The Chamfer modifier lets you add edges procedurally to specific parts of an object with an option for generating quadrilateral output. It can be applied at all sub-object levels and is typically used for rounding off sharp corners, but can be applied in other situations where additional mesh resolution is required.
The Chamfer modifier also provides an expanded feature set over chamfer functions built into objects such as editable poly, including a range of input and output options.
Example Part 1: Create an object to chamfer:
- Create a Box primitive. Use these creation parameters:
- Length: 60.0
- Width: 100.0
- Height: 12.0
- Length Segs: 3
- Width Segs: 3
- Height Segs: 1
- Convert the box to editable poly format.
- In the modifier stack, click the + icon next to the Editable Poly entry to expand the sub-object hierarchy, then click the Edge item to activate the Edge sub-object level.
- Double-click an internal edge to select the loop and move it close to the outside of the box.
- Repeat this process for the three remaining inside-edge loops.
- Go to the Polygon sub-object level, select the inside polygon on the top of the box, and extrude it inward about 10 units. Exit Extrude mode.
Note: 3ds Max provides various methods for achieving a result similar to this, but this one is particularly apt for examining the Chamfer modifier options.In the next step you'll select sub-objects at two different levels to see some of the different options available with the Chamfer modifiers Selection settings.
- Still at the Polygon level, select the four vertical inside polygons. Then go to the Edge sub-object level and select the four inner edges at the top of the box.
To demonstrate the most important Chamfer modifier features, you'll create a simple tray-like object.
Example Part 2: Apply the Chamfer modifier and change settings:
- From the Modifier List on the Modify panel, choose Object-Space Modifiers
Chamfer.
This applies the Chamfer modifier to the object and opens its settings: the Chamfer rollout on the Modify panel.
- Access the Edge sub-object level, if it's not already active, and apply the Chamfer modifier from the Modifier List on the Modify panel. Zoom in on a corner to get a better look at the results.
As you can see, the four edges have been chamfered, and the new polygons at the corners are all quadrilateral. This output is the result of the default Operation setting: Quad Chamfer.
- On the Chamfer rollout, set Amount to
2.0.
This enlarges the chamfer, making it easier to see the results of subsequent operations.
- On the Chamfer rollout, set Operation to Standard Chamfer.
The new polygons at the corners are now triangles. In general, when modeling with polygons, triangles can lead to unpredictable results, so it's best to stick to quads whenever possible.
The current result is a classic chamfer, which replicates a traditional real-world flat chamfer, achieved by sanding or planing off the sharp corner of a wood object to produce a transition between two sides. With the Chamfer modifier, you can easily produce variations on this effect.
- Set Operation back to Quad Chamfer, then drag the Tension spinner slowly downward to 0.0 while keeping an eye on the chamfered corner.
The lower the Tension setting, the more the chamfered area bulges outward, until it's a sharp corner at 0.0. If you're going for a more rounded chamfer, it's better to use a higher Tension value.
- Set Tension to
0.7 and increase Segments to
3.
This produces a nicely rounded chamfer, with a smooth transition between the adjacent surfaces.
- To compare this result with the legacy chamfer method, set Operation back to Standard Chamfer for a moment.
As you can see, the chamfered area is flat again, and there is no deformation. In fact, deformation isn't possible, because the Tension setting is not available with Standard Chamfer.
- Go back to Quad Chamfer operation, then take a look at the Selection drop-down list.
Currently Selection is set to From Stack, which means that the chamfer is applied to whatever selection exists at the active sub-object level of the object to which the modifier is applied. But what happens if no sub-object level is active?
- In the modifier stack, click the Editable Poly item.
The stack display updates to show that the Edge level is active.
- Make sure the Show End Result toggle below the stack is on (
) and click either the Edge or the Editable Poly item in the stack display.
This sets the object to Object level, with the result that the chamfering is applied to every edge. This is standard behavior.
Although Edge is no longer the active sub-object level on the stack, the edge selection still exists and is available to Chamfer.
- On the modifier stack, click the Chamfer entry, then set Selection to Selected Edges.
The chamfering is once again limited to the edge selection.
The face selection you made earlier is also available to Chamfer. Next you'll look at a couple of Selection options that leverage that selection.
- Set Selection to Selected Face Edges.
This applies the chamfering to all edges of the polygon selection on the stack, including the "inside" edges between adjacent selected polygons. This produces chamfering of the inner vertical edges.
If you prefer to chamfer only the inner horizontal edges, you can use a different option.
- Set Selection to Selected Faces Border.
A border comprises only edges on the perimeter of each contiguous polygon selection. So with the Selected Faces Border option, interior edges such as the vertical corners are not chamfered.
- To learn more about Chamfer, experiment with the remaining settings. These are all explained in the Chamfer Modifier Reference topic.
Now that you've created the object to chamfer, you'll explore some of the Chamfer modifier options. This procedure continues from the preceding one.