When you create any object, 3ds Max records its position, rotation, and scale information in an internal table called a transformation matrix. Subsequent position, rotation, and scale adjustments are called transforms.

Moving, rotating, and scaling a figure

An object's actual position within the world coordinate system is always calculated in relation to its internal, or local coordinate system, which is based on the object's transformation matrix. The origin of the local coordinate system is the center of the object's bounding box.

An object can carry any number of modifiers, but only one set of transforms. Although you can change transform values from frame to frame, each object always has only one position, one rotation, and one scale transform.

You can animate your transforms by turning on the Auto Key button and then performing the transform at any frame other than frame 0. This creates a key for that transform at the current frame.