MicroStation 3D

Introduction

Are you ready to pass out using basic “heavy” AutoCAD to draw complex 3D objects? Here’s how to revive yourself: try MicroStation.

MicroStation is the flagship CAD platform of Bentley Systems Incorporated (annual revenues: $400 million +) and is a boon to the 3D modeling industry. It’s a powerhouse for drafting 3D objects, in particular objects with complex surfaces.

If creating and editing surfaces with AutoCAD can be likened to creating fire by rubbing two stones together, achieving the same goal with Microstation is like lighting a match.

That is because MicroStation has all the tools you’ll ever need to edit minute surface details as well as generate the surface finish of your dreams.

Surface Creation Tool Examples

MicroStation embodies various strategies for creating surface components like using networks, edges, sweeping along traces. It has various surface editing options such as trimming, untrimming, blending and for integrating.

There’s a tool called “Evaluate Surface” which catches sharp points on smooth surfaces and a tool called “Analyze Curvature” which quantifies the degree of curvature for you to decide whether to change it or leave it be.

MicroStation’s “Accudraw” tool enables you to lock a particular axis while working in 3D workspace.

If an object is incompatible with a particular tool, a symbol warns you so that without proceeding further you can choose an alternate object that is works with the tool.

With MicroStation, to view a particular segment of a 3D drawing, you can use the “Clip Volume” tool. This tool enables to view objects between clipping planes that you define, and is especially useful when you’re designing internal mechanisms.

Objects drawn with MicroStation can be constrained easily and you can fix their degrees of freedom without difficulty.

MicroStation works with both ‘DGN’ and ‘DWG’ drawing files (‘the ‘DWG’ format is what AutoCAD uses), so you can use AutoCAD for basic surface development and refine the surface with advanced MicroStation tools. In addition you can type in several AutoCAD commands and they’ll work just fine.

Conclusion

We’re not paid salesmen for MicroStation, oh no… we’re a company that specializes in drafting CAD for worldwide customers, and every word of what you read here is based on our tens of thousands of hours’ experience in the subject. We use AutoCAD and Microstation, and just had to emote about this or develop a best-in-class migraine.

If 3D modeling is your game (as it is for us), think seriously about MicroStation: Life might just get a whole lot easier!