Visual Styles

A visual style is a collection of settings that control the display of edges and shading in the viewport.

1. Open a drawing with 3D objects and display in a 3D view.

2. Choose View, Visual Styles and one of the following style options

Visual Style Manager

The Visual Styles Manager displays sample images of the visual styles available in the drawing. The
selected visual style is indicated by a yellow border, and its settings are displayed in the panel below the
sample images.

1. Choose View, Visual Styles, Visual Styles Manager… or

2. Type VISUALSTYLES at the command prompt. Command: visualstyles

3. Choose the desired option from one of those available in the drawing for 2D Wireframe, 3D
Wireframe, 3D Hidden, Realistic, or Conceptual options.

Visual Styles

Displays your objects in one of the following selected styles:

1. Click with the right mouse button while in the 3D Orbit command.

2. Choose Visual Styles from the pop-up menu.

3. Choose 3D Hidden, 3D Wireframe, Conceptual or Realistic.

Visual Aids

1. Click with the right mouse button while in the 3D Orbit command.

2. Choose Visual Aids from the pop-up menu.

3. Choose Compass, Grid, or UCS Icon.

What are the types of 3D models?

3D Model Objects

Wireframes

A wireframe model is a skeletal description of a 3D object. There are no surfaces in a wireframe model; it
consists only of points, lines, and curves that describe the edges of the object. With AutoCAD you can
create wireframe models by positioning 2D objects anywhere in 3D space. AutoCAD also provides some
3D wireframe objects, such as 3D polylines (that can only have a CONTINUOUS linetype) and splines.
Because each object that makes up a wireframe model must be independently drawn and positioned,
this type of modeling can be the most time-consuming.

Surfaces

Surface modeling is more sophisticated than wireframe modeling in that it defines not only the edges of
a 3D object, but also its surfaces. The AutoCAD surface modeler defines faceted surfaces using a
polygonal mesh. Because the faces of the mesh are planar, the mesh can only approximate curved
surfaces.
Solids

Solid modeling is the easiest type of 3D modeling to use. With the AutoCAD solid modeler, you can
make 3D objects by creating basic 3D shapes: boxes, cones, cylinders, spheres, wedges, and tori (do-
nuts). You can then combine these shapes to create more complex solids by joining or subtracting them
or finding their intersecting (over- lapping) volume. You can also create solids by sweeping a 2D object
along a path or revolving it about an axis.

How can the solids be created in 3D?

Creating Solids

1. Solid Primitives

Solid primitives can easily be drawn from both the Draw pulldown menu and from Autodesk’s
dashboard.

2. Polysolid Command
With the POLYSOLID command, you can convert an existing line, 2D polyline, arc, or circle to a solid with
a rectangular profile. A polysolid can have curved segments, but the profile is always rectangular by
default.

1. Open a drawing with a closed 2D polyline and display in a 3D view.

2. Choose Draw, Modeling, Polysolid. Or

3. Type POLYSOLID at the command prompt.

Command: polysolid Specify start point or [Object/Height/Width/Justify]

3. Helix

Creates a 2D or 3D spiral.

1. Begin a new drawing.

2. Choose Draw, Helix. Or

3. Type HELIX at the command prompt.

Command: helix Number of turns = 3.0000 Twist=CCW Specify center point of base: pick point Specify
base radius or [Diameter] : enter or drag and pick Specify top radius or [Diameter] : enter or drag and
pick Specify helix height or [Axis endpoint/Turns/turn Height/tWist] : enter or drag and pick

4. Extrude
Creates unique solid primitives by extruding existing two-dimensional objects. You can extrude multiple
objects with EXTRUDE.

1. Type EXTRUDE at the command prompt.

Command: extrude
Current wire frame density: ISOLINES=4
Select objects: pick objects
Select objects: enter Specify height of extrusion or [Direction/Path/Taper angle]:

5. Extrude with Taper

1. Choose Draw, Modeling, Extrude. or

2. Type EXTRUDE at the command prompt.
Command: extrude
Current wire frame density: ISOLINES=4
Select objects to extrude: pick object to extrude
Select objects to extrude: enter
Specify height of extrusion or [Direction/Path/Taper angle] : T
Specify angle of taper for extrusion : 15
Specify height of extrusion or [Direction/Path/Taper angle] : 4

6. Extrude with Path

1. Choose Draw, Modeling, Extrude. Or
2. Type EXTRUDE at the command prompt.
Command: extrude
Current wire frame density: ISOLINES=4
Select objects to extrude: 1 found
Select objects to extrude: pick circle (P1)
Specify height of extrusion or [Direction/Path/Taper angle] : p
Select extrusion path or [Taper angle]: pick P2

