Even though VisualARQ adds BIM features to Rhino aimed at architectural projects, some of its features can be useful for the marine and ship design industry. These are some of the features that we would like to highlight:
Free-form parametric objects
The option to work with parametric objects, can be useful for some ship and yacht design models, where you can usually need to create curved beams, railings or walls that need to be trimmed or extended to Rhino polysurfaces.
The Grasshopper styles
The Grasshopper styles are those VisualARQ objects driven by Grasshopper definitions. This feature lets you create custom parametric elements. Watch in the video below an example of how a single Grasshopper definition is used to create a parametric seat through a Furniture object style, that can get multiple variations of dimensions in the model.
Quantity take-offs
Since it is possible to create custom parameters and assign it to any piece of geometry, any data stored in a marine design project can be reported in VisualARQ tables. And the parameters of objects driven by Grasshopper definitions can also be listed.
Section tools
With the VisualARQ section attributes, line-weights, hatch patterns, and fill colors can be assigned to any kind of geometry in Rhino when the model is shown in section. And this applies also to ship and yacht design models. In addition, the VisualARQ Section Manager and Level Manager helps you to show the model in plan or section view, and using the Hidden display mode, get the model ready to be printed to vector output and generate the project 2D drawings.
