car design thread

Scott, I remember being at Texas Tech in 2002 and a few freshmman/sophmore acquaintences who were on architecture degree plans were definitely drawing and drafting for hundreds of hours per semester.

 

Dave - that's pretty much the time when CAD software was really getting hot and most firms changing over fast. Now, 11 years down the road, I'd guess that hand drafting and presentation drawing courses serve mainly as a link to tradition and there's little in the way of required courses in them or they're offered as electives. I imagine all studio courses beyond first or second year are done with CAD and 3D modeling. Next time I run into an old prof or someone university connected I'll ask.

Among those my age some still draw by hand and others have made a complete change to CAD. I'm on the fence between and can use either for the very little work I do now.

 

that's interesting to know when about the cross over really occurred, i'm curious to know when that occurred in the automotive industry, JM2, Jeff, Issac could likely comment to that, but my guess is likely sooner than it did in architecture

 

I'd imagine that's true. Auto industry is $multibillions and tens of thousands of employees, largest architectural firms around 2,000 employees. CAD was in use by largest arch firms in the 1970s, when I was in school; typical setup at that time cost in the $1mil. range and required trained computer language personnel to operate.

Around 1981 I did see a CAD setup in use at a small local firm. It was quite primitive by today's standards and firm owner had to do extensive training to use it. I don't know how much it cost but likely in the tens of thousands.

 

yes, exactly what I meant

i'm curious how much earlier it really became the "norm" for the auto guys?

 

Alfa, build this!!
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It depends on what use you are talking about. CAD as a design tool or as an engineering tool.
Alias, which is and has been the most common design software within the auto industry, was introduced in '83 and was widely used by '88. CAD in engineering the cars had already been well established by this time. Catia, a relatively common engineering software, was first released in '81 but required extremely expensive mainframe computers to run. Many of the car companies were also developing their own software at this time. So on the engineering side the complete transition to CAD occurred early on. On the design side, the complete transition to CAD is nowhere in sight, as clay modeling remains an important part of the design process.

 

you're absolutely right John, i didn't make that distinction
i recall Ciata being discussed in a Dodge project, used to package & determine CoG properties
i'm always glad to hear when a design studio says they will never stop using clay, like McLaren chief did
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new caddi coming...
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how's this for riding ...er, triking in style!?
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nah chico, iz all bout the drop man, needz some tailpipe ignitors for them flamez!

 

gives error, I tried new link test too, weird site link somehow ...some reason you have to go to header of page, to 'blog', and 'design, he said' to view?

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/30183087


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it's a weird thing with the site for some reason?

 

Reference to Jim Hall:

**Probably nothing. Really. His depth of knowledge is inexplicable, unless, of course, the man is an alien. Seriously. Mere humans can’t possibly know that much.

Jim did attend Art Center in auto design but lasted maybe one term; not sure he finished the term.

Amazed that Jim did not include the Cosworth Vega as one of his all time best. Of course his brother Boob would have needed to include something plebian by Isuzu.

Jeff

 

Yup, that was right. Pasadena campus. Jim was writing for a small automotive magazine in the West Coast that did not last long. Brother Boob was writing for MoTrend, land of the living dead (everyone wanted to get to Road & Track or be a west coast PR lke Eric Dahlquist had done from MoTrend).

More stories on the Hall brothers when we get together. Their dad was some sort of VP with one of the airlines; that is how they were able to fly to New York for the E-type intro.

Jeff

 

Lots of corporate double speak here.

Jeff

 

During the best car design interview the 1972 big rear bumpered Riviera was mentioned. Harry Bradley called that the "chrome jock strap".

Jeff