Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Alienometry by Peter Donders

Peter Donders has been kind enough to share his latest "Alienometry" models, all done in SubD, imagining how aliens could look.



"
The gold armor mask is to make them look more human,
no arms, no legs, all is mind controlled.

They hover on whatever gravity is available on whatever planet. They transport in the Mech Eggs.

Bringing the message, "There is no time only from point A to point B; the faster you can move, the less 'time' you need to get there." You could have been there in quantum space even before you went there.

The physical model will be 3D printed and hand-finished blue silver leaf and gold leaf, and come in two sizes: small 224 x 113 x 314mm and big 448 x 226 x 628mm. Available on demand.

Friday, December 9, 2022

Getting to know... Gemme: 3D printed jewelry!


Taking a stance against mass production and fast fashion, Gemme, an iconic jewelry brand, crafts unique 3D-printed pieces upon request. 

In this interview, Alexander Drachenberg and Jennifer Greco, cofounders of Gemme, share how the company started, the unique concept they are presenting with their brand, and the different technologies powering their online store, such as Grasshopper, ShapeDiver, and Shopify. 

It also covers the different aspects of their design workflow and their vision regarding their brand's future and the jewelry industry.

Read the full interview...


Friday, November 18, 2022

New tutorial: How to Create glTF Files with Grasshopper (and ShapeDiver)

 



The #glTF 2.0 format has become the standard format for 3D content. It is supported by widely used software (Blender, SolidWorks, Revit, Cinema4D, Maya, SketchUp, etc.) and 3D engines (Unreal Engine, Unity, Babylon.js, Three.js, etc.). Thanks to the  plugin for Grasshopper, you can now create glTF files via Grasshopper.

Edwin Hernandez has posted a new video tutorial in the ShapeDiver channel where he explains the glTF format, how to create glTF files with Grasshopper, and how and where to use these files (Facebook, SketchFab, Shopify, and even the metaverse!).

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Understanding the Science of Product Design

Jr Neville Songwe, Industrial Designer Professor at SCAD, has published a book with Carmen Andrisani, titled An Industrial Design Guide Vol. 01: Understanding the Science of Product Design.

This book targets industrial design students, design professors, design practitioners, and others interested in industrial design (product design). It offers a guide or roadmap by providing: Design Templates, 7 Historic timelines, 50 Schemas, 100 Drawings, and Illustrations. Rhino (NURBS and SubD) was used to develop and illustrate all the 3D CAD concepts in the book, featured on pages 2, 7, 11, 57, 87, 101, 180, 206, and 207.
The book is available for purchase from the following links:

Price: $56.99 

Questions? Contact Jr Neville Songwe at indusdesignbook@gmail.com.


Rhino3D.Education offers online courses in Rhino, Grasshopper, Computational Design, GhPython, PanelingTools, RhinoCAM, V-Ray, and more. Check it out!

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Grasshopper - LIRA-SAPR Live Link


The Liraland group is happy to announce Grasshopper – LIRA-SAPR Live Link, the plugin for Structural analysis of BIM model in LIRA-SAPR software.

LIRA-SAPR software is a leading software in the Commonwealth of Independent States markets. LIRA-SAPR allows users to quickly analyze structures with different complex geometry (high-rise buildings, large-span structures, towers, masts, silos, coverings of various shapes, etc.). With over 30 countries worldwide, LIRA-SAPR is well-known as one of the best tools available for professional engineers for structural analysis and design.

LIRA-SAPR has been used in many projects, including significantly complex ones:

- Protective shell of a nuclear reactor for nuclear power plant
- Hydroelectric power plant
- Indoor ice arena
- Government institution in Georgia
- Different hotel complexes (Alliance Palace, Hilton Complex)
- Evolution Tower and other unique objects

Nowadays, the traditional methods for model creation are too slow for structural analysis. Architects change their models almost daily and structural engineers should analyze various variants as quickly as possible. So, many choose parametric structural design instead of classical ways of model generation.

