Maxsurf Pro 14 Tutorial

Charles Dorger September 27, 2009

This tutorial will introduce the Naval Architecture design software of Maxsurf. Maxsurf is also the portal that you will use to get your design into the other Maxsurf applications. This tutorial only includes Maxsurf Pro and not Hydromax, or Seakeeper. This tutorial will cover the basics of Maxsurf and some other topics such as creating the lines drawing from the model. First lets start up Maxsurf: Start/All Programs/Courseware Applications/ NA 470/ Maxsurf 14/ MaxsurfPro 14

Or you can simply search for Maxsurf in the Vista search bar:

Figure 1: Start Menu Now load your maxsurf le. It should be a .msd le. Lets explore the interface a little bit:

Figure 2: Model Views These buttons are for dierent views (From left to right): 1. 2. 3. 4. Prospective Plan Prole Body

When Maxsurf starts up you should see all the views, but if not you can use these buttons change your window.

Figure 3: Rendered View This button will render the model in the perspective view.

Figure 4: Grid Lines These buttons will turn on the stations, buttock lines and water lines on the grid. We will discuss the grid in a bit.

Figure 5: More Options From left to Right: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Zoom in Zoom out Pan view Home Rotate View List of Objects (useful, if you need to delete anything from Maxsurf)

I believe that covers the immediate useful shortcuts. Lets now check the units and such. First go to Data/ Vessel Type. Be sure that Monohull is selected. Now go to the Data menu:

Figure 6: Data Menu First lets click on Units:

Figure 7: Unit Window Change the selection to t your design needs. In this example, everything will be done in metric units. Now for Data/ Frame of Reference:

Figure 8: Frame of Reference Window We are setting up the grid for the hydrostatics that we will calculate in a minute. First make sure the Vertical Datum (vertical zero point) is on Baseline. Now change your waterline if needed. In the Longitudinal Datum (longitudinal zero point) be sure to have the Forward Perpendicular selected. If you changed the water line, be sure to then select the set to DWL buttons. You will see the prole view picture change. For now I am going to leave these settings alone. 4

Now lets perform some hydrostatics. Go to Data/ Calculate Hydrostatics:

Figure 9: Data Menu You should see this window appear:

Figure 10: Hydrostatics Window Now, enter a VCG if you have one and select recalculate. If you don?t have a VCG be sure to ignore the Gravity dependent terms (ie. GMt). This is a good way to verify that Maxsurf is reading your hull correctly. Nota Bene You can highlight all the rows and copy them into excel. Now, lets transform our model into a dierent size. Go to Data/Parametric Transformation.

Figure 11: Data Menu You should see this window:

Figure 12: Parametric Transformation Window Here you can apply your results from your regression analysis. Be sure to have the items selected that you want to change (block coecient, B, L, T, etc). After you have input your new values be sure hit the search button. It will take a few minutes, but you will see the prole picture change and reect your changes. Nota Bene Be careful if there are multiple surfaces. The transform function might do something strange. In Maxsurf there is an easy way to create the inner hull. Go to Surfaces/Duplicate Surfaces:

Figure 13: Surfaces Menu You should see this menu:

Figure 14: Duplicate Surface Window Be sure to select what you want to duplicate, in this case Hull. Now change your spacing. Be sure to use negative numbers for the Longitudinal and Transverse spacing in order for the inner hull to t inside the outer hull. I would suggest leaving the vertical distance at 0 and moving the inner hull manually in Rhino. Nota Bene You can also make the inner hull in Rhino if you wish. Or, make a more standard rectangular inner bottom in Rhino. Now, for the nal topic of the tutorial: making the lines drawing. It is best NOT to have the duplicate hull when making the lines drawing. First we will want to make the grid. Go to Data/ Design Grid.

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Figure 15: Data Menu You should see this menu:

Figure 16: Grid Window Here you can change the stations, buttocks and waterlines. You can add or remove stations and space them according to your preference. The station spacing window looks like this: 11

Figure 17: Station Spacing Window As you see, you can space the stations in dierent ways. After you set up the grid say OK. You can turn on the waterline, station and buttock lines through the buttons mentioned earlier:

Figure 18: Grid Lines You can change the views and see the lines on your hull:

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Figure 19: Grid Lines Now, a cool feature of Maxsurf is that it will allow you to export these lines to AutoCAD. Go to File/Export/ DXF and IGES.

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Figure 20: File Menu You will see this menu:

Figure 21: Data Export Window You can change the precision and geometry type for cleaner curves when they are imported into AutoCAD. You will want to export all three views as DXF les. You can open these in AutoCAD and develop your lines. In addition, when they are imported into AutoCAD, the lines are all labeled to make the lines process simpler.

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Nota Bene You can also make lines in Rhino using the Contour command, but you will have to sort through the all the curves when they are imported into AutoCAD. Congrats, you can now use Maxsurf Pro 14!

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