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Overview

Characteristics

Rhinoceros is primarily a freeform surface modeler that uses the NURBS mathematical model. Rhinoceros's application architecture and open SDK make it modular and enable a user to customize the interface and create custom commands and menus.

Since version 7, Rhinoceros has improved real-time rendering abilities for improved lighting and shading.

File formats

The Rhinoceros file format (.3DM) is useful for the exchange of NURBS geometry. The Rhino developers started the openNURBS Initiative to provide computer graphics software developers the tools to accurately transfer 3-D geometry between applications. An open-source toolkit, openNURBS includes the 3DM file format specification, documentation, C++ source code libraries and .NET 2.0 assemblies to read and write the file format on supported platforms – Windows, Windows x64, Mac, and Linux.²

Compatibility

Rhinoceros offers compatibility with other software as it supports over 30 CAD file formats for importing and exporting.³

The following CAD or image files are natively supported (without the use of external plug-ins):

The following CAD file formats are supported with use of external plug-ins:⁵

• 3DPDF
• ACIS
• CATIA v4, v5, v6
• CGR
• Inventor
• JT

• Parasolid - import
• PLMXML
• Creo Parametric
• Solid Edge
• Siemens NX

When opening CAD file formats not in its native .3dm file format, Rhinoceros will convert the geometry into its native format; when importing a CAD file, the geometry is added to the current file.

When Autodesk AutoCAD's file format changes (see DWG file format for more information), the Open Design Alliance reverse engineers the file format to allow these files to be loaded by other vendors' software. Rhinoceros's import and export modules are actually plug-ins, so they can be easily updated via a service release. Rhinoceros Service Releases (SR) are frequent and freely downloadable. Rhinoceros 5 SR10 can import and export DWG/DXF file formats up to version 2014.

Scripting and programming

Rhinoceros supports two scripting languages, Rhinoscript (based on VBScript) and Python (v5.0+ and Mac). It also has an SDK and a complete plug-in system.

plugins

Food4Rhino is the main hosting platform for plugins and add-ons for Rhinoceros 3D.⁶⁷

Orca3D

Orca3D is a plug-in for Rhinoceros 3D used in naval architecture. It adds tools for hull, deck, and superstructure modeling. It tests and tracks hydrostatics, stability analysis, computational fluid dynamics, weight and center of gravity. Orca3D is commonly used for designing yachts and commercial vessels and integrates directly with Rhino's modeling environment.⁸⁹

Grasshopper 3D

Grasshopper 3D is a node-based procedural modeling plugin that runs within Rhinoceros 3D, allowing users to create parametric models.¹⁰

VisualARQ

VisualARQ is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) plugin that adds parametric architectural objects, dynamic documentation tools, Grasshopper 3D integration, and IFC import/export for enhanced interoperability with other BIM platforms.¹¹

Jewelry plugins

Matrixgold, Panther 3D, Crayoo¹² are plugins to help in jewellery design for Rhinoceros 3D.

Rendering

See also: List of 3D rendering software

Rhino Render is a built in rendering engine that does real-time rendering in Rhinoceros 3D.¹³

3rd party rendering plugins

• Enscape
• Octane Render
• Maxwell Render
• V-Ray
• Bella Render
• Thea Render¹⁴
• Keyshot
• Maverick Render
• D5 Render¹⁵
• Fluidray
• Iray¹⁶

See also

• Comparison of computer-aided design software
• Computer-aided industrial design
• V-Ray – 3D modeling rendering (computer graphics) engine for Rhino 3D
• List of BIM software
• List of 3D modeling software

External links

• Official website

References

1. "Rhino 3D 6 for Windows and Mac". Novedge.com. Retrieved December 28, 2024. https://novedge.com/products/rhino-3d-6-software-for-windows-and-mac ↩

2. "The file format on supported platforms". Retrieved 2022-05-20. https://aristeksystems.com/blog/3d-modeling-soft-2021/#rhino ↩

3. "Index of import/export file types". Rhinoceros Help. Retrieved May 21, 2020. http://docs.mcneel.com/rhino/5/help/en-us/index.htm#fileio/_index_of_import_export_file_types.htm ↩

4. https://www.rhino3d.com/features/file-formats/ https://www.rhino3d.com/features/file-formats/ ↩

5. Thuilier, Félix. "Rhino plug-ins to convert, import and export files". Retrieved May 21, 2020. https://www.datakit.com/en/conversion-plug-ins/rhino-25.html ↩

6. https://www.asuni.com/portfolio/food4rhino/ https://www.asuni.com/portfolio/food4rhino/ ↩

7. https://www.njoptimal.com/software/food4rhino/ https://www.njoptimal.com/software/food4rhino/ ↩

8. https://www.nosco.com.sg/orca3d/ https://www.nosco.com.sg/orca3d/ ↩

9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daXbHM3-rKg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daXbHM3-rKg ↩

10. https://howtorhino.com/blog/software-for-architects/grasshopper-3d/ https://howtorhino.com/blog/software-for-architects/grasshopper-3d/ ↩

11. https://parametrichouse.com/visualarq/ https://parametrichouse.com/visualarq/ ↩

12. https://www.cadjewelryschool.com/blog/clayoo https://www.cadjewelryschool.com/blog/clayoo ↩

13. https://www.rhino3d.com/features/rendering/ https://www.rhino3d.com/features/rendering/ ↩

14. https://altair.com/newsroom/news-releases/Altair-Increases-Productivity-for-Designers-and-Architects-with-Thea-Render-Version-3-0 https://altair.com/newsroom/news-releases/Altair-Increases-Productivity-for-Designers-and-Architects-with-Thea-Render-Version-3-0 ↩

15. https://www.cgchannel.com/2025/03/d5-render-2-10-adds-real-time-path-tracing/ https://www.cgchannel.com/2025/03/d5-render-2-10-adds-real-time-path-tracing/ ↩

16. https://www.rhino3d.com/features/rendering/ https://www.rhino3d.com/features/rendering/ ↩