The possibilities are endless with the Grasshopper - LIRA-SAPR Live Link. This tool enables you to simulate buildings and structures of arbitrary shape parametrically. The developed plugin converts a Rhino model into an analysis model. It also allows you to perform static, dynamic, and design analysis. With the help of this link, you can also check different structural solutions and select the best one. This advantage becomes very important when the framework is often modified, and changes can be quickly and efficiently analyzed with FEA.

To try the possibilities of Grasshopper - LIRA-SAPR Live Link, y
ou can use LIRA-SAPR 2021 Demo version

Send your questions and feedback to support@liraland.com.


Monday, November 14, 2022

CrossGems - new jewelry plugin



CrossGems is a professional jewelry software that allows you to design any complex model easily and quickly without having technical CAD knowledge.

Core and Features

All objects are linked in real time to automatically adapt when edited, allowing you to delete or modify Boolean operations or any of the 100+ CrossGems tools and keeping the parametric history in all cases. Additionally, this feature applies to Rhino gumballs, allowing you to reset transformations (move, scale, and rotate) applied to model parts and restore deleted document objects at any time, including SubD objects and Meshes, while maintaining compatibility with Rhino's Record History function.


It can also be used as a traditional modeler without the parametric system, adding the modeled objects as normal Rhino geometry.

For the most advanced users, all the tools in Rhino are also available in Grasshopper, making it one of the most versatile software in the Rhino world.

Interface

CrossGems can be run with its own interface, simplifying the workflow and as a Rhino plugin while keeping all the parametric features for users used to Rhino UI. The Command History Panel, available in Rhino and CrossGems UI, is the visible part of this system that allows the user to interact with and manage all the model components.

Rendering

It also includes a rendering material library with over 300 materials and grounds for the integrated physics-based render Cycles.

Materials and grounds are assigned with a single click, displaying the object weights in real-time while using any tool or simply selecting objects in the document. Furthermore, CrossGems will automatically swap materials when changing display modes to achieve the best quality for every situation.

Compatibility

CrossGems is capable of importing and converting gems from other software, such as RhinoGold and Matrix, as well as importing Panther files while maintaining 100% parametric history.

About CrossBytes 3D

CrossBytes' background goes back to the origins of RhinoGold, developing from RhinoGold 3 to RhinoGold 6.5 for more than ten years. Finally, the company was acquired by a multinational. At this point, CrossByte created Panther 3D, the world's first parametric jewelry software from Rhino and Grasshopper. CrossGems is its evolution in every respect.

"Throughout all these years we have learned thanks to listening to users and we can say that we have built a program with jewelers and for jewelers within the reach of anyone and we intend to continue doing so, so if you have any requests, doubts, or suggestions feel free to email us at hello@crossbytes3d.com."


Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Take the 1st step to becoming Engineer 4.0


Learn parametric design without prior coding experience in just eight weeks

Krzysztof Wojslaw from LearnGrasshopper will guide you through the transformation from an "old-school" engineer with zero programming experience to an engineer of the future who can automate manual tasks and have much more fun at work.


Krzysztof Wojslaw, the training author, will answer all questions connected to the learning platform and how to start with Grasshopper completely from scratch.

More info about the training program: GrasshopperFundamentals.com

Thursday, November 3, 2022

2Shapes Design 4 for Rhino released

 


The 2Shapes team is happy to announce 2Shapes Design 4 for Rhino, the newest version of the jewelry design plugin for Rhino. Developed by the industry leaders that made RhinoGold and Clayoo, this new version gathers all the experience learned over the years, solving the needs of jewelry design professionals.

2Shapes 4 for Rhino includes many improvements and new features that make it one of the most powerful programs on the market today.

More information...


Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Getting to know... Construsoft and Optinave!


Construsoft is a leading supplier and developer of BIM (Building Information Modeling) software and related services. Their portfolio includes products and applications that provide an accurate, detailed, and data-rich 3D environment for the design and construction industry.

They were interested in creating a free online application that would allow them to showcase their knowledge for calculating and optimizing the design of metal structures. They knew Grasshopper was a powerful tool to build such an application, but they needed a way to host these files online and make them available to anyone via a web browser. Recently, they found out that ShapeDiver could give them these capabilities and even allow them to use third-party plugins such as Karamba3D and Geometry Gym.

