68k 3D Modeling Tools?

[PotatoFi]

I thought it would be kinda fun to find a 3D modeling tool for my 68k Macs (target would be my SE FDHD, running System 7 with 4 MB of RAM), and attempt to model up something and 3D print it. I'm not familiar with what CAD tools were common/popular back then. Any recommendations?

 

[benlong200]

Strata Studio Pro, Ray Dream Designer, Infini-D, form•Z (high-end solid modeler), Electric Image Animation System (for animation and rendering), ArchiCAD, Hash Animation Master

Those are the ones that come to mind. 

There are a number of shots in the Star Wars prequel that were modeled and rendered at ILM by the "rebel Mac team." form•Z and Electric Image were the main tools for them. (See also Galaxy Quest, Men in Black, lots of Star Trek movies, etc. etc.)

The problem you're gonna have is getting the data out in any form that you can move into any modern application. The only "interchange" format at the time was DXF, which wasn't great.

 

[PotatoFi]

Thanks for the info! I've decided to table this one for now, but if I get a chance to play with any modeling tools, I will definitely report back.

 

[cheesestraws]

How cool would it be to 3D print parts for a b&w compact mac that were designed on that mac?

 

[PotatoFi]

How cool would it be to 3D print parts for a b&w compact mac that were designed on that mac?

Insanely cool. What's hilarious is that a B&W compact Mac would also probably have the horsepower to be a "print host", e.g. stream GCODE to a printer. It's technically done through a serial connection.

 

[beachycove]

Does anyone happen to know whether panels can be unfolded to 2D representation in any of the software options?

 

[benlong200]

As far as I can recall, form•Z was the only thing I ever saw with unfolding features. I never did much with CAD offerings, though, so I don't know what was on that end.

For building stuff for 3D print, I think a big limitation of things like Strata, InfiniD, and Ray Dream is gonna be lack of precision.

 

[Scott Baret]

I'm curious if Claris CAD would have anything that would be able to do this. I'm not sure how high-end it was, but it always intrigued me when I saw it in the Claris catalogs. (At $800 it was a pipe dream, and even now, there's no way I'd spend $800 on a piece of software).

Most of these names are unfamiliar to me, probably because I wasn't in the business of building 3D models back then, but I'd love to see what becomes of the research here.

 

[Frobozz]

Use what Scotty uses when he uses a Mac Plus. It is a time- and whale-saving piece of software: 

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/c/c1/Macintosh_displaying_molecular_design_for_transparent_aluminum.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120415192403&path-prefix=en