Tag: 3ds max plugins for design

Spline Refiner 3ds Max plugin. Always uniform segmentation without losing any detail. Preserves the exact orignal shape and vetices. Spline Refiner is a 3ds Max productivity tool that features a Smart Spline Subdivision solution to get evenly distributed vertices on curves.

General Considerations

Spline Refiner is a 3dsMax productivity tool thought to automate and speed-up the tedious task of subdividing all the segments of a shape manually, trying to achieve a general uniform vertex distribution along the splines.

This is not a normalization tool, like 3dsMax’s Normalize Spline modifier. It’s a Smart Subdividing tool.
The goal of this plugin is to get an even segmentation of the splines while preserving all the original vertices and shape intact.

Since this tool was ment to use at a final stage of the curves edition, it works better when provided with clean shapes, without overlapping vertices or other problematic issues, that may cause undesired results.

Spline Refiner works on any type of shape but will convert the base object to Editable Spline (keeping all the modifiers intact). It supports shapes with modifiers assigned (even geometry builders like Extrude modifier), because it works on the base object level.

The plugin can operate on multiple shapes simultaneosly, fast and efficiently. It takes only a few seconds to process hundreds of splines.

To start working with your selected shapes in Spline Refiner, the first thing we suggest is to turn on ‘Show vertex ticks’ (at the bottom of the plugin’s UI). This way you will be able to see all the changes in segmentation in realtime.

Start trying Spline Refiner and play with the parameters of Equalize Subdivision tool. The following is a description of all the tools in the plugin’s UI.

Equalize Subdivision

This is the key tool of this plugin. It analyzes every segment of the spline/s and, according to the provided parameters, determines the best way to get the most uniform subdivision possible, without altering the existing shape and vertices.

It doesn’t use a fix segmentation value. Instead, it takes an approximate (average) segment length, wich you can choose to be calculated automatically (using the length of the shortest segment in spline) or set a custom value.

If you are working with multiple splines and you want to have a uniform subdivision across all splines, then choose the options shortest seg. and absolute.
If you want the plugin to calculate a specific subdivision for each spline, then choose the options shortest seg. and relative.

The image above clearly shows how the parameters of Equalize Subdivision work. (‘Automatic’ refers to choosing the option ‘shortest seg.‘ as the average segment length.)

Increase Subdivision

This tool divides every segment of the splines in 2 halves, doubling the general segmentation.
The Iterations parameter sets how many times the function will be recursively applied.

The ‘Affect curves only’ checkbox it’s an important feature that affects both Equalize Subdivision and Increase Subdivision functions.
If active, the tools will subdivide only the curved parts and leave straight lines intact. Very powerful feature!

Additional Tools

Optimize Straight Lines (button)
Removes all unnecessary vertices from straight lines. It’s a cleaning tool.
Threshold Angle (spinner): establish the maximum angle allowed between segments for removing vertices.

Make Linear Segments (button)
Convert all segments in selected shapes to linear and vertices to corner type.

Basic Shape Parameters: Spline Interpolation
In this section you can control the basic shape interpolation for all the selected shapes. They are the same parameters you can find in any shape, but here you change them for all the selected shapes simultaneously in a single place.

Show vertex ticks (checkbox)
This option expose all the vertices of the selected shapes on screen. Very useful to see the changes in the segmentation while you apply the subdivision functions.

Undo / Revert Actions

These 2 buttons at the bottom of the UI help you revert the changes you recently made with Spline Refiner.
This is a custom undo system, since 3dsMax does not natively support undo for spline operations.

Undo (icon button): undo the very last action.

Revert Actions: reverts all the changes made with Spline Refiner on the selected shapes since you ran the plugin.

This is a simple yet powerful plugin to speed-up your workflow and make your life easier.

For further information please see Spliner Refiner’s Manual.
If you need help or have any consultations or suggestions to make us, please don’t hesitate to write us through this Contact Form.

Enjoy Spline Refiner!

In this tutorial we will learn how to model some ornaments in 3dsMax with Spiros, based on spirals and torus knot shapes, to make jewelry objects.

