Amapi 7.5 is Eovia’s 3D modeling application. It’s a powerful tool for modeling specialists, complete with the ability to digitize existing (clay) models using a 3D digitizer like the MicroScribe.

Amapi 7.5 has a well laid out interface. It reminded me of Carrara, but without the many tool drawers. In fact, Amapi does a better job at saving screen real estate by incorporating a method to get rid of palettes: you simply sweep the mouse to the side of the screen and the latest contextual palettes that you opened, disappear.

Amapi is a NURBS and polygon modeler. You can model in both environments. It is also not an island. Formats that can be imported, include 3D Studio, DWG, DXF, Ilustrator 3, WaveFrontObj, and STL (Stereolitography format). Depending on the object’s build (poly or nurbs), you can export into various formats as well, including the import formats and VRML 1/97, and Carrara Studio.

So, the power and integration with other programs is not an issue with Amapi 7.5. The manual is not a big help for those who start with the program. You will definitely need to run through the tutorials if you are new to this program. Luckily, Eovia has created a large number of very good tutorials that are directly accessible from within Amapi itself. The tutorials are movies running in your web browser.

Also, I found the interface using some strange (to me, at least) conventions. For example, to see you model from four different angles, there is no easy short cut available. Drawing a curve is done in two axis at a time. To switch between X/Y and X/Z you must change the viewing position. After a while, and especially if you have watched the guided tours, the working method becomes more logical and intuitive.

Nevertheless, I personally find Maya at least as easy to use, although Maya is of course no modeling software in the strict sense of the word…

That being said, Amapi 7.5 does allow you to create very complex models like a pro.
New in version 7.5 are:

• A Bezier-curve drawing and editing tool. Object design often starts with a sketch. To turn this into curves, Amapi Pro 7.5 now offers an integrated Bezier-curve drawing and editing tool.


• NURBS snapping assistants. Amapi Pro 7.5 provides a full set of advanced NURBS snapping assistants. It allows the designer to get instant and dynamic access to all singular points and directions related to existing curves: extremities, tangents, perpendiculars, intersections, and more.


• The Amapi Pro 7.5’s snapping assistant system is fully dynamic and integrated into all drawing and editing tools.


• NURBS Box Modeling. Box Modeling is a method for creating organic shapes. It previously handled and created only polyhedral models. In the new version you can combine Box Modeling and NURBS representation.


• NURBS variable-radius filleting. This new capability offers more flexibility to create advanced bevels and chamfers along sharp edges of your models.


• Dynamic Geometry Navigator. The dynamic editable construction history enables full access to the object construction tree.


• The Carrara Studio 3 (not 4!) Texturing & Rendering module is included.


• CADance is included as well. This is an important bonus that comes with Amapi Pro 7.5, because it is a full version of CADance. CADance enables Amapi Pro to communicate seamlessly with all major CAD/CAM systems. CADance completes the import / export capabilities of Amapi Pro by reading and writing natively the ACIS/SAT, STEP, VDAFS, OpenNURBS and Open-RP file formats.