AutoCAD® 2011 & AutoCAD LT® 2011 Bible

Chapter 24. Creating Solids and Editing in 3D

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Drawing basic smooth solids

• Creating extruded solids

• Drawing swept, revolved, and lofted solids

• Creating solids that you draw like polylines

• Manipulating solids directly

• Selecting sub-objects

• Creating mesh shapes

• Creating complex solids

• Sectioning and slicing solids

• Using editing commands in 3D

• Editing solids

• Determining solid properties

Although you can create great-looking models with surfaces, if you want truly realistic models, you need to create solids. After all, in real life, objects have solidity. Even a thin object such as a wastepaper basket or a drape has some thickness. Solids enable you to create more realistic models than surfaces. You can also combine or subtract solids and get information about their physical properties. Figure 24.1 shows a complex model created using solids.

Note

AutoCAD LT doesn't draw solids. For the 3D capabilities of AutoCAD LT, see Chapters 21 and 22.

As I explain in Chapter 21, when working in 3D, you should use a 3D environment. This includes the following items:

• The 3D Modeling workspace, which you choose from the Workspace drop-down list on the Quick Access Toolbar in the upper-left corner of the screen. (I explain how to customize workspaces in Appendix A.)

Note

A new 3D Basics workspace is available in AutoCAD for simple 3D work.

• The acad3d.dwt template (or acadiso3d.dwt or similar template) that turns on perspective view, the grid, and the Realistic or other 3D visual style. (I cover visual styles ...