In this interview, ShapeDiver talks with Construsoft's team and discusses the topics surrounding this powerful online tool called Optinave.

Read the full interview...

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Rhino and Lands Design at the American Society of Landscape Architects Conference


Rhino and Lands Design will be presented at the ASLA 2022 Conference, November 11-14, the world's biggest gathering of landscape architects with more than 6000 attendees yearly. 

The presentation by McNeel Europe and Asuni will introduce parametric landscape design, including environmental analysis and optimization. The session;s content will focus on the algorithmic design generation and analysis of Lands Design landscape objects (LIM) in Grasshopper. The analysis will include CO2 sequestration, shading, and solar radiation (Ladybug Tools) of trees, as well as optimization processes based on analysis results.

More information about the presentation...


Thursday, October 20, 2022

Surfboard Shaping with Rhino Grasshopper! | Web Shaping Bay & ShapeDiver



Learn how Rodrigo Aranha Lopes, a Brazilian architect and surfer living in Portugal, created this award-winning project that aims to change surfboard manufacturing with the help of parametric design, cloud computing, and subtractive manufacturing.


Monday, October 17, 2022

CondorShell | Grasshopper, Rhino, Revit, and SAFE interoperability for structural engineers


At the beginning of the structural design process, there are two common approaches to defining geometries: Create complex and parametric geometries directly using Rhino and Grasshopper or leverage the power of Rhino.Inside to transfer geometry directly from Revit. 

Now, with CondorShell, engineers can easily export geometry and data from Rhino and Grasshopper to SAFE V20.3.0, making the structural analysis and design much faster. With CondorShell, engineers can create workflows to automate design tasks in the design of foundations and the design of slabs in CSI SAFE.

CondorShell is a Grasshopper-based component just released by Artificial Intelligence Optimization Software, LLC (AIOS). CondorShell 1.0.0 is available to download beginning October 10.

CondorShell comes in two versions: Basic and Pro. There is extensive documentation as well as short videos and examples that illustrate the use of every single CondorShell component. Both versions will help you establish more efficient workflows, saving valuable time during design. 
  • CondorShell Basic: Available using the PackageManager in Rhino, this free version features 20 components that support the creation of your SAFE model. See the 1-minute video tutorial, How to Install CondorShell Free Limited Version.

  • CondorShell Pro: To experience the full capabilities of CondorShell, users can upgrade to the paid version which provides 54 additional components that facilitate the creation of complex geometries in your SAFE model. To activate the Pro version, follow the installation instructions in the 3-minute video tutorial, Installing CondorShell.

Send your comments and feedback to support@aiosciv.com. Happy coding!

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Discrete Element Modeling to Robotic Fabrication using the COMPAS framework online workshop, November 7-9 (McNeel Europe)

 


Discrete Element Modeling to Robotic Fabrication using the COMPAS framework online workshop 
Tutors: Tom Van MeleGonzalo Casas  (ETH Zurich)
November 7-9, 2022
10 AM–5 PM CET
Hosted by McNeel Europe (Zoom)

Digital Fabrication in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry, requires the combination of various toolchains and software platforms, across the boundaries of multiple scientific, socio-economic and technological domains, into efficient pipelines for integrated computational development and project delivery. Over the past 6 years, the NCCR Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich has greatly invested in the development of COMPAS, a comprehensive open-source computational framework written in Python, that aims at streamlining these multi-disciplinary workflows and the integration of state-of-the-art tooling to simplify their adoption by architects, designers and researchers from within parametric design environments.

In this 3-day workshop, Tom Van Mele of Block Research Group and Gonzalo Casas of Gramazio Kohler Research will introduce participants to COMPAS by providing an overview of the functionality of the core framework, the extension packages, the UI system, and its relation to CAD software. Together with the participants they will then step-by-step explore an example application focused on the modeling, equilibrium analysis, and robotic fabrication of a discrete assembly.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
  • Use the geometry kernel and core data structures of COMPAS.
  • Exchange data between different processes, plugins and tools.
  • Design a simple discrete element model, identify the interfaces between the blocks, and manage block interactions with a specialized data structure.
  • Calculate the required conditions for equilibrium.
  • Analyze and explain the kinematic structure of a robot model based on its URDF model.
  • Apply fundamental building blocks of robotics (forward and inverse kinematics, cartesian and kinematic planning, planning scene).
  • Design and plan stereotypical assembly processes (e.g. bricklaying) in simulation, and execute them in a simulated robot environment.