7. Revolve Command
1. Open a drawing with 3D objects and display in a 3D view.
2. Choose Draw, Modeling, Revolve. Or
3. Type REVOLVE at the command prompt.
Command: revolve Current wire frame density: ISOLINES=4
Select objects: pick profile Select objects: enter
Specify start point for axis of revolution or define axis by [Object/X (axis)/Y (axis)]: o
Select an object: pick axis
Specify angle of revolution : enter

8. Sweep Command
1. Open a drawing with 2D objects to sweep and display in a 3D view.
2. Choose Draw, Modeling, Sweep. or
3. Type SWEEP at the command prompt.
Command: sweep Current wire frame density: ISOLINES=4
Select objects to sweep: pick arc
Select objects to sweep:
Select sweep path or [Alignment/Base point/Scale/Twist]: pick pat
9. Loft Command
1. Open a drawing with 2D objects to sweep and display in a 3D view.
2. Choose Draw, Modeling, Loft. or
3. Type LOFT at the command prompt.
Command: loft Select cross-sections in lofting order: pick circles
Specify opposite corner: 5 found
Select cross-sections in lofting order:
Enter an option [Guides/Path/Cross-sections only] : enter
How can surface model be created?
3D basic surfaces
Basic Mesh Commands
1. Click the 3D Modeling dropdown option from the Solids panel.
2. Click the Mesh tab.
3. Click the Primitives panel.
4. Click the Primitive drop-down.

Mesh Primitive Options

The following settings can be adjusted for mesh primitives.
Mesh Box
Choose Mesh box from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/ SEttings] : _BOX
Specify first corner or [Center]: pick point
Specify other corner or [Cube/Length]: @4,2
Specify height or [2Point] : 2
Mesh Cone
Choose Mesh cone from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/S Ettings] : CONE
Specify center point of base or [3P/2P/Ttr/Elliptical]:
Specify base radius or [Diameter] : 2
Specify height or [2Point/Axis endpoint/Top radius] : 5

Mesh Cylinder
Choose Mesh cylinder from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/ SEttings] : CYLINDER
Specify center point of base or [3P/2P/Ttr/Elliptical]:
Specify base radius or [Diameter] : 2
Specify height or [2Point/Axis endpoint] : 8
Mesh Pyramid
Choose Mesh pyramid from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/S Ettings] : PYRAMID 4 sides
Circumscribed
Specify center point of base or [Edge/Sides]:
Specify base radius or [Inscribed] :
Specify height or [2Point/Axis endpoint/Top radius] : 4
Mesh Sphere
1. Choose Mesh sphere from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/S Ettings] : SPHERE
Specify center point or [3P/2P/Ttr]:
Specify radius or [Diameter]

Mesh Wedge
Choose Mesh wedge from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/S Ettings] : WEDGE
Specify first corner or [Center]:
Specify other corner or [Cube/Length]: @4,2
Specify height or [2Point] : 2

Mesh Torus
1. Choose Mesh torus from the Primitives panel.
Command: MESH Current smoothness level is set to : 0
Enter an option [Box/Cone/CYlinder/Pyramid/Sphere/Wedge/Torus/S Ettings] : TORUS
Specify center point or [3P/2P/Ttr]:
Specify radius or [Diameter] : 6
Specify tube radius or [2Point/Diameter]: 1
Surface Network

One way to create surfaces is with a network of curves. The SURFNETWORK command creates a surface
similar to a lofted surface from a network of curves in the U and V directions. A network surface also can
be created from curves that are not all connected. The resulting surface can be either a procedural
surface or a NURBS surface.

1. Type SURFNETWORK at the command prompt.

Command: SURFNETWORK

Revolved Surfaces

Regenerates a three-dimensional model with hidden lines

1. Type Revsurf at the command prompt.
Command: revsurf
Current wire frame density: SURFTAB1=6 SURFTAB2=6
 Select object to revolve: pick path curve
Select object that defines the axis of revolution: pick line
Specify start angle : enter
Specify included angle (+=ccw, -=cw) : enter

Surface Blend

Creates a blend surface between two existing surfaces.

1. Type SURFBLEND at the command prompt.
Command: SURFBLEND
Surface Patch

Creates a new surface or cap to close an open edge of an existing surface.

1. Type SURFPATCH at the command prompt.
Command: SURFPATCH

Offsetting Surfaces
Creates a parallel surface at a specified distance from the original surface.

1. Type SURFOFFSET at the command prompt.

Command: SURFOFFSET