Alias as a second tool

[kmarencswp]

We also have a seat of Alias at our company and would like to know how others are using Alias and the geometry coming out of it to SW. Right now we are using it as a powerful sketcher. ID makes a model and we (engineers) remodel the shape to make changes to the shape. Those changes would be height width changes. This is concurrent work with ID. Does anyone do it different? Has anyone found that having ID wait until the very end to make their cover fit the interior? TIA

KMaren

 

[PlasticFantastic]

I know Symbol manually creates outer surfaces with CV pulling and sends that in to Engineering.

We use ID surfaces either as an underlay or in a crunch, if the designer is good direct harvest from the model into UG NX 2. We are slowl adding more SWx seats.

I know Of Iders user with Rhino/Solidworks for manual CV pulling.

Hmm- cant height width changes be done in Photoshop?

 

[Theophilus]

I'm an industrial designer and work completely within SolidWorks to avoid a lot of wasted time. Something like Alias would be great (and to a lesser extent, Rhino), but I wouldn't want to hassle with the output from those applications in trying to perform the rest of the plastic part design. From what I've experienced, SolidWorks is much more efficient with the back-side engineering.

Speaking of which, I'd recommend you get the ID done before the engineering arrangements. Often the subassemblies within a given product can be rearranged to fit the "skin". Also, the skin is the face of your product. (Why did the Edsel fail so miserably? It wasn't the engineering.) A good ID person will give not only a lasting appeal to a product, but also an intuitive interface--expanding the product's usefulness.

I often work concurrently with engineer teams as a ghost designer--especially for companies who know little or nothing about industrial design. We often start with the "look" of the product and work to get everything to fit. Of course, the industrial designer needs to have a clue about feasible engineering and manufacturing, or you'll be left merely with pretty pictures and impossible production.


Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reality is no respecter of good intentions.