Day 1: Focus on core framework
  • Overview of COMPAS framework
  • Geometry & Data structures: deep dive into the geometry kernel.
  • Packages & Extensions: an overview of the ecosystem.
  • Integration with CAD: geometry representations and artists.
  • Remote Procedure Calls: leveraging the entire Python ecosystem from within the CAD.
  • Plugins & Tools, creating and distributing Grasshopper components in pure python.
Day 2: Focus on COMPAS Masonry and FAB
  • Discrete element Models: Blocks, Interfaces, Equilibrium
    • Parametric generation of discrete wall geometries using the assembly data structures.
    • Definition of boundary conditions and interfaces recognition;
    • Equilibrium evaluation of the assembly sequence using the solvers available in COMPAS Masonry;
    • Global equilibrium of the structure subject to self-weight and after the application of different loading conditions.
  • Robotic fabrication:
    • Fundamental concepts of robotics: control modes, positioning and singularities, robot coordinate frames and transformations
    • Description of robot models and the URDF format.
    • Forward Kinematics and Inverse Kinematics (analytic and numerical solvers).
    • Robotic backends: ROS (Robot Operating System) and the MoveIt! Motion planning framework, Pybullet, pure-python solvers.
    • Path planning: Cartesian and kinematic path planning. Goal constraints definition.
    • Planning scene manipulation. Dynamic end-effector attachment and detachment.
    • Prototypical structure of pick and place applications.
    • Sequencing and planning of a discrete element model for robotic fabrication.
    • Robot control (ABB and UR).
Day 3: Integrative project
  • Procedural generation of curved wall geometry.
  • Conversion to assembly data structure.
  • Methods for interface detection.
  • Stability assessment of intermediate assembly stages.
  • Stability assessment of complete structure.
  • Path planning for robotic assembly.
  • Fabrication simulation.

Course requirements: Participants are expected to be familiar with Rhino/Grasshopper and have at least a basic knowledge of python programming.

Online course fees: EUR 395,- (+VAT); full-time students and university teachers get a 50% discount (proof of status required). Please note that we will confirm your seat after your payment has cleared.

Max. number of participants: 25. If there is no quorum, the course will be canceled two weeks before.

Course language: English

Educational seats are limited. Sign up now by contacting McNeel Europe!


Friday, October 7, 2022

New Book about Grasshopper in the French Language

 


Conception paramétrique avec Rhino et Grasshopper
Authors: Jean-Pierre Couwenbergh and Mohamed-Anis Gallas

French speakers seeking documentation about Grasshopper in their native language now have Conception Paramétrique Avec Rhino et Grasshopper, a new book by Jean-Pierre Couwenbergh and Mohamed-Anis Gallas.

The book is not only a presentation of the fundamentals of parametric design but also a practical guide to Rhino and Grasshopper with exercises that readers can download for practice. The manual also covers the connections between generative design and BIM through Revit and Archicad.


Friday, September 30, 2022

How To View Rhino Grasshopper Files In Augmented Reality (AR)!


Follow along with Edwin Hernández as he shows you how easy it is to visualize Grasshopper files in AR with the help of ShapeDiver and any mobile device!

Watch the full video...


Monday, September 26, 2022

3D Parametric Design for Jewelry

  



Join Andres Gonzalez for a free short chat open to the general public about learning 3D Parametric Design for Jewelry with Rhino and Grasshopper, and learn how to automate Rhino 7 using Grasshopper to improve the possibilities of discovering new forms and reduce the time modeling repetitive families of 3D objects. 

Date: September 30, 2022. 
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Auditorio Ignacio Vieira
Escuela de Arquitectura y Diseño, UPB, in Medellín, Colombia. 

Visit this link and take a look at some simple exercises. 

We have done it before with a group of students from TEC of Monterrey, campus Guadalajara and you can look at the results of the students that were learning Parametric Design for the first time!

