Boolean Modifier

The Boolean modifier introduces an intuitive, art-directable workflow that facilitates procedural modeling and interactivity, while producing clean geometric output.

• Modify panel > Make a selection > Modifier List > Object-Space Modifiers > Boolean
• Default menu: Make a selection > Modifiers menu > Parametric Deformers > Boolean

Model provided by: Fausto De Martini

The Boolean Modifier combines objects into a single mesh by performing a boolean operation(s). You can use this modifier to accomplish tasks that are difficult to complete with traditional modeling methods.

Unlike the ProBoolean and Boolean compound objects, the Boolean modifier is located in the Modifier stack, allowing you to model procedurally. This flexibility makes the Boolean modifier the recommended method for performing boolean operations in 3ds Max.

The Add Operands rollout lets you use different operations to combine operands to make shapes that would otherwise be difficult to model using other techniques:

• Union: Unifies the volume of both objects.
• Intersect: Intersects the overlapping volume common to both original objects.
• Subtract: Removes the intersecting volume from the base (originally selected) object.
• Split: Inserts new edges on the base object along the intersection of the operand(s).
• Merge: Intersects and combines two meshes without removing any of the original polygons.
• Attach: Combines multiple objects into one without affecting their topology.
• Insert: Subtracts the bounding shape of Operand B (the newly added operand) from Operand A (the current result), leaving the shape of Operand B unaffected by the operation.

You can use the Operands rollout to edit your operands at any time, previewing changes in your scene in real time. Turn on Manipulate Operands to quickly select operands directly in the viewport instead of using the rollout.

The Options rollout provides controls related to materials and lets you select a boolean method.

The Display rollout lets you control the way Boolean results and operands are displayed in the viewport.

The Create rollout lets you create new objects based on your existing boolean results.

Procedures

The following workflow examples illustrate how to use the Boolean modifier. They highlight the two boolean methods and use parameters from different Boolean modifier rollouts:

• Create a mechanical model using the Boolean Modifier (Mesh method)
• Create a screwdriver using the Boolean Modifier (OpenVDB method)

General tips

Task	Description
Clone an operand	Shift-drag the selected operand in the viewport.
Clone multiple operands	Shift-select multiple operands and then Shift-drag the selection in the viewport.
Resize the Operands list	Use the handle at the bottom of the list to resize it.

Notes

• When using the Boolean modifier, edge seams at the intersection of boolean operations are passed up the stack to be used with other modifiers. In the following example, two spheres have been subtracted from a box. An Edit Poly modifier is applied to the Box. When the Edge sub-object level is enabled, all the boolean edge seams are selected.
  
• Boolean result meshes are saved with the scene file, which makes subsequent loading of boolean scenes faster.

  Note: Ensure that you save your boolean scenes using 3ds Max 2024.1 or newer versions to take advantage of this feature.
• The Boolean modifier supports smoothing groups, specified normals, and explicit normals that exist on input boolean operands. When these types of operands are used in the boolean operations, the smoothing and normal data contained in the operands is processed and included in the boolean result meshes created by the modifier.
  Note: When a mixture of smoothing groups, specified normals, and explicit normals is used, all of the data in the boolean operation is converted to explicit normals.
• Adding operands to the Boolean modifier that create a circular dependency can produce unexpected results.
• You must collapse the Boolean Modifier in the Modifier stack before it can be dragged and dropped to a new location in the stack.