Autodesk ALIAS SURFACE User manual

Autodesk®
Alias®Surface
Perfect your designs.

2
Master Complex Shapes
Perfect Your Designs
Define inspiring and ergonomic shapes that meet
functional requirements, with the powerful tools in
Autodesk Alias Surface software. Alias Surface helps
you sculpt 3D models to achieve the perfect union
of aesthetics and engineering. Power your creative
process with industry-leading curve-based and di-
rect modeling tools that help you fine-tune designs
in a single software environment, in less time.
Communicate Your Vision
Alias Surface makes it easy to create highly realistic
models. You can shade and light models to com-
municate your design vision more clearly, and
confirm that your surfaces meet exacting standards.
Reviewers can evaluate high-quality imagery that
reflects a range of materials and colors. The result
is quick and confident design-review decisions—
without time-consuming renderings.
Speed Up Processes
When engineering teams need to redo surfaces,
it delays projects and can result in unintended
changes to your models. Alias Surface supports a
highly streamlined workflow that lets you control
design intent further in the product development
process. You can exchange design data with
engineering CAD software, such as Autodesk®
Inventor®, to preserve design integrity. And you
create such high-quality, Class-A surfaces in Alias
Surface that engineering teams don’t need to
recreate them.
Specialized Design Tools
Alias Surface oers a full set of dynamic modeling
capabilities for shape development, refinement, and
control. The software’s functionality helps meet
your requirements for:
• Designmodeling
• Precisionsurfacingmodeling
• Reverseengineering
• Visualizationandcommunication
• Processintegration
• Productiveenvironment
Image courtesy of Daniel Simon, Cosmic Motors
Contents
Design Modeling......................................... 3
Precision Surface Modeling...................... 4
Reverse Engineering................................... 5
VisualizationandCommunication .......... 6
Productive Environment ........................... 7
Process Integration .................................... 8
Autodesk Alias Product Line .................... 9
Learn More or Purchase .......................... 10
Model high-quality production surfaces with speed and control.
Autodesk®Alias®Surface gives you all the advanced surface
creation tools you need to create high-quality surfaces ready for
manufacturing.
Image courtesy of Technicon Design

3
Flexible Modeling
Take advantage of a range of product modeling
techniques to visualize any form. Autodesk®Alias®
Surface combines fast, repeatable curve-based
modeling tools with the ability to directly sculpt 3D
models.
Dynamic Shape Modeling
Experiment with shapes at any stage of the design
process. Quickly manipulate your model, exploring
variations on 3D forms without rebuilding geometry,
or make real-time modifications in design reviews.
Shape objects dynamically with these powerful
tools:
Lattice Rig—Sculpt geometry by manipulating a•
customizable lattice created around an object.
Transformer Rig—Use curves and surfaces as•
controls to modify or constrain portions of
existing geometry.
Bend—Bend geometry using a curve to control•
deformation.
Twist—Twist geometry around a single-axis curve.•
Conform—Conform geometry to the shape of•
another surface.
Rapid Prototyping
Build physical prototypes more eciently from
digital models. With rapid prototyping, you can
develop and refine designs before committing
to production. Print in 3D using STL output for
stereolithography by exporting data to computer
numerical control (CNC) machines. Alias Surface
supports 3D printing in color.
Design Modeling
The concept
development phase
demands close
collaboration between
designers and engineers
to produce concepts that
are new, yet technically
feasible.
Take your 3D models to the next level. Evolve concepts
through a creative, iterative process.

4
Advanced Surface Creation Tools
Advanced tools for creating surfaces ensure that
your surfaces maintain positional, tangent, or
curvature continuity with surrounding surfaces—for
high-quality results ready for manufacturing.
Semiautomated Surface Modeling Tools
Do surfacing work faster. Autodesk Alias Surface
provides semiautomated tools for creating clean,
complex surfaces ready for tooling. For example,
you can create a fillet and accompanying flange in a
single operation.
Explicit Surface Control
Maintain control over surfaces, creating the lightest,
highest-quality geometry. Choose single-span
(Bezier) geometry or multispan nonuniform rational
B-spline (NURBS) geometry, then define the
number of spans and the degree of created surfaces.
Curve on Surface Paradigm
Precisely trim and form edges of new surfaces.
Share trimmed geometry among modelers while
retaining precision.
Direct Surface Modeling
Sculpt surfaces directly by adjusting surface control
vertices. Alias Surface’s curve-based tools let you
define a shape at its edges, or you can use direct
modeling to adjust the shape at any point. Maintain
complete control of Bezier surfaces to achieve the
exact form and surface quality you need.
Precision Surface Modeling
Surface Evaluation
Verifythequalityofcreatedsurfaces,including
curvature and radii analysis. This ensures that
geometry can be used by CAD programs and will
meet manufacturing requirements.
Align Tool
Accurately line up surfaces and curves, directly
controlling geometry alignment. Achieve high-
quality surface modeling and Class-A surfaces with
new math capability for surface construction.
Bezier Surface Fillet
Create and manipulate Bezier surface fillets to
address Class-A surfacing requirements. Provide
superior surfaces with strict Bezier output.
Develop the Class-A surfaces engineering teams need to
create tooling. Dynamic modeling capabilities help you
develop Bezier or NURBS geometry in less time.

