Before you can start modelling it is a good idea to create the environment in which the design will be created. Compare this to choosing the size and materials of a canvass in the case of the painter if you like.

 Watch a short video that shows you the first steps of starting a design from scratch: Starting a New Design, Inserting a Default surface, techniques to add rows and columns of control points in different windows, saving your design. [Web | Disk]

New design

If you have an existing design open, first close it:

Ø  From the File menu select File | Close Design

Now start a new design:

Ø  Select File | New Design from the File menu

This will give you a blank workspace without any surfaces. In the following series of tutorials you will model a single surface monohull with a round-bilge hull form:

Adding a surface

The first thing to do is add a surface, so that you can then manipulate this into the required shape.

Ø  From the Surfaces menu select Surfaces | Add Surface | Default

The “default” surface is a good starting point for most designs.

The diagram below is similar to what should be shown on your screen (Note that the display may vary due to the display settings you are using):

Before you start modelling, you should set up the units and overall dimensions for your design.

Units

Select the units you would like to use

Ø  From the Data Menu select Units

Ø  Complete the dialog box as follows:

Note that the units you have selected are saved as Maxsurf preferences and are not stored with the design.

Sizing Surfaces

Now we can make the surface approximately the correct size for the design.

Ø  Select Surface | Size Surfaces

This dialog may be used to resize one or a selection of surfaces in the design.

Ø  Place a tick next to the surfaces you wish to resize

Ø  Enter the values as in the dialog image above.

Saving Your Design

You now have a single surface that can be manipulated into the required design. At this stage it is a good idea to save your design. To do this, make sure that you have activated one of the View Windows and choose:

Ø   File | Save Design As, specify where you wish it to be saved and name the file MyFirstDesign_start.msd

You should get into the habit of regularly saving the design before and after major design changes. This is easily done by clicking on the save icon or by using the shortcut Ctrl+S.

Maxsurf only allows you to save your surface model when you have one of the View Windows (i.e. Body plan, Profile, Plan or Perspective) frontmost or “active”. All Maxsurf applications work this way. You can see how this works by:

Ø  Switching to the Control Points window

Ø  Going to the File menu

Notice how the “Save Design” has changed into “Save Control Points”

Ø  Switch back the Body Plan window

Adding Control Point Rows

The default surface contains 3 rows and 3 columns of control points. To get the shape you desire, it may be necessary to increase the number of rows and columns in the surface. In this section we will take a closer look at how to add and remove control points in the net.

Tip:

Always try and use the minimum number of control points to achieve the desired surface shape. You will learn why this is in the section on Basic Fairing.

The number and position of the control point rows affects the surface’s shape in Body Plan view. Adding control point rows will give you more control over the section shape.

Note:

You can add and delete control point rows only in the Body Plan window.

Ø  Switch to Body Plan view 

To add a control point row, it is best to turn off the net so that you can only see one control point column.

Ø  Make sure the net is turned off, you can do this from the menu (Display | Net) or

To add a row, go to the body plan view, select Controls | Add Row or click the  toolbar button. You will see a crosshair appear.

Ø  Insert a control point row as in the figures below

Ø  Switch to Perspective view

Ø  Switch the Net on, Half on, and Hide the Grid from the Display menu:

Default surface with the extra rows.

Notice that the row is inserted into all the columns. Maxsurf will interpolate the insertion point in the other columns based on the position where you inserted the row into the current column.

Ø  Remember to save your design regularly

Adding Control Point Columns

After adding the rows, you can now proceed to add some columns. Adding rows or columns does not have to be done in any particular order. The number of columns affects the shape of the surface in Profile and Plan view. Adding control point columns gives you more control over the waterlines and buttocks. Adding control point columns work exactly the same as adding rows, except it can only be done in Plan and Profile view.

Note:

You can add and delete control point columns in Plan and Profile window.

Ø  Switch to Profile view  and turn on the Net .

Control point columns are added by clicking at a position on a row of control points. For example:

Ø  Insert two columns of control points so that your design looks something like this in Profile view:

Deleting Control Points

Deleting a control points row or column is easy. In this section we will delete a control point row from the body plan view.

Ø  Switch to the Body Plan window and hide the net

Ø  Select Controls | Delete Row or click the Pac-Man  toolbar button

Ø  Place the jaws of the Pac-Man over the control point row you wish to delete and click the left mouse button

Ø  Switch to Perspective view

Ø  Render the Surface in Smooth Shading:

Ø  Save your design as MyFirstDesign_Start.msd

Feel free to practise adding and deleting rows and columns. It may be a good idea to save your design first.

Continue Design Preparation.