First, we’ll see how to create a bracelet with a triangular spiral shaped decoration. Secondly, we’ll learn how to make two different kind of pendants from torus knot shapes.

Before starting, let’s see which are the most common methods in 3dsmax to turn a spline curve into a volumetric mesh:

Make the spline renderable (Editable Spline properties)
Apply a Sweep modifier
Use Loft compound object
Use Path Deform modifier
Extrude Along Spline (tool from Editable Poly)

In this tutorial we use a different method for each of the three cases, but you can use the method that better fit your needs, or the one you are more comfortable with.

Making the bracelet

As you see in the image above, the bracelet’s triangular decoration was made starting with a simple spiral object created with Spiros.

Here’s the process:

1. In 3ds Max, open Spiros and create a spiral shape on the top viewport, with the size you like.

2. At the plugin’s UI, set the following values: Turns = 4.0; Knots = 13; Curve type: Line.

3. Now you will have a triangular spiral. Rotate it so that the triangle points upwards.

4. Edit the spline as shown in the image, to make all the sements perfectly parallel and delete the extra segment on the left.

5. Add a Sweep modifier. Use the built-in section called “Half Round” as the profile shape. This will turn the spline into a volumetric mesh.

6. Adjust the Sweep radius so that the mesh does not overlap itself, until it looks similar to the image.

7. Convert the mesh to Editable Poly to clean the geometry, remove undesired parts and add detail wherever you like.

8. Subdivide the mesh or add tesselation to increase the mesh resolution for applying later deformation.

9. Model the tube for the bracelet.

10. Place the triangular mesh on top of the tube and apply a Bend modifier to make the triangle conform to the tube’s surface.

11. Add any necessary details to finish the bracelet, apply materials and you are done!

Making the pendants

Celtic Knot

The first pendant, a celtic knot similar to a flower with 4 petals, was made the following way:

1. In 3ds Max, open Spiros and create a torus knot shape on the top viewport, with the size you like.

2. At the plugin’s UI, set the following values: Foils = 4; Variant = 2; Star/Ring = 6.

3. Scale down the shape in Z axis to make it flatter.

4. Create a rectangle shape to use as the profile section.

5. Apply an Extrude modifier and make a very tall box, with 100 segments for starting. (The advantage of this method over using the Box primitive, is that you can set the number of height segments to a very high value)

6. Apply a Path Deform (WSM) modifier to the box and pick the torus knot as its path. Press “Move to Path”.

7. Go down in the modifiers stack and adjust the Rectangle dimensions to give the knot mesh a reasonable thickness and proportions.

8. At the Extrude modifier parameters, adjust the Amount and Segments until the knot looks closed and with a nice mesh resolution.

9. Zoom in the part of the mesh where the start and end of the knot meet. You will need to make both ends of the mesh match perfectly.
For that, go to the Path Deform modifier and adjust the Twist amount.

10. With 3dsMax snapshot tool, take a snapshot of the mesh. Then convert it to Editable Poly.
Now you can delete or hide the old mesh and path. You will work with the new object now.

11. Weld the start and end of the mesh. Perform some cleaning if necessary and then model any extra details you desire to finish the pendant.
Apply materials/textures and you are done!

5-Pointed Star

The making of the second pendant, a 5-pointed star (or pentagram), will be explained very briefly because the procedure is very similar to the previous objects.

1. In Spiros, draw a torus knot with the following values: Foils = 5; Knots = 5; Curve type: Line. (or choose 5 Point Star preset from the dropdown list)

Tip: You can make Star shapes with the Torus Knot tool by setting the same number in Foils and Knots, and set the Curve Type to line.

2. At the spline parameters, make it renderable in viewport and renderer. Set the section shape as Rectangular and adjust its dimensions as desired.
Now you have the star mesh.

3. Convert it to Editable Poly. Perform some cleaning and then add the necessary detail to the mesh.

4. Model the ring to complete the pendant and then put both pieces together. Apply materials/textures and you are done!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any doubts or consultations you can leave a comment down here or write us through the Contact form.

Cheers!

Spline Refiner Tutorial: The Basics