3D Studio Max Locomotive Tutorial

1. Lines and arcs

The first thing you need to do is create a line to represent the main railing. Go to the "Create" tab and then the "Shapes" sub-tab and select line. Expand the "Keyboard Entry" rollout and enter the following co-ordinates. Click the "Create" button after each set.

Next we need to add an arc to the end of the line. Select "Arc" from the "Shapes" sub-tab and enter the following dimensions in the "Keyboard Entry" rollout..

Once you have entered the above dimensions expand the "Interpolation" rollout and chang the "Steps" to 0 and then click the "Create" button and an arc should be created at the end of the first line.

Now we need to create another line. This time enter the following dimensions .

Select the line and rotate it 60 degrees in the "Z" co-ordinates. Now using the "Osnap" select the end of the line and drag it to the end of the arc. Create another arc with the same dimensions as the first arc either by entering in the co-ordinates or by using the "Shift" "Move" copying method. Now change the "To" setting to 90.0 . Now we need to rotate the arc into the correct plane. Firstly select the "Rotate" tool and rotate the arc -90 degrees in the "Y" co-ordinates. Now that we have the arc up the correct way we need to rotate it again to get it in line with the second line but to do this we need to change the pivot point of the line otherwise when we enter the second rotation value, 3ds will calculate a value in between and that is not what we want to achieve. Go to the "Hierarchy" tab and select the "Affect Pivot Only" button. Now make sure that you have both the second arc and the "Rotate" tool selected and replace the -90.0 in the "Y" co-ordinates with 0.0. Uncheck the "Affect Pivot Only" button by clicking on it again. Now rotate the arc again but this time in the "Z" co-ordinates and rotate it 60 degrees. Use the "Osnap selection tool to move the arc into place at the end of the second line.

Now create another line using the following dimensions

Select the line using the "Osnap" and drag it into location at the end of the second arc.

Figure 1 Interpolation settings

Figure 2 Keyboard entry settings for the first arc

Figure 3 1st arc correctly located at end of line

Figure 4 2nd arc correctly located at end of 2nd line

Now we need to create two arc and a line to create the stepped in effect of the handrail. Create the arcs with the following dimensions

To create the line we can use the "Osnap" tool to select each end of the arcs. Select the "Line" tool and place the cursor over the end of one arc and when the "Osnap" selection box appears click the left moue button. Move the cursor to the end of the other arc and left click again when the selection box appears. To terminate the line creation press the right mouse button. Now that we have the step-in created we need to rotate it into location but before we do this we need to attach it all together. Select the line and in the "Modify" tab, "Geometry" rollout select the "Attach" button and attach the two arcs. Now click on the "Select and Rotate" button and you will notice that the "Z" co-ordinates reads 45 degrees. We need to change this to 0 using the "Adjust Pivot" under the "Hierarchy" tab. After you have reset the pivot to zero rotate the spline -90 degrees in the "X" co-ordinate. Then using the "Osnap" selection box select and move the spline to the end of the handrail spline.

Figure 5 Arcs and line correctly located

Figure 6 Step-in located at the correct location

Now we need to create another line at the bottom of the step-in. Create a line with the following dimensions.

Select and move it to the end of the step-in spline.

Finally create another arc using the following dimensions.

Rotate the arc -90 in the "Y" co-ordinates box and select and move the arc to the end of the last line.

Figure 7 Finished spline NOTE Image has been rotated 90 degrees for clarity

2. Loft tool

Before using the "Loft" tool we need to attach and weld the splines together and create a "Shape" for the "Loft" tool to use. Select the first line that we created and change to the "Modify" tab. Expand the "Geometry" rollout and select the "Attach" button. Place the cursor over the next arc and the cursor will change to a + with four circles. This indicates that the object is a suitable object to attach to the line. Left click on it and continue with the rest of the handrail. Now that we have the handrail spline attached we need to weld the vertices of the various pieces together. If we do not weld them, then when we select the "Loft" command we will not be able to use the spline as a path. Select the "Vertex" sub-object and drag a selection box over the join of the first line and the first arc then in the "Geometry" rollout select the "Weld" button. (You may have to scroll down the list to find the weld button) Repeat this procedure for all the joins between the lines and arcs.

Once you have welded all the shapes together return to the "Create" tab and the "Shapes" sub-tab. Select the "NGon" button and create an NGon with 6 Sides and a radius of 0.02. Make sure the corner radius is set to 0. Once you have completed that go to the "Create" tab and the "Geometry" sub-tab. From the drop down list select "Compound Objects" and then ensure that the handrail spline is selected and click on the "Loft" button. You should then be presented with the screen shown in figure 9. Under the "Creation Method" rollout you will notice the buttons "Get Path" and "Get Shape". As we have already selected the HandRail spline we already have a path so we can click on the "Get Shape" button. Click on the "NGon" that you created earlier and you should have a 6 sided hand rail. If the "Get Shape" button is grayed out then you have not welded all the vertices together.

3. Customizing the handrail loft

Now that the handrail has been lofted we need to tweak the settings a little to remove some polygons. Open up the "Skin Parameters" rollout and deselect the "Cap End" checkbox. In the "Options" section change the "Shape Steps" and the "Path Steps" to 0.

Once you have changed the loft settings convert the HandRail to an "Editable Mesh" and add a "Smooth" modifier to the stack. Select "Auto Smooth" and change the "Threshold" to 100.

4. Adding the HandRail supports

Now that the HandRail is in location we can create the supports or posts. Create a box with the following dimensions.

Convert the box to an "Editable Mesh" and using the "Polygon" sub-object select and delete the polygons form the top of the box. Now move the box into the following location

With the Support1 still selected go to the "Tools" menu and select "Array". In the "Incremental" section change the "Y" value of the "Move" parameter to 0.95m. In the "Array Dimension" change the count to 6 and click on "OK". You should now have 6 supports at 0.95m apart. Select the handrail and attach all the support to the HandRail.

5. Texturing the HandRail

Open up the "Material Editor" and drag the Main_01 texture onto the HandRail. Add an "Unwrap UVW" modifier to the stack of the HandRail and use the "Select Faces" sub-object to select the top length of rail. Click on the "Planar Map" button. Now select the rest of the handrail and again click on the "Planar Map" button. Now that we have a flat shape in the "Edit UVW's window we need to relocate the textures to the locations shown in figures 12 and 13.

Figure 12 Handrail mapping locations

Figure 13 Support mapping locations

Mostly it is useful to have the HandRails mapped to separate textures so select the newly created right HandRail01 and open up the "Edit UVW's" window. Select and move the mapping to the unused green portions of the texture.

NOTE: Due to the limited time and space available for these tutorials I will not be detailing the creation of the other six handrails. However the tools and methods used in this tutorial can also be used to create the other handrails.

You have now successfully created and textured the Hand Rails for a locomotive.

Chapter 10

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