by Marius Silaghi·Modeling
Images © Marius Silaghi. Used for product review; image policy.
Earns its place in the ScriptSpot library as a modifier that addresses the self-intersection issues of the standard Shell modifier while preserving surface details.
Shell Pro is a modifier for 3ds Max built by Marius Silaghi that generates a shell around models. Unlike the standard Shell modifier, which produces a lot of self-intersections, Shell Pro creates its shell without causing them, and surface details are preserved very well throughout the process.
Beyond the core shelling, the modifier includes options for chamfering, filleting and beveling the edge of the shell, giving control over how the shell's edge is finished. It is worth noting the developer's stated caveats: global intersections may still occur at high shell thickness values, and the inner and outer shell may intersect on complex geometry such as ears.
Shell Pro supports a broad span of 3ds Max releases, from 3ds Max 2013 through the most recent versions on 64-bit systems. It is one of several modifiers from the same developer, alongside tools such as TurboSmooth Pro, Unwrap Pro and Path Deform Pro. A demo video is available, and the modifier can be found on the developer's page.
Shell Pro is best for 3ds Max artists who need a shell around models without the self-intersections produced by the standard Shell modifier.
Shell Pro is completely free to download and use.
Shell Pro is compatible with 3ds Max 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, with the developer listing support extending through further recent releases. It requires a 64-bit installation. This broad coverage means the modifier can be used across many project pipelines running on both older and current versions of 3ds Max without being tied to a single release.
Shell Pro creates a shell around models without causing self-intersections, whereas the standard Shell modifier produces a lot of self-intersections. Shell Pro also preserves surface details very well and adds options for chamfering, filleting and beveling the edge of the shell. The developer notes that global intersections may still occur at high shell thickness values, and the inner and outer shell may intersect on complex geometry such as ears.
Shell Pro is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing terms and to obtain the modifier, refer to the developer's page at mariussilaghi.com. Shell Pro is one of several modifiers offered by the same developer, alongside tools such as TurboSmooth Pro, Unwrap Pro, Path Deform Pro and Clothify Pro, all available through the same source.
by Atelier Bump
DesignToolBox is a collection of modeling tools for 3ds Max, built to accelerate and simplify basic modeling tasks for architectural models, furniture design, and other work where accurate modeling is needed.
by KSTUDIO
Sweep Profile is a 3ds Max tool from KSTUDIO for building architectural profiles with the Sweep modifier. It ships with pre-made profiles and lets you add your own from the scene or a folder.
by ITOOSOFT
SplineOffset is a modifier for Autodesk 3ds Max that clones and offsets splines, creating multiple clones with incremental offset, translation, and rotation. It works fully non-destructively and can heal overlapping splines.
by Christophe Blattmann
FAST ARCHITECTURE Trial is a procedural mesh object for 3ds Max that generates architectural structures with parameters you can adjust in real time. It creates an FA_Building object usable like any standard 3ds Max object.
by SiNi Software
Scatter by SiNi Software is a free 3ds Max tool for distributing 3D geometry across large surfaces. Add objects, proxies and cache files, then use a distribution map that can place up to one million points.
by Autodesk, Inc.
Explode Geometry is a 3ds Max plug-in that breaks one or more selected scene nodes into individual three- or four-sided faces, with options to add modifiers and refine the resulting geometry.
