British sports car manufacturer, Morgan Motor Company, is using Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Showcase and Autodesk 3ds Max software from AutoCAD Design Suite Ultimate to help accelerate the time to market for new car models. In addition to going from sketches of its new three-Wheeler model to first production in just five months, the visualisation software has helped the company to meet early deadlines for marketing material before the car was actually produced.
Prior to the use of the Autodesk software, 2D sketches were interpreted by eye into panel-beaten aluminium bodies. This was a time consuming process that required high skill, while providing little margin for in-process evolution. Concept ideas can now quickly be translated into 3D digital prototypes and then into actual concept cars. Visualised using Autodesk Showcase and Autodesk 3ds Max software, designs can be evaluated and refined until the design is well-established. The surface data is then five-axis machined directly from the Alias data. Once painted and scanned, this model enables further evaluation and adjustment to be made in Alias software.
