OK Let's stop the A-surface software battles.
It keeps coming to my attention that a certain software is better at doing class-A surface than an another. Let's quit the BS. 4 things make class-A surface. Now throw in parametrics and you have compounded your modification time and effort to make improvments.
1. Position tolerance. .001 will go into any system like flowing water. (V5, NX, Pro-E, Ideas) or any other software.
2. Tangency. The angle between 2 main surfaces can always be .000 degrees. Fillets can go up to 0.1 degrees without any amount of quality loss..
3. Continuous curvature. The radius value between surfaces end and start with the same radius number. If a surface ends with a radius value of 150r and the next surface starts with 150r your curvature green light is on. You should only consider hitting the G3 deliverable if it is exterior panels and even then not always required if you have nailed great highlights.
4 . Highlights, Pureness, and Killer shading in all views will finish it off. What you see is what you get. (WYSIWYG). If you can see impurities in the shaded surface on the monitor it will be in the part. Remove the glare of a bright hot spot if it is too bright. Don't consider it a "shading issue". If it looks like the surface can improve............ it can. When it looks perfect it is.
If you do not understand how control point movement effects A surface get with an expert and ask questions until it is clear.
I just heard another company that is "benchmarking the software". Give the designer some credit. They can all deliver.
Peace on and may your Curvature be Continuous.
Sean Halpin 21st year as a small business owner. 586-243-2240
Experienced Digital Modeller - ICEM Surf
8yRight again Sean - adjusted for inflation we are on less than we were 20 years ago at JLR and the process seems a lot slower since the 'invention' of CAS. Don't get me wrong this isn't a pop at our Alias buddies but they aren't doing anything we can't do and vice-versa. I still can't get head around the need for 2 systems. If the clay is built with the engineering factored in then either system could get on with it.
Chief designer at Halpin Solutions since 2001
8yYou know who you are, the leaders in the Class-A world I give the software some credit but not enough goes to you all. We are delivering 200X the amount of work we did 10 years ago.... That's funny the pay rates for your skills are down since then. How did that happen? Quality and speed are not being rewarded relative to the volume of data we each create. How do we swing the pendulum the other way? Pound for pound no studio kicks it out like the Polaris team. I have not seen the volume of data released man for man pound for pound anywhere in the country!!!
Senior Staff CAID Specialist at Polaris Inc. RETIRED
8yWhen I worked for ICEM and was demonstrating the software to prospective clients I would tell them there are a lot of software packages that can do class "A" surfacing. Then I would ask how long do you want it to take? For me ICEM Surf is the fastest way for me to create class "A" surfaces. So use the tool that allows you to get what you want quickly.
CAD Mechanical Design Engineer | Studio Engineer | Vehicle Package Engineer | Design Perceived Quality
8yClass A on the right way.
Senior Exterior CAS/ Class “A” modeler - Ford South America
8yCommon sense!