Architosh recently covered solidThinking Inspired 8.5. Click here to read the In-depth look.
product designCategory Archives
Floating Shapes
One of the latest projects developed by designers Paolo De Lucchi and Emanuele Rodella is certainly an interesting one, from both the design and the modeling point of view.
Modeling a complex object can be challenging but modeling something that, in some way, has no concrete shape – like a cloud – is even more challenging.
In order to develop a shape like one of the new Nèfos lighting systems (pictures below), it was essential to be able to modify the design while trying to achieve the desired result, a shape that could realistically resemble a soft and floating cloud.
Thanks to solidThinking’s Construction History, and how it handles parameter and control points editing, the result was great.
“The challenge was to create the model in a way that could allow us to handle any further variation that would have been required for aesthetical reasons,” said Emanuele Rodella. “We wanted to achieve the same shape control you have with a sculpture, especially for evaluating the whole shape while adjusting each single concave or convex area. I found a method to create a grid shaped structure that gave me the total control over the result, and each piece was dynamically connected to each other through solidThinking’s ConstructionTree. The modeling quality was noticeable, resulting in a smooth and sinuous model. solidThinking helped us a lot to realize this project.”
Nèfos is manufactured by Myyour and will be developed in four sizes and variants.
In the pictures below, designers Emanuele Rodella (on the left) and Paolo De Lucchi with some of his preliminary hand sketches.
solidThinking at the Inno Design Tech Expo in Hong Kong December 2-4, 2010
solidThinking will exhibit at the HKTDC Inno Design Tech Expo in Hong Kong. The HKTDC Inno Design Tech Expo (IDT Expo) is a one-stop platform where visitors from different industries can explore the latest commercial design, brand strategies, applied technology, and related consultancy services. This exhibition is part of the Business of Design Week (BODW) an annual event which brings the best of the global design world to Hong Kong.
Come and meet us at Booth 1AF11/13 in the Trade Hall, Innovation and Applied Technology Pavillion.
Location: Hong Kong Convention& Exhibiton Centre1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong, China
When: December 2-4, 2010
For more information, send an e-mail to: info@solidthinking.com
U.S. Air Force “Rescue Tool” Wins Bronze IDEA (International Design Excellence Award) at the IDSA National Conference
Design and engineering team members from solidThinking and AltairProductDesign are excited to share that their joint submission of a human-powered “rescue tool” designed for use by the U.S. Air Force, has been recognized by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and Fast Company magazine as one of the 2010 most inventive and creative product and product concept designs.
Announced at the recent IDSA National Conference in Portland, Oregon, held from Aug 3-7, the rescue tool (or U.S. Air Force Extrication Tool) was selected as a winner from the highest number of entrants in the competition’s 30-year history. The tool is designed to allow U.S. Air Force search and rescue teams to extricate trapped personnel from damaged or disabled ground vehicles and aircraft without the use of auxiliary power sources. Following extensive user research, the tool is designed to be 30 percent lighter and 15 percent shorter than the tool currently deployed for rescue missions and is meant to be operable by a single rescuer.
When combined, these features not only make rescuers more efficient, but also give them the ability to get to mission locations more quickly and easy because the tool is lighter, smaller and easier to handle.
For additional information, visit the IDSA website at: http://www.idsa.org/content/content1/usaf-extrication-tool
How to Model Video: Modeling a Razor
A new demo showing how to model an electric razor has been added to solidThinking’s YouTube Channel.
See how you can quickly model the razor, change details and perfect its design in complete freedom thanks to solidThinking’s unique ConstructionTree technology.
A Nod to Innovative Design Solutions and ‘Greener’ Mass Transit: BUSolutions
We wanted to share with you a cool application of product design collaboration for the transportation industry from our parent company, Altair. The company’s ProductDesign division recently announced it has officially kicked-off its BUSolutions program to build an advanced bus design to lower transit authority operating costs and further minimize the environmental impact of public transportation.
The project makes extensive use of virtual prototyping and optimization technologies that drive the entire product design process, taking into consideration the needs of transit authorities, bus drivers, riders and the communities within the transit system.
It will deliver a low-floor, heavy-duty bus design that is substantially lighter than those currently available. This means reduced fuel consumption, reduced wear on city streets, longer tire and component life, and reduced noise and pollution; all highly-desirable benefits for communities that are reliant on public transportation.
BUSolutions is a collaborative effort between a number of public and private entities including local Southeast Michigan-based organizations Automation Alley, SMART and the Detroit Department of Transportation; and globally recognized companies Arvin Meritor and Alcoa Howmet among many others.
Altair ProductDesign is now one step closer to the fruition of the project. Fabrication of the bus body structure is currently underway with partner Odyssey Industries.
Final assembly is slated to begin this summer at Altair, so we are looking forward to sharing progress on this project and other innovative design applications from Altair with you.
User Story: Pininfarina Extra – Innovation, Essentiality, and Elegance
Read the story and see the video about the Pininfarina Extra design process and how they use solidThinking.
Set up in 1986 out of a desire to bring Pininfarina design into sectors other than the automotive industry, the roots of Pininfarina Extra identity lie in the cultural and industrial experience it has gained throughout the eighty years the Pininfarina Group has been in the car manufacturing business. Through an elegant and essential style, Pininfarina Extra sets man and his needs at the centre of its design philosophy.
Altair’s HyperWorks Technology Conference 2010
Last week, solidThinking team members had the pleasure of joining over 450 attendees at the 2010 HyperWorks Technology Conference (HTC) in Novi, Michigan, April 27-29.
The annual three-day conference is part of the HyperWorks Technology Conference Global Series put on by our parent company, Altair, and offers sessions on advancements in simulation-driven design practices, design optimization, data management, process automation, cloud computing and decision support systems.
Attendees have access to an extensive PLM technology exhibition, including solidThinking. I had the opportunity to speak during day one of the conference among leaders including Altair founder and CEO Jim Scapa; HyperWorks CTO Dr. Uwe Schramm; Ford Motor Company Vice President of Engineering for Global Product Development Paul Mascarenas; and Porsche General Manager – Virtual Vehicle Christoph Guembel. I was joined onstage by solidThinking Industrial Designer and Product Specialist Darren Chilton, who also later provided a product demo to Jeff Rowe of MCADCafe at the solidThinking exhibition booth.
There was positive dialogue and enthusiasm expressed throughout the conference from attendees, Altair representatives, partners and exhibitors, and we were impressed to present to a standing-room only audience as we shared the benefits of conceptual design technology on product development. We discussed “Getting the Right Design, Getting the Design Right,” focusing on ways industrial designers can leverage advancements in modeling and rendering technologies to enhance the entire product development cycle, including:
1. Exploring more design alternatives and identifying winning designs sooner
2. Considering efficient forms early in the concept phase
3. Managing modifications and improving collaboration with engineering
4. Using rendering for interactive design review and validation
Overall, the HTC provided us with a setting where we could contribute our knowledge and user feedback to a wide audience and share it across many industries. Congratulations to Altair on a successful conference. The HTC Global Series moves now to Japan (June), India (August) and Europe (October).
SV1 Stage Piano from Korg: a Cool Vintage Look
The lastest SV1 Keyboard from Korg is a cool piece of design with a vintage look. The placement and ergonomics of the controls are excellent. A pleasure to play.
Korg has been a solidThinking user since 2005.
For more information, read the Korg case study and DEVELOP3D article featuring Korg and solidThinking.
The designer of the new SV1 is Paolo Capeci of Korg Italy. s.p.a.
Images are courtesy of Korg Italy s.p.a.