5
Scan Data Workflows
Import and configure data from 3D scanners to
visualize and reverse-engineer consumer product
or vehicle models. Alias Surface helps you simplify
and remove data with tools for cutting, smoothing,
automatic hole filling, and reducing mesh. The
software can handle large models with millions of
polygons, so you can extract and evaluate shape and
form.
Feature Extraction
Spend less time creating and updating surface
models. This specialized tool lets you extract feature
information from scan data quickly.
Reverse Engineering
Analysis Tools
Get help fine-tuning your models with Alias Surface
analysis tools. They provide instant numerical or
graphical feedback on surface quality.
Hybrid Modeling
Integrate NURBS data into scan data. With Alias
Surface, you can evaluate and refine the resulting
hybrid model without resurfacing an entire model—
saving time and eort.
Surface Reconstruction
Automate the multistep process of filling holes
in scan data. Alias Surface recognizes exterior
curvature through user-defined sections by
generating a mesh patch.
Move easily between the analog and digital worlds. Autodesk
Alias Surface lets you incorporate changes to a physical model
into your digital model.

6
Interactive Shading
Use shading models to enhance realism and to
evaluate surfaces and design form. Autodesk
Alias Surface reduces time-consuming renderings
by providing immediate visual feedback on
your designs. The software supports material
color, texture, glow, incandescence, bump, and
displacement, and lets you quickly verify surface
conditions such as curvature maps, zebra stripes,
and draft angles.
Annotation Tools
Evaluate and review designs with ease. Take advan-
tage of your entire screen space to work with just the
necessary interface aspects. Alias Surface provides a
full set of annotation tools such as bookmarks, full-
screen capabilities, and pencils and markers.
VisualizationandCommunication
Compelling Output
Get high-resolution images without a full software
rendering. With Alias Surface, you can instantly save
high-resolution images of any modeling window.
Compose images that display wireframes, canvas
planes, or fully shaded models to create turntables
or 360-degree interactive QuickTime®VRles.
Software Rendering
Photorealistic rendering capabilities in Alias Surface
let you create images for print, video, or interactive
presentations. Alias Surface raycast and ray-trace
renderers incorporate ambient occlusion calcula-
tions (soft shadows) and high dynamic range imaging
(HDRI) support for added realism.
Reference Data Workflow
Generate and compare an unlimited number
of design variations for engineering and design
reviews. The Reference Manager lets teams review
massive amounts of 3D geometry and interact
directly with detailed digital models.
Communicate your design intent—bring your ideas to life.
Help team members and customers understand and visualize
designs, so they can easily evaluate design options.

7
Productive Environment
Marking Menus
Quickly select commands without looking away
from the design. Patented marking menus let you
use context-sensitive gestures to select commands.
Customizable Interface
Customize your user interface—including hotkeys,
tool displays, and marking menus—to suit any
workflow.
Data Organization
Improve workflow and performance by organizing
work and speeding navigation through complex
models. Alias Surface helps you categorize and
organize model components into layers, for more
ecient navigation.
Unified Shading Environment
Click through tasks faster with task-centric marking
menus that reduce the use of dialog boxes. You can
choose materials and assign shaders directly on
surfaces with only a few clicks.
Mac OSX Operating System
Use Alias Surface 64-bit on your Apple®Mac®.
Windows Vista Support
Use Alias Surface 32-bit or 64-bit with Microsoft®
WindowsVista®.
Shorten the learning curve and speed your workflow with
the intuitive Autodesk Alias Surface user interface.

8
Process Integration
Data Exchange
Exchange digital design data with engineering teams
using fast, high-quality CAD translators for industry-
standard data formats such as DXF™, IGES, and STEP.
Data Exchange with Autodesk Manufacturing
Products
Exchange data with mechanical design and
engineering products, such as Autodesk Inventor
software, using the industry-leading DWG™data
format. The Alias Direct Reader add-in for Inventor
makes it possible to directly read a native Alias.
wire file in Autodesk Inventor. The translator reads
surfaces, shells, solids, and curves from the .wire
file. Autodesk Alias Surface also directly reads
native Autodesk Inventor data.
DirectConnect Data Translators
Integrate Alias Surface into your development
pipeline by exchanging data bidirectionally with
CAD software packages such as CATIA®, UGS®NX,
Pro/ENGINEER®, PTC Granite®, JT, and SolidWorks®.
Model Verification
Test geometry created in Alias Surface to predict
and diagnose problems when transferring to CAD
systems such as CATIA, Unigraphics®, and Pro/
ENGINEER.
DWF File Format
Create DWF™files from Alias Surface data with a
single click. DWF protects the integrity of a design
and allows for precise publishing, rendering, and
printing of even the most complex digital models.
Reliable data exchange with CAD software is important
throughout the design process. Imported engineering
data can be used as references for sketching and modeling.
After the design model is created and approved, data can
be exchanged with CAD software to help preserve design
integrity in the engineering phase.

