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Body Design n : The styling proc cess

(car styling) . . . is amongst t the least understood of the commercial ar rts Arni,1988

Anatomy y of a Car

Picture taken from H point The fundamentals of Car Design and packaging Stuart Macey

Aim ms

R i the Review h role l of f Styli S list. Give an over-view of th he design g stages g from concept to final design. Demonstrate the need fo or engineer and stylist to work in tandem.

About Des sign Studio


Introduction d i Stylists Stylists Job Design Studio Management of Des sign studio

Studio

Process

Introdu uction

Harley H l Earl E l set-up the h fi i purpose built irst b il styling li department for GM in 1927. Method:

2D sketches to Full size 2D orthogonal illustrations 3D templates (Clay or Wood W or Plaster) B i for Basis f all ll surface f info i formation ti Structural design by Eng gineering Department

New methods have evol lved from this.

Studio

Process

Stylist ts Job ts

Generation of concept sketches Conversion into full siz ze tape tape drawings drawings Rendering Creation of scaled or fu ull clay models. Bottom line - Good d detail cannot save a bad design, but bad detail can c ruin a good one Detailing is important too t too.

Design Studio

Styling centres Modelling tracks


Interior Exterior

Fabrication services Painting Interiors

Studio

Studios work en nvironment and Struc cture

Process

Pi t Picture taken t k from f An A introduction i t d ti n to t Modern M d vehicle hi l d design i - Smith S ith

Studio

Process

Inte erior

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Exte erior
Separate S sketching k hi Fabrication shops located nearby Ovens feed wax filled clay Accurate measurement usin ng probes Bridges form the moving g reference platform p

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Managemen nt of Styling Depar rtment

Process

Stylist reports to a Studio o manager who in turn reports to the Senior managemen nt or Board Stylists receives input fro om Engineering Department. Engineering in turn recei ives input from Styling on the final shape to be manufa actured. There are no companies Th i where h E Engineering i i works k under Styling. Styling voice can be loud der as they decide on selling point.

Proc cess
Product P d Pl Planning i Brainstorming g The package Drawing i Concept p Modeling 2D 2 / 3D 3 CAD CA system

Studio

Process

Product Planning P

Important for commer rcial Success of company W k along Work l with i h mark k i and keting d program timing i i Analyse y markets, , benc chmark competitor p products p and assess own tooling g Cost target calculation ns Prepares product brie ef ( new product of facelift of f old) ld) after ft discussion di i ns with ith engineering i i and d styling

Studio

Process

Brainst torming

Meeting called by the studio s head for all stylists Client requirements are e inputs Wildest of the ideas dis scussed N thi goes on paper Nothing End of the meeting bu ullet points of a few good suggestions i noted. d The use of this techniqu ue is of long proven value in many fields of design and a elsewhere and is generally regarded as very v necessary (Cross, 1994).

Studio

Process

The pa ackage

Industrys name for ful ll size 3D orthogonal drawings g showing g basic mechanical and ergonomic g requirements. Prepared by expert team m of layout engineers and ergonomists in consulta ation with product planning and styling. Original master drawin ng on vellum

Studio

Process

Package Drawing

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

Packa aging

Drawings are basic refe erences in all departments Grid references form ba asic of all subsequent engineering /workshop drawing produced From package F k d drawing i g starts process of f package k sketching Tape draw wing

Studio

Process

Tape Drawing D
Details in Tape Drawing

Grid references form ba asic of all subsequent engineering /workshop drawing produced From package F k d drawing i g starts process of f package k sketching Tape draw wing Detailed vehicle dimen nsions up to sub-system level.

Studio

Process

Actual Packa age Drawing

Picture taken from H point The fundamentals s of Car Design and packaging Stuart Macey

Studio

Process

Review of C Competition

Product planning lists competitors, c stylists add some more to list Package engineering pr rovides full package drawings Photographs, pictures from f magazines are collected Companys own vehicl les are also displayed Right Right atmosphere to choose features perceived desirable and worthy

Studio

Process

Concept S Sketching

Aim is to get ideas and d not refined design Sketches loose and unc constrained Almost 50 concepts Ideation is the busine ess of getting mental images down on p paper p Mc Kim K and Tovey y Few themes will be agr reed or a particular feature incorporated in further sketches process repeats
Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

Concept S Selection

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

Concept s selection

Rough sketches to stan ndard sheets A3 or A2 Sketches not fettered by y dimension but concentrated on packag ging For facelifts facelifts, further ste ep is carried out with large picture of vehicle underlay. 3D CAD system used for final light rendering and surface depiction in per rspective or orthographic views Liaison with engineers on feasibility

