Alais design vs surface vs automotive

[Anonymous]

I am an Inventor user, and have taken some AU classes on Alias. I just installed 2011 and I see to use the Alias modeling tab inside of Inventor, I must buy Alias Design...

Can anyone tell me how Alias design compares to the Alias products I've seen at AU, which I assume were a full version of Alias. What features does Alias Design lack compared to Surface and Automotive... how will that affect my ability to design a consumer product inside of Alias Design?

thanks in advance for the feedback,
-Ryan

[kevinRichards]

That is Fantastic!

I think you answered your own question. It offers the "...ability to design a consumer product inside of Alias Design".
It honesty does not lack any key functionality that is required for CP. However, there are a significant number of consumer product companies that use Alias Surface for the ultimate level of control. often these surfaces are used all the way through to manufacturing.

Alias Surface is literally for advance Surfacing. it has additional tools that are required for Class A and Reverse engineering workflows. (No sketching or animation)
to name a few...
- Explicit control or the ability to drive the Surface parametrization with in the surfacing tools
- Bezier surface output
- Advance Mesh workflows (reverse engineering)
-Advance Evaluation (iso-Angle, Linear Reflections, Gaussian, and Dynamic section)

Alias Automotive has everything but the kitchen sink. : ) PLUS key simulation features specific to the Autos. Pedestrian protection and Contact analysis. these typically are found only in engineering apps and performed at the end... we have brought that ability to the design phase.

if at all possible, please post some images from Alias Design for Inventor. Really exciting times!
Kevin

[Anonymous]

Does Alias Design do Class-A Surfacing?

[Anonymous]

Yes it does, although the other 2 are more specific for it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for the reply. Is it limited G3; to say fillets? Or is it just a cut down version of Surface without the tools for Automotive?

It would be great if you could elaborate just a little 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Yes, it is a cut down version, as is its price. I couldn´t specifically say which tools it does or not have because I have never used it.It surely should do fillets to at least G2.

Check out this chart from autodesk, in case you haven't yet.

http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-alias-products/compare

Sorry I can´t be more precise.