A Three-stage Conceptual Design
Process Using Virtual Environments
Krause, Frank-Lothar.
Institute for Machine Tools and Factory
Management
Division Information Technology
Pascalstr. 8-9, 10587
Göbel, Martin.
Fraunhofer IMK
+49 (0) 2241/14-2366
martin.göbel@
imk.fraunhofer.de
Wesche, Gerold.
Fraunhofer IMK
+49(0)2241/14-3408
gerold.wesche
@imk.fraunhofer.de
Institute for Machine
Tools and Factory Management
Division Information
Technology
Pascalstr. 8-9, 10587
ABSTRACT
A simple conceptual design process that runs in a
virtual environment is described. The design process consists of three stages.
In each of the first two stages used to create, and after that, elaborate the
model, techniques specifically suited to these tasks, are available. In the
third stage, using 3D printing technology, a physical prototype is obtained
from the digital model.
In the creation phase, an initial model is
sketched directly in the virtual environment, by drawing a network of curves,
and by fitting in surfaces. In the elaboration phase, virtual clay modeling
techniques are used, which resemble the way designers work on such materials in
reality. The model is converted into a volume representation at the transition
into the elaboration phase, thus there is no need for a hybrid representation.
Keywords
Virtual reality, conceptual shape design, virtual clay modeling, virtual prototyping.