9
Autodesk Alias Product Line
Autodesk Alias Design
Autodesk®Alias®Design, part of the Autodesk
solution for Digital Prototyping, is for consumer
product designers who control the entire design
process—from ideation to the final surfaces that
are passed to engineering. It enables designers to
rapidly develop and communicate product design
concepts using sketches, illustrations, photorealistic
renderings, and animations.
Autodesk Alias Surface
Autodesk®Alias®Surface software, part of the
Autodesk solution for Digital Prototyping,
oers a full set of dynamic 3D modeling capabilities
that enable virtual modelers to evolve concept
models and scan data into high-quality production
surfaces for consumer product design and Class-A
surfaces for automotive design and styling.
Autodesk Alias Automotive
Autodesk®Alias®Automotive software, part of
the Autodesk solution for Digital Prototyping, is an
industry-leading application for automotive
design and styling and the choice of leading
automotive styling studios throughout the world.
The software provides a comprehensive set of
visualization and analysis tools for the entire shape-
definition process, from concept sketches through
Class-A surfacing.
Task Deliverables Product
Creation and
Communication of Design
•Sketches
•Illustrations
•D concept models
•Productionmodels
•Rapid prototypes
•Visualization
•Animation
Autodesk®Alias®Design
Advanced Surfacing and
Reverse Engineering
•ScanData
•Class-ASurfaces
•ReverseEngineering
•AdvanceEvaluation
•RapidPrototypes
•Visualization
Autodesk®Alias®Surface
Transportation Design •ScanData
•Modiedscandata
•Class-ASurfaces
•ReverseEngineering
•AdvanceEvaluation
•3Dconceptmodels
•Rapidprototypes
•Visualization
•Sketches
•Illustrations
•Animations
Autodesk®Alias®Automotive
The Autodesk®Alias product line, part of the Autodesk
solution for Digital Prototyping helps optimize the creative
design process with industry-leading sketching, modeling,
and visualization tools that help you quickly realize ideas
in a single environment. The product family includes
Autodesk®Alias®Design, Autodesk®Alias®Surface, and
Autodesk®Alias®Automotive.

Learn More or Purchase
Access specialists worldwide who can provide product expertise, a deep
understanding of your industry, and value that extends beyond your software
purchase. To purchase Autodesk Alias software, contact an Autodesk Premier
Solutions Provider or Autodesk Authorized Reseller. Locate a reseller near you
at www.autodesk.com/reseller.
Autodesk Learning and Education
From instructor-led or self-paced classes to online training or education
resources, Autodesk oers learning solutions to fit your needs. Get expert
guidance at an Autodesk Authorized Training Center (ATC®) site, access
learning tools online or at your local bookstore, and validate your experience
with Autodesk certifications. Learn more at www.autodesk.com/learning.
Autodesk Services and Support
Accelerate return on investment and optimize productivity with innovative
purchase methods, companion products, consulting services, and support from
Autodesk and Autodesk authorized partners. Designed to get you up to speed
and keep you ahead of the competition, these tools help you make the most
of your software purchase—no matter what industry you are in. Learn more at
www.autodesk.com/servicesandsupport.
Autodesk Subscription
Get the benefits of increased productivity, predictable budgeting, and simplified
license management with Autodesk® Subscription. You get any new upgrades
of your Autodesk software and any incremental product enhancements, if
these are released during your Subscription term. In addition, you get exclusive
license terms available only to Subscription members. A range of community
resources, including web support direct from Autodesk technical experts,
self-paced training, and e-Learning, help extend your skills and make Autodesk
Subscription the best way to optimize your investment. Learn more at
www.autodesk.com/subscription.
*Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies
download of this software.
Image courtesy of Daniel Simon, Cosmic Motors
Autodesk, Alias, Autodesk Inventor, DWG, DXF, and Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Au-
todesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or aliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names,
product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product
oerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical
errors that may appear in this document.
© 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved. 736A1-000000-MZ02
Digital Prototyping for the Manufacturing Market
Autodesk is a world-leading supplier of engineering software,
providing companies with tools to experience their ideas
before they are real. By putting powerful Digital Prototyping
technology within the reach of mainstream manufacturers,
Autodesk is changing the way manufacturers think about their
design processes and is helping them create more productive
workflows. The Autodesk approach to Digital Prototyping is
unique in that it is scalable, attainable, and cost-eective, which
allows a broader group of manufacturers to realize the benefits
with minimal disruption to existing workflows, and provides the
most straightforward path to creating and maintaining a single
digital model in a multidisciplinary engineering environment.