Jewellery 3D CAD Software Rhinoceros

 

What is 3D CAD Software?

 Jewellery CAD Software Comparisons, sample image from 3D CAD - CAD Model render by Jack Meyer3D CAD is what most people think of when they are talking about CAD. Conceptually, it’s the digital equivalent of fabrication tools and a wax carving kit. Rather than just simply making designs on a screen, the user is actually building his design to exact tolerances and specifications. The end result of CAD can be either rendering (producing a photorealistic image) or rapid prototyping (producing a physical model for use in manufacturing).

CAD models are often (and incorrectly) referred to as “drawings”. Since they are still technically 3D even if they’re only stored on a computer, it’s better to call them “3D models”. Using 3D CAD for product design is not a new thing. The first military applications of CAD/CAM appeared in the 1960’s, and the first commercial product design with CAD started happening in the late 1980’s. But it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that there is no field of product design which doesn’t use some form of CAD for manufacturing. 3D CAD’s advantages include:

What Are Some of the Advantages of Each Kind of 3D CAD?

 

While each of the different 2D and 3D jewellery CAD software packages were built based upon a different design philosophy,  they are all capable of creating the same sorts of basic jewellery forms (eternity rings, solitaire wedding rings, etc.). You can only see real differences and advantages to individual programs when you get to more advanced types of design work.

Rhino For Jewellery CAD Design

 Originally developed as a response to AutoCAD’s limitations with smooth 3D modelling, Rhino 3D is a general product design NURBS-based CAD tool which has been adopted by many different design specialities such as furniture, footwear, and jewellery.

While the core Rhino program is all that is really needed to design models for rapid prototyping, each design speciality has added extensions (or plug-ins) for Rhino to make their jobs easier. Some examples include rendering tools (such as V-Ray or Keyshot), additional methods of working (T-Splines), or some of the older Jewellery plug-ins (such as RhinoGold or RhinoJewel). Generally when I provide Rhino 3D training for jewellers, I teach the software as if students only own Rhino without any plug-ins.

Rhino 3D’s Advantages

Rhinoceros 3D is a CAD software with a multitude of complex 3D modeling tools, which allow you to create unimaginable shapes with great precision and detail, whether from a drawing, a sketch or even a 3D scan. The software is compatible with most design, drafting, CAM, prototyping, rendering and illustration programs.

Rhino is one of the few truly general product design CAD programs to really make the concept of a general program for everyone work. It’s general set of tools give it a great deal of flexibility, and also make it ideal for designing precision assemblies. Also, it features a tremendous amount of customisability to suit different methods of working.