A Feast for the Eyes: Class A Surface Modeling
With ICEM Shape Design, surfacing modeling technology leader ICEM brings its expertise to CATIA and sets a new standard for Class A. Users can now work toward the surface quality required for their end products throughout the entire construction and development process within a single system, and without converting or losing data.
Why do premium-class cars look so special? Why do some products come across as “cheap” even though they feature the latest technology? Because the brain processes subliminal information produced by the interaction of form and light.
The technology used to design and produce a smooth surface determines exactly how smooth the surface is. So are these surfaces always perfect? No. Free-form surfaces, edges and curves designed using traditional CAD systems almost always have kinks or rough edges that are often only visible under particular lighting conditions or from certain viewing angles. And they impair the visual appearance of the final product.
If the external surface of a product is perfect in all conditions and in any kind of light – that’s what is known as a Class A surface (Bezier method box). Car manufacturers and suppliers, increasing numbers of aircraft manufacturers and ship builders, yacht builders and industrial designers all use the strengths of ICEM Shape Design for the modeling of Class A surfaces.
In addition to the parallel use of drafts and the high surface quality of the end product in particular, the multiple analysis and modeling functions of ICEM Shape Design are crucial features for the end user. If the geometry of the surface changes while working with ICEM Shape Design, the consequences of the change are directly visible via advanced diagnosis capabilities. The surface modeler receives notification in real time about the quality and the visual appearance of the surface. An example of this kind of diagnosis can be found in lighting studies with different settings for the definition of the light source, reflectivity, and the positioning of highlights.
Class A Surfaces in CATIA: The Right Shape from the Start
With ICEM Shape Design, designers can develop their initial ideas in free-form on a computer. They can also develop data models from 3D scans or earlier drafts. The modeler can then adjust these drafts in their CAD system using “handles.”
Data models for subsequent stages in the engineering process can be used at any time. Changes in the surface model can be made at any point in the design process and are then available in CATIA, thanks to associative geometry.
Designers and developers that define their products largely through product design and an aesthetically pleasing appearance would not usually consider using a separate Class A surface modeling system. With ICEM Shape Design, the technologically leading solution for the calculation of the required Bezier surfaces is now available to CATIA users.
For more information: http://www.icem.com/
Bezier method
A recognized method for the rendering of Class A surfaces can be found in the use of Bezier mathematics. The algorithms developed by Bezier enable the rendering of free-form curved surfaces – Class A surfaces – and extend to the rendering of free-form curved lines (NURBS mathematics) that are the foundation of most CAD surface systems.
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