A 3D form synthesizer. (Third Dimension).(auto*des*sys' form*Z)

auto*des*sys, Inc. frequently refers to form*Z as a "3D form synthesizer" to emphasize the program's ability to manipulate digital data in creating 3D shapes, just as a music synthesizer manipulates digital data in creating music. Often, your approach in creating 3D models with form*Z will be to create simple geometric shapes and then transform them into complex shapes. This month we will explore the form*Z tools that make these transformations possible.

Modeling a Telephone Headset

To give you an idea of how form*Z can create a fairly complex model from simple objects, we will go through the steps you might take in creating the 3D model of a telephone headset. First, the Vector Line tool is used, with object type set to 3D Extrusion, to create the two 3D objects shown in Figure 1(A). Then the Difference tool is used to subtract the top object from the bottom one, leaving the 3D object shown in Figure 1(B). The Difference tool removes the volume that one set of objects has in common with a second set and deletes the non-shared volume of the first set.

Next, the Cylinder tool …