Guide to 3D Modeling : Reference document

The Guide to 3D Modeling provides a systematic and structured approach to 3D modeling that focuses on the visual representation of the solid. The strategy adopted for presenting these concepts is simple and one page, one topic. This way, the reader has access at a glance to an overview of all the information on a given topic. The Guide contains the basic principles of part modeling, the steps for achieving fully constrained sketches, the 3D signature of the various base solids from which to start a model, the transformation and dress-up of an existing solid, and an introduction to parts assembly. The final chapter discusses the production of design and working drawings by projection of a 3D model. Lastly, in appendix, the reader will find the list of steps to follow when modeling a part and an overview of the degrees of freedom associated with a coincidence constraint. Instead of referring to a specific software program, the Guide presents the reasoning and principles common to multiple modeling programs, such as SolidWorks and CATIA V5 (Dassault Systèmes), Inventor (Autodesk), Solid Edge and NX (Siemens), and open-source software such as FreeCAD. The Guide to 3D Modeling is primarily intended for undergraduate engineering students and for students in related fields at the college level and in professional training. It is also an excellent reference for practitioners working in the industry after graduation.