Andres is the head of the McNeel Southeast US and Latin American Division and founder of Rhino3D.EducationHe is also the worldwide director of  RhinoFabStudio and the Generative Jewelry & Fashion Design community GJD3D.
 

Rhino3D.Education offers online courses in Rhino, Grasshopper, Computational Design, GhPython, PanelingTools, RhinoCAM, V-Ray, and more. Check it out!

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Getting to know... macu4: 3D Printed Arm Prosthetics!


Macu4 is a Swiss startup using parametric design and 3D printing to radically transform how arm prosthetics are made. They saw that traditional offerings were not only heavy to wear and expensive, but the whole process took too much time. They knew they could shorten the entire process by using parametric design to easily customize each patient's forearm and then 3D printing to manufacture each part. The only missing link was finding a solution allowing them to host their Grasshopper file on their website and output the suitable production file for every patient. So how did they solve it? Read along to find out!

Read the complete article...

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Connections and plugins between Grasshopper and BIM

 


We noticed this nice list of various Rhino.Inside and Grasshopper integrations, BIM in Grasshopper Ultimate Software List. This post by BIM Corner includes information on Tekla, Revit, Archicad, BricsCAD, Quadri, RhinoInsideCadwork, VisualARQ, Geometry Gym, and MKS BEAM.

Monday, September 19, 2022

New to Rhino or Grasshopper?

We have a Getting Started web site to help you get going in Rhino. It's full of short video tutorials. Most are less than five minutes long.  The various topics include tutorials on navigation, selecting objects, modeling strategies, and Grasshopper basics. Both Windows and Mac are covered. 

And we've recently added a few new ones.

Try them out!

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Àgora València (by Arqueha + Miguel Arraiz)


The Arqueha studio, coordinator of Plan Zero for the climate transition of three neighborhoods in the city of Valencia, has been in charge of the project's technical development, applying prefabrication and sustainability parameters. With digitization through the BIM methodology and parametric design, it has been possible to turn a unique building into a reality.

The use of parametric design applied to the enclosure has provided the ability to generate a fully controlled distribution of slats, choosing the density and position of each one in the racks and obtaining a unique design for each rack.

This has been possible thanks to Rhino.Inside Revit, which has allowed working in a coordinated manner with Grasshopper and Revit to generate both the geometry and its associated parameters that have been attributed differently to each of the more than 1000 pieces that make up the racks.

Thanks to these processes, the waste generated, the work carried out and the transport of materials have been reduced, saving significant amounts of CO2 and energy. Àgora València is also a space studied following thermal comfort strategies.

The 3D model used for analyzing sunlight and outdoor comfort has been extracted directly from the BIM model and processed with Ladybug.

A project as unique as Ágora València, with the high level of detail it presents, as well as the precision required in coordinating industrialized elements produced by different agents, would not have been possible without the use of Rhinoceros.


Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Simulate non-visual lighting in Grasshopper


New version of Lark Spectral Lighting Grasshopper plugin

Why is this relevant?

Our eyes have a dual function: They allow us to see, but they also mediate several psychological and physiological (non-visual) responses. Light reaching the eyes regulates circadian rhythms and affects alertness. Since we spend most of our time indoors, building designers are responsible for providing healthy indoor lighting. A simulation tool is now available to help meet this challenge.

New version of the Lark simulation tool

Lark Spectral Lighting 2.0 is available on food4Rhino with new features, components, and templates to investigate non-visual lighting design. Lark is a plugin that helps architects, designers, and researchers examine a lighting design's effect on circadian rhythm and alertness.

The updates in Lark 2.0 include:
  • Ability to run daylight and electric light simulation
  • Calculation of spectral irradiance and output metrics relevant to the non-visual effects of light according to the CIE (α-opic metrics)
  • Analysis workflow that accounts for the direction in which light reaches the human eye, which is relevant for non-visual effects
  • Simulation of a period of light exposure and analysis to optimize alertness according to a light-driven biological model

Controlmad Master in Parametric Design, Autumn XVI Edition


Autumn XVI Edition (November 2022-February 2023)

A unique study program adapted to this new situation and challenging world. This master course is the hybrid and flexible version of our Master in Parametric Design onsite, with XIII successful editions. 

