Rhino 2.0 Features

Rhino can create, edit, analyze, and translate NURBS* curves, surfaces, and solids in Windows. There are no limits on complexity, degree, or size. Rhino also supports polygon meshes. Special features include:

Uninhibited free-form 3-D modeling tools like those found only in products costing 20 to 50 times more. Model any shape you can imagine.

Accuracy needed to design, prototype, engineer, analyze, and manufacture anything from an airplane to jewelry.

Compatibility with all your other design, drafting, CAM, engineering, analysis, rendering, animation, and illustration software.

Accessible. So easy to learn and use that you can focus on design and visualization without being distracted by the software.

Fast, even on an ordinary laptop computer. No special hardware is needed.

Affordable. Ordinary hardware. Short learning. Priced like other Windows software. No maintenance fees.

System requirements

Rhino runs on ordinary Windows desktop and laptop computers, with:

 • Pentium, Celeron, or higher processor.
 • Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP for Intel or AMD.*
 • 40 MB disk space.
 • 64 MB RAM. More is recommended.
 • IntelliMouse recommended.
 • 3-D digitizer optional.

*Rhino will NOT be ported to any other operating system, but Rhino does run on Apple Macs with Virtual PC

Details (new in 2.0)

User interface: extremely fast 3-D graphics, unlimited viewports, shaded working views, perspective working views, coordinate read-out, named views, pop-up recently-used commands, customizable pop-up commands, synchronize views, camera-based view manipulation, perspective match image, configurable middle mouse button, customizable icons and user workspace, customizable pop-up toolbar, context sensitive right-click menu, Alt key copy, extensive Explorer-like online help, electronic updates, newsgroup support, and a 650-page color manual.

Construction aids: unlimited undo and redo, undo and redo multiple, exact numeric input, units including feet and inches and fractions, .x, .y, .z point filters, object snaps with identifying tag, grid snaps, ortho, planar, named construction planes, next and previous construction planes, orient construction plane on curve, layers, layer filtering, groups, background bitmaps, object hide/show, show selected objects, select by layer, color, object type, last object, and previous selection set, swap hidden objects, object lock/unlock, unlock selected objects, control and edit points on/off, and points off for selected objects.

Create curves: point, line, polyline, polyline on mesh, free-form curve, circle, arc, ellipse, rectangle, polygon, helix, spiral, conic, TrueType text, point interpolation, control points (vertices), sketch.

Create curves from other objects: extend, fillet, chamfer, offset, blend, from 2 views, cross section profiles, intersection, contour on NURBS surface or mesh, section on NURBS surface or mesh, border, silhouette, extract isoparm, projection, pullback, sketch, wireframe, detach trim, 2-D drawings with dimensions and text, flatten developable surfaces, extract points.

Edit curves: control points, edit points, handlebars, smooth, fair, change degree, add/remove knots, add kinks, rebuild, refit, match, simplify, change weight, make periodic, adjust end bulge, adjust seam, orient to edge.

Create surfaces: from 3 or 4 points, from 3 or 4 curves, from planar curves, from network of curves, rectangle, deformable plane, extrude, ribbon, rule, loft with tangency matching, developable, sweep along a path with edge matching, sweep along two rail curves with edge continuity, revolve, rail revolve, blend, patch, drape, point grid, heightfield, fillet, chamfer, offset, plane through points, TrueType and Unicode (double-byte) text.

Edit surfaces: control points, handlebars, change degree, add/remove knots, match, extend, merge, join, untrim, split surface by isoparms, rebuild, shrink, make periodic, Boolean (union, difference, intersection), unroll developable surfaces, array along curve on surface.

Create solids: box, sphere, cylinder, tube, pipe, cone, truncated cone, ellipsoid, torus, extrude planar curve, extrude surface, cap planar holes, join surfaces, TrueType text.

Edit solids: fillet edges, extract surface, Booleans (union, difference, intersection).

Create meshes: from NURBS surfaces, from closed polyline, mesh face, plane, box, cylinder, cone, and sphere.

Edit meshes: explode, join, weld, unify normals, apply to surface, reduce polygons.

Edit tools: cut, copy, paste, delete, delete duplicates, move, rotate, mirror, scale, stretch, align, array, join, trim, split, explode, extend, fillet, chamfer, offset, twist, bend, taper, shear, orient, orient planar object on curve, flow along curve, smooth, project, object properties.

Annotation: arrows, dots, dimensions (horizontal, vertical, aligned, rotated, radial, diameter, angle), text blocks, leaders, hidden line removal, Unicode (double-byte) support for text, dimensions, and notes.

Analysis: point, length, distance, angle, radius, bounding box, normal direction, area, area centroid, area moments, volume, volume centroid, volume moments, curvature graph on curves and surfaces, surface curvature, geometric continuity, deviation, naked edges, nearest point, surface analysis (draft angle, zebra stripe, environment map with surface color blend, Gaussian curvature, mean curvature, and minimum or maximum radius of curvature), hydrostatics.

Rendering: shade, shade (OpenGL), shade selected objects, render (with textures, bumps, highlights, transparency, spotlights with hotspot, angle and direction control, point lights, directional lights, and shadows, and customizable resolution), render preview (OpenGL), render preview selected objects, turntable, BMRT (raytrace and radiosity) user interface, POV (raytrace) user interface, rendering plug-in support, settings saved in file.

File formats supported: DWG/DXF(AutoCAD 2000, 14, 13, and 12 ), SAT (ACIS), X_T (Parasolid), 3DS, LWO, STL, OBJ, AI, RIB, POV, UDO, VRML, BMP, TGA, JPG, CSV (export properties and hydrostatics), uncompressed TIFF, STEP, VDA, GHS, SLC, Deep Paint 3D.

IGES (Alias, Ashlar Vellum, AutoFORM, AutoShip, Breault, CADCEUS, CAMSoft, CATIA, Cosmos, Delcam, EdgeCAM, FastSurf, FastSHIP, Integrity Ware, IronCAD, LUSAS, Maya, MAX 3.0, MasterCAM, ME30, Mechanical Desktop, Microstation, NuGraf, OptiCAD, Pro/E, SDRC I-DEAS, Softimage, Solid Edge, SolidWorks, SUM3D, SURFCAM, TeKSoft, Unigraphics), NASA GridTool, Yamaha ESPRi, Tebis.

File management: Notes, templates, merge files, export selected objects, save small, incremental save, bitmap file preview, Rhino file preview, export with origin point, file compression for meshes and preview image.

Workgroup License Manager

Plug-ins: programmer's I/O tool kit with source code is available on openNURBS web site, rendering plug-in support.

Scripting: VBScript and JScript support.

3-D digitizing support: MicroScribe 3D and FaroArm.

Input devices: Support for SpaceTec SpaceBall and LogiCad SpaceMouse.

*NURBS, Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines, are mathematical representations of 3-D geometry that can accurately describe any shape from a simple 2-D line, circle, arc, or curve to the most complex 3-D organic free-form surface or solid. Because of their flexibility and accuracy, NURBS models can be used in any process from illustration and animation to manufacturing.