Electrical Appliances in Rhino 3D & Grasshopper

Electrical Appliances (Hand Blender) in Rhino 3D & Grasshopper.

Welcome to a detailed tutorial where we delve into modeling a hand blender using Rhinoceros 3D and texturing it with Grasshopper. This guide is ideal for anyone looking to enhance their 3D modeling skills and add complex, organic shapes like electrical appliances to their portfolio.

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Rhinoceros User Webinar in Collaboration with McNeel Associates.

Unlike CAD programs such as Fusion 360 or Solidworks, Rhino specializes in freeform surface modeling, providing the flexibility needed for intricate designs.

Step 1: Importing Image and Drawing Primary Curves

Start by importing reference images in both side and front views. Use these to draw primary curves with a Degree 3 NURBS curve, ensuring multi spans to maintain curvature flow. Inspired by Alias's 10 Golden Rules for surface modeling, these curves will act as our "U" direction curves for the network surface command.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/ALIAS/2022/ENU/?guid=GUID-21501AEB-9E7A-4F9F-A0B3-0A4B3431B9BD

Step 2: Creating Cross Section Curves

Utilize the CSec command to generate cross-sectional curves along the previously drawn "U" direction curves. This step also involves manually creating three circles at the bottom to maintain a cylindrical shape, forming our "V" direction curves.

Step 3: Generating Network Surfaces

Apply the network surface command to create an approximate surface from the input curves. Use a loose tolerance (around 1 mm) to keep the surface manageable and editable. Cap the surface afterwards to convert it into a solid polysurface.

Step 4: Holder Split

Create a holder split by designing a revolved profile with a polyline curve. Offset this curve to introduce a gap for the coupling mechanism, then use Boolean split to separate the model into two pieces.

Step 5: Front Cutout for Button Interface

Sketch a side profile curve and intersect it with the main solid to create a cutout for button interfaces.

Step 6: Add Buttons

Use two circles projected onto the surface, offset these, and intersect again to form the button.

Step 7: Shelling and Adding Parting Line

Shell the solid geometry to create a hollow inside and add a parting line at the midsection. Split the geometry into two parts and add fillets to smooth out sharp edges.

Step 8: Blade and Bottom Mechanism

Design the blade protector and revolving mechanism using a series of curves. Create a domed shape with boolean operations to incorporate holes for liquid entry and assemble the blade by extruding its outline.

Step 9: Applying Textures in Grasshopper

Explode the polysurface and import it into Grasshopper. Use surface frames to generate perpendicular planes and apply cylindrical extrusions. Implement attractor points to modulate the texture's fading effect and manage duplicates with the flip matrix and cull index commands before baking the final texture into Rhino.

Step 10: Final Assembly

Reassemble all individual components within Rhino, assigning layers and colors appropriately. Ensure to save your work in Rhino’s format and consider exporting the model for 3D printing or rendering in applications like Keyshot.

Conclusion

This tutorial offers a comprehensive route to mastering the modeling of complex shapes in Rhino and applying dynamic textures in Grasshopper. By following these steps, you not only learn about advanced 3D modeling techniques but also prepare your projects for professional use, whether in presentations, manufacturing, or digital portfolios.

If you're interested in advanced surfacing techniques, solid modeling, or learning the foundations of NURBS curves and surfaces, be sure to check out our Rhinoceros Masterclass. We cover everything from foundational to advanced modeling techniques, including design for manufacturing, ideal for industrial designers aiming to create professional-grade CAD models in Rhino 3D.

Don’t forget to download the resource files and share your results!