamaran ................................31 Window Toolbar ......................................... 390
Vessel Type, monohull .................................31 Windows ....................................................... 27
Vessel Type, trimaran ...................................32 Working With Parts .................................... 344
View Menu..................................................395
Z
View rotation center ......................................59
View Toolbar ..............................................390 Zero Point ............................................. 30, 416
Visibility ............................................. 123, 407 Zoom ............................................... 48, 68, 395
Visibility Toolbar ........................................391 Zooming........................................................ 48

454