Industrial designers are involved in a creative and innovative process. They need a design tool which allows many ideas and approaches to be investigated quickly. On the fly modifications and "what if" scenarios need to be carried out at pace. Therefore the design environment must be intuitive and unobtrusive. This requires a powerful modeler which is easy to use.
Unlike other systems, with DeskArtes IDS the user does not have to become a computer expert to create complex surface models. The designer can achive optimal results with minimum effort. Other vendors offer CAID products using a technology base which has been primarily developed to meet the needs of animators or engineers. Such tools are not very well suited to the creative process. The tool can often be relegated to the role of data capture and is usually performed by experts, who have mastered the system after many months of trying.
The approach taken by DeskArtes to the modeling dilemma is based on many years of innovative research together with actual designers. The solution is to is to first devise a conceptually simple but powerful methodology and then develop the technology required. Modeling in DeskArtes is based on a "Build and Blend" methodology.
3D surfaces are built from projections curves and cross-sections. Editing curves in two dimensions using a two dimensional display and mouse is much easier than editing surfaces in three dimensions. This approach of describing 3D objects using 2D projections and sections is very familiar to the industrial designer and closely matches the traditional ways of working.
Create more complex objects by using advanced features such as surface trimming and blending. The various blending tools offered by DeskArtes IDS include rolling ball blend, variable radius blend, and free-form (boundary defined) blend. Surface building and skinning from 3D curves, as well as local surface editing tools are also supported as further design tools.
The "Build and Blend" methodology allows the users to model objects far more quickly than with other systems. The conceptual simplicity allows the user to become productive in a fraction of the time that would be required with other systems.
The modeling methodology further allows the user to create products which are manufacturable. The design can then be transferred directly to CAD/CAM systems for manufacture, or Rapid Prototyping.
The user can very quickly visualize the design by fast shading. The GL Shading functions allow the user to rotate, clip and move the model, as well as change the lighting conditions in real-time. Also advanced rendering techniques are supported in fast shading, such as texturing, environment mapping, colored spot lights, etc.
The graphical scene editor can be interactively used to define exactly the view and lighting required. Surface materials can be interactively defined, or chosen from a material library. Texture mapping techniques are used to map logos, labels, graphics and bumps onto the surfaces. The texture placement is defined simply by pointing at the surfaces with the cursor. DeskArtes also includes a painting program for creation of the 2D graphics and retouching of images.
Final presentation images are produced using ray tracing, with true shadows, reflections and transparency. The ray tracer is fast even on entry-level workstations. Further time is saved by interactively previewing the image. Within a few seconds a recognisable view is obtained, and the rest can be processed in background.
TIFF, BMP, Sun Rasterfile and PostScript file formats are used to exchange image data with DTP, imaging systems, scanners and printers.
The quality of the ray traced images is as good as a photo! Have a look at the some examples in the DeskArtes Examples Gallery.
DeskArtes IDS provides reliable and robust data transfer to and from other CAD/CAM systems. The Modeler supports DXF format to communicate with 2D Drafting systems. Curves which have been generated using 2D CAD systems can be imported and used to build 3D surfaces. Alternatively, 3D models produced by DeskArtes can be sliced two dimensionally and exported to 2D CAD systems for the preparation of engineering drawings.
CAD/CAM Links supports data transfer using the VDA-FS and IGES standards. Being polynomial B-spline/Bezier based, there is never any loss of accuracy when exporting geometric data to other systems. NURBS and high degree surfaces from other systems can be imported into DeskArtes IDS with any user supplied accuracy.
Rapid Links supports data transfer to rapid prototyping machines by means of the STL format. However Rapid Links is far more than just a format convertor. The model is first triangulated in an optimal manner. Gaps and overlaps in the model are identified and corrected. Illegal intersections and incorrect topology are reported.
These features allow Rapid Links to produce correct STL files from good geometry, a capability other systems have great difficulty in matching.
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DeskArtes Oy develops and commercializes world-class software products for designers, engineers, model makers, marketing and others involved in new product development.
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