It is the chance to introduce you to the world of computational design, state-of-the-art field for product design, architecture, landscape, engineering, digital fabrication... through the creation of physical and digital parametric models using as main tools Grasshopper for Rhino and our CNC machines and 3D printers.

The course is divided into two parts:
  • Part I, fully online: Rhino, Grasshopper, Kangaroo, Karamba, Python, Visualization…
  • Part II, optional to take. Digital Fabrication (Onsite at Controlmad or online, as you wish)

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Adaptive Parts Environment, new Grasshopper plugin


Like dynamic blocks … just better

Even without Grasshopper knowledge, everyone should be able to access Grasshopper’s parametric power. Therefore, Rhenso GmbH has developed Adaptive Parts for Rhino 3D—objects with dynamic geometry and properties—that everyone can easily manipulate with a user-friendly UI.

The users know best which tools they need, and most off-the-shelf CAD software does not provide them. So, this plugin intends to enable everybody to design their own tools for improving workflows that fit their needs best.

Adaptive parts are similar to dynamic blocks but way more powerful. They can be almost anything you can imagine and build with Grasshopper.

To use an Adaptive Part, Grasshopper knowledge is not required. To create one, it is.

Adaptive Parts are created in Grasshopper and wrap design and process knowledge into closed and shareable bits. They can be shared with your team members, only exposing the relevant parameters without exposing the (sometimes confusing) Grasshopper canvas.

Get more information on its webpage...
Visit also its YouTube or Vimeo channels...

"The Adaptive Parts Environment Plug-In is currently Work-In-Progress (WIP) and being actively developed. We are currently adding new features and integrating user feedback with every WIP release. Our plan is to be feature complete and stable for a commercial lease in late 2022."

Monday, September 5, 2022

V-Ray 6 for Rhino beta


You can now get early access to the all-new features in the beta of V-Ray 6 for Rhino, including improved handling of V-Ray assets in work sessions. 

V-Ray scene importer is now implemented—import any .vrscene file with editable materials in Rhino. Support for double-sided material has also been implemented in Rhino 7 and Rhino 8. 

V-Ray 6 for Rhino also includes the ability to bring your real-time Enscape scenes into #VRay and a procedural cloud system. 


Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Advanced Jewellery CAD Techniques in Rhino - Book Launch (September 2, 2022) and CAD Challenge


To celebrate the release of Jack Meyer's new book Advanced Jewellery CAD Techniques in Rhino (available now), he's hosting a free book launch event on Friday, September 2, in London

In addition, he has launched "Jack’s Rhino CAD Challenge" to coincide with this event. On the evening, bring with you your trickiest problems in Rhino for the chance to win a free copy of the book! #JacksRhinoCADChallenge

To order a copy of the book or to book tickets for both the book launch party and "Jack’s Rhino CAD Challenge," visit cadjewelleryskills.com...

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Two new books for jewelry designers!


Dana Buscaglia has published two new books to demonstrate and teach using Rhinoceros 7.0 for the design and creation of jewelry modeling. 

The first volume covers basic Rhino commands and the 2D project creation. The second volume covers basic Rhino commands and the 3D project creation. The chapters are in tutorial format with step-by-step instructions that gradually build a knowledge base, becoming more advanced in later chapters. 

Dana Buscaglia’s 40+ years of experience in jewelry ranges over various segments of the jewelry industry. After designing and executing her line of contemporary jewelry for 13 years, Dana moved to a more commercial side and took design jobs at Jacmel Jewelry and then at Avon. Both experiences exposed Dana to the different worlds of jewelry design and mass production.

As outsourcing became important, involving the transmission of accurate product design and description to contractors worldwide, Dana became interested in Computer Aided Design to easily and accurately transmit drawings and layouts. She became adept at AutoCAD and then branched into Rhinoceros because of its ability to create both drafted 2D drawings and 3-dimensional models. 

Dana’s design experience is an advantage when translating the work of other designers into technical drawings and layouts or 3-dimensional digital models for prototyping.

Dana has also become a licensed Rhino instructor and teaches Computer Aided Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. 

