Rhinoceros

Technical manuals can be challenging to write. The author needs to be an expert on the subject at hand. He also needs to know how to communicate the concept while engaging the student and keeping him interested. Michiel Van der Kley is such a writer and educator. He is a professional designer who works with Rhino daily. Additionally, he teaches Rhino in the classroom environment. A one-two punch combination if you will. If you are new to Rhino and want to find a book that will give you a quick start in all of the basics, this is your best bet. There are several books on Rhino out there. I have a few of them. Working with Rhinoceros 4.0 has the most concise method to help the budding Rhino user to get up and running quickly. Each chapter contains tutorials that will reinforce what you are learning. These are not just widgets but objects that could be very similar to real life models that are designed and manufactured today and tomorrow. What I really like about this book is that the author doesn't just show you what to do in order to make a part correctly the first time. He will have you create a part and save it. He will then have you create the same part using different methods than the first. You'll find yourself working with these same parts and adding them to other parts throughout the book. You will learn how to create sub-assembly components. You can then copy them onto another model for the main assembly model. This continually reinforces the earlier lessons by bringing these parts back again and again. You will find 'Do' chapters, which are longer format tutorials. They will help you to grasp the principles of designing with Rhino, making real world objects at the same time. Editing of solids and UDT (Universal Deformation Tools)are covered among many other topics. You'll work with Booleans, which are also available in several parametric modelers such as SolidWorks and Pro Engineer. Van der Kley also teaches scripting in full detail whereas other books simply gloss over this important skill that adds more functionality to Rhino. You will make a multi-function Trash command button. Lighting, rendering, and materials are also covered with good detail. The three go together like peas in a pod and will help in making your model presentations look more realistic and inviting to the stakeholders involved with your projects. I am giving this book a 5 star rating for several reasons: 1. Of all of the Rhino books and manuals that I have read, this book brought me up to speed using Rhino faster than any other. 2. The book engages the reader and keeps him interested. Another author could bore the reader. This could lead to frustration in learning the application thus taking longer to learn how to work with the program. 3. This book shows the user how to make real world parts and assemblies. 4. While this book does not cover every single command in Rhino, it covers the most common commands, functions, features, and teaches some design in the process. The author really does cover a lot of material here. After working with this book, I am much more comfortable creating product designs for my customers with Rhino. Learning Rhino is congruent with learning an instrument. One needs to continually practice in order to develop strong skills and continue improvement. I would suggest after working with Van der Kley's book that budding Rhino users look into working with additional tutorials. McNeel and James Carruthers of Hydraulic Design both offer some outstanding tutorials. The McNeel Rhino tutorials come with the program. James offers his Form VS. Shape tutorials online at: http://www.hydraulicdesign.net/. The Form vs. Shape tutorials are advanced so make sure that you've spent some time learning the basics of Rhino first.

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