Studio

Process

Full size tap pe drawing

Full size packaging sid de elevation without wrinkles thoroughly g y sketched Important features like air cleaner, radiator, head clearances emphasised aesthetic influence Next sheet is translucen nt plastic film tightly taped A tape is pasted full len ngth forming the ground With this visual base, base d drawing is started

Studio

Process

Full size tap pe drawing

Technique is to move the tapes t as one wishes until the position is satisfactory Only lines and there is no sections at this stage Mix of black and white tap pes for g p giving g solid feel and highlighting Overlays are added for tire es, front end silhouette Finished drawing is photographed After management g clearan nce they y are enhanced for graphics g p and sectional information The final drawing presente ed to a larger management group

Studio

Process

Sketch to ta ape drawing

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

Clay Mo odeling

Physical modelling is th he most time consuming activity y Wax based clay combin nation, used by Harley Earl Clay is Plasticence Plasticence when w warm and hardens when cold superior to water r based Before modelling in cla ay armature or substructure ay, required - finished mod del can weigh 3 tonnes!! Frame metal with whe eels and adjustable height Substructure boxed wooden w with plastic foam upto150mm from top su urface

Studio

Process

Clay mo odeling

Claying up armature to hard points

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

Clay Mo odeling

Wooden pegs at critical l points Screen and glass panes at the exact points as packaging information. Electronic mill to gene g rate 3D by y ten lines Cross sections made by y 2-3 long strips of Perspex plastic splines Photographic tapes used d to highlight clay models feature lines F crease to b For be preserv ved, d nylon l line li used d Model updated after fea asibility from Engineering

Studio

Process

Clay Mo odeling

For Bumpers with constan nt section, Dragging gg g template p ov ver model Extrusion of sections s and stuck by shellac Large g surfaces like roofs sweeps p by y aluminium or steel Surfaces are deliberately left slightly proud (by 0.5 mm) - then combed combed and serra ated slick slick for 0 0.5mm 5mm Surfaces are then slicked using u steel or plastic sheets for glass smooth finish g Once finished, surfaces ba acked by Dinoc (adhesive backed with paint film)

Studio

Process

Surface w with Dinoc

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

Presentation Model

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Clay models during design review


Th The whole h l process may ta ake k place l several l times i at various intervals before fin nal approval
modification, y the stylists, y , review by re-Dinoc and presentation to managemen nt

Design reviews performed d at critical stages of the design process. process

Studio

Process

Primary y Model

Metallic Silver is the favou urite colour - flips well contrasts Scan/mill bridge to track k over surfaces get coordinates into digital CAD Pointed Pointed off off model - chec ck dimensions @ 10 sections , more frequently in comple ex areas Then p passed to Engin g neering g Prove-out model totall ly new model after engineering review process Cube model formed by y wood dies for manufacturing Fibre glass external shell constructed c for proving

Studio

Process

Inter riors

Top end of the fleet mo odeled first More complex than exte eriors - takes long time Common feature Instr rument cluster related to rest of interiors Composite model Card and Foam cor re (Styrofoam) Vinyl fabric / patte erned rollers Dinocd or painted d Scaled models 1/ /4 1/5 or 3/8 /4,

Studio

Inter riors

Process

Picture taken from An introduction n to Modern vehicle design - Smith

Studio

Process

2D CAD system

Some prefer paper ske etch for ideation 2D paint i b box using i dig digitizer i i pad d

Abandonment of markers, , overflowing g paper bins Easier transmissio on of design more interaction N t same as we are Not a familiar f ili pen on paper Grips and feel of digitizer

Studio

Process

3D CAD system

2D guide for input recreate them as 3D


Wireframe Surface Solid

Complete surface renderin ng is possible By passing i 2D CAD use er has h to wait i until il model d l gets completed for full model Quickest way is digitize model m created by 2D by scan to 3D Models in 3D can be used to interact across departments

Further Reading R

Julian-Happian Smith (2002), (2002), An Introduction to Modern Vehicle Design,Butterworth-H Heinmann (ISBN 0-7506-5044-3) Armi, C. Armi C Edson (1988). (1988) The Art A of American Car Design. Design Penn. State Univ. Press. Cross, N. (1994). Engineering g Design Methods, Strategies for Product Design. J. Wiley & Sons. McKim, , R.H., , Experiences p in n Visual Thinking. g Tovey, M., Vehicle Stylists Creative C Thinking. Stuart Macey, Macey H point The fundamentals of Car Design and packaging.

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