The books are available at Amazon, Lulu Publishing, Barnes & Nobles, and others.

Monday, July 25, 2022

Optimus/Grasshopper interface (by Noesis Solutions)


Optimus is the industry-leading Process Integration and Design Optimization (PIDO) software platform, bundling a powerful range of capabilities for Engineering Process Integration, Design Space Exploration, Engineering Optimization, and Robustness & Reliability. These PIDO technologies help direct engineering simulations toward design candidates that outsmart competition while considering all relevant design constraints—effectively implementing an Objectives Driven Engineering process. Optimus users report design time savings averaging over 30% while achieving 10% or more design performance improvements.

The Grasshopper interface automates using Grasshopper as a component of an Optimus workflow. It allows users to access all Grasshopper-defined design parameters (*.ghx file) and the parameters of the simulation setup and submit the updated files to Rhinoceros.

Optimus automatically modifies the Grasshopper design parameters and generates and updates the underlying Grasshopper files to be used in a multi-disciplinary DOE, optimization, or robust design workflow.


Thursday, July 21, 2022

CondorShell V1.0.0-beta


There are two common approaches to defining geometries at the beginning of the structural design process. Engineers can create complex and parametric geometries directly using Rhino and Grasshopper, or leverage the power of Rhino.Inside to transfer geometry directly from Revit. With CondorShell, engineers can now easily export geometry and data from Rhino and Grasshopper to SAFE V20.3.0.

CondorShell is a Grasshopper-based component just released by Artificial Intelligence Optimization Software, LLC (AIOS). CondorShell 1.0.0-beta is available to download beginning July 15.

CondorShell comes in two versions: Basic and Pro. Both versions will help you establish more efficient workflows, saving valuable time during design. Extensive documentation is included, as well as short videos and examples that illustrate the use of every single CondorShell component.

  • CondorShell Basic: Available using the PackageManager in Rhino, this free version features 20 components that support the creation of your SAFE model. Watch the 1-minute video tutorial that shows how to install it.

  • CondorShell Pro: To unlock additional components and experience the full capabilities of CondorShell, you can upgrade to the paid version, which provides 54 components that facilitate the creation of complex geometries in your SAFE model.

For the duration of the beta test, the cost of our Pro version is waived to enable design professionals to test and provide feedback on the complete functionalities of the plugin. To activate the Pro version, follow the installation instructions in the 3-minute video tutorial, Installing CondorShell.

The beta period will run through August 5, 2022, when all beta licenses expire. Send your feedback to support@aiosciv.com. Happy coding!


Thursday, July 14, 2022

New plugin for BIM: day1bim



The plugin day1bim Tools is a set of conceptual massing and programming tools for architects, allowing them to quickly develop a project concept model and extract fundamental project information. Version 1 is now published on food4Rhino

The concept model developed can be used for simulations and representations. With Grasshopper-based connections, the geometry can be linked forward to generate native elements in a BIM environment. It’s a flexible model ready to visualize in minutes and easy to modify. It’s not about making conceiving architecture easy. It’s about making BIM elegant. It lets you work directly, intuitively refining the 3D model. The script manages the data and live updates. 

From a simple arrangement of forms in solid and void, rapidly generate powerful project data for building mass and program. It’s a quick start to develop concept forms to visualize and elaborate your idea. It uses fundamental skills in manipulating geometry in Rhino. And it takes advantage of many available, but often little-known, Rhino tools that are advantageous for architecture projects. It leverages Grasshopper to manage and update the geometry and data. It works within Rhino and Grasshopper in a natural way. This help users new to modeling and algorithmic environments understand their function's logic. They access many common tools for, linking data, generating representations, annotations, and export geometry. The plugin is free for students… and very reasonably priced for commercial use.

Download and details....


The Essential Guide to Digital Jewelry

With Rhinoceros 7 and Grasshopper algorithms, create models easily, enable simulations, modify, iterate and find better results by manipulating Grasshopper parameters. 

The videos and book help you create jewelry designs using these latest computational design techniques. Discover the many possibilities your design may offer with the help of Grasshopper. 

The paperback is available on Amazon, or grab the PDF Book and models for everything you need to complete the exercises.

Akiyo Matsuoka and Eva Tucek, Authorized RhinoTrainers (ARTs), bring their years of knowledge and experience in Rhino and Grasshopper to those who want to learn CAD for jewelry design.


Questions on this book? Email Akiyo or Eva here.






Tuesday, July 12, 2022

How do I integrate point clouds into AEC workflows?


Point cloud data has massive potential for AEC professionals. But working out how to use the data has been tricky—and for Rhino users has often led to workarounds that devalue the data. 

In this blog Mark Estcourt, Managing Director of Veesus, shares his thoughts on integrating point cloud data into your workflow, using Veesus’ revolutionary plugin to work natively with point cloud data in Rhino.



Wednesday, July 6, 2022

BIM and Landscape Modelling with Lands Design Software

Asuni CAD, responsible for Lands Design's development, is collaborating with the American Society of Landscape Architects by offering courses on LA CES, their continuing education platform. 

The upcoming course BIM and Landscape Modelling with Lands Design Software is on July 21st, 9:00 am CDT (Central Time US).

The course is free and available to all professionals. It includes two Professional Development Hours (PDH) based on the criteria of Landscape Architects Continuing Education System. ASLA members will get an attendance certificate. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Veris supercharges digital construction workflows with Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino


Veris has to deliver the highest quality 3D models and point cloud data to clients. So when a crucial point cloud tool was discontinued, Veris partnered with Veesus to overhaul their reality capture tools and digital construction workflows using Veesus Point Clouds for Rhino. Now, they’re delivering better results than ever before for clients, using the Veesus plugin to work with point cloud data natively in Rhino.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Lark - Spectral Lighting - v1.0 is announced


ZGF, in collaboration with Dr. Mehlika Inanici and the University of Washington, has reached a new milestone with its toolset Lark for spectral lighting.

Lark v1.0 is a peer-reviewed, validated plugin for Grasshopper that helps architects, lighting designers, and researchers compute circadian light metrics within a daylighting workflow.

Lark allows users to define the color of skies, glazing, and building materials based on spectral data in 3 or 9 channels and computes the equivalent melanopic illuminance and luminance.

Coming soon:
Lark v2.0 – Summer 2022
Lark v3.0 – Autumn 2022


Details and download....

Friday, June 17, 2022

Parametric Bridge Modeling with Grasshopper and SOFiSTiK

 


Basic Online Training Course for Bridge Design
27-30 September 2022 
14:00 CET - 18:00 CET
Hosted by SOFiSTiK

Parametric tools such as Grasshopper and the scripting capabilities of FEA software packages such as SOFiSTiK FEA allow engineers to automate functionalities to work faster and more creatively. Besides, it comes with a lot of potential to parametrize and optimize structures of any type.

This 4-day course teaches you the entire parametric modeling process with Grasshopper and SOFiSTiK FEA of a post-tensioned concrete bridge. You will learn the fundamentals of Grasshopper to create effective and maintainable visual scripts and how to use the SOFiSTiK Grasshopper components to build the axis-based bridge structure.


Thursday, June 16, 2022

Rhino 7 and KeyShot 11 – New KeyShot Feature: 3D Paint

 

In this Simply Rhino KeyShot video tutorial, Phil Cook looks at 3D Paint, a new feature in KeyShot 11.
3D Paint allows for painting directly onto a 3D object. This is a great way to add dirt, aging, corrosion, and other arbitrary textures onto local areas of geometry.
Using the example of a metal casting modeled in Rhino 7, the video shows step-by-step methods for adding textures in KeyShot 11 using 3D Paint. Phil also shows how to set up the initial model in Rhino 7 to ease the process.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Getting to know... Cake Houses: Modular Wooden Houses!


Cake Houses is a Czech startup looking to disrupt how small family houses are designed and assembled. They aim to drastically reduce design and construction times by using parametric design and CNC machines. In this way, they are trying to counter some of the biggest problems of the construction industry, like the complexity of working with multiple vendors and contractors. 

Thanks to Grasshopper and ShapeDiver, their customers can easily view and examine their designs in 3D  in an easy, fast, practical, and fun way. 

Read the complete article...