MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. June 7, 2011 Consumers are always looking for the next big thing, whether it be in food, celebrities or gadgets. Australian industrial design firm, Design+Industry, has recently given shape to what will undoubtedly be the next big thing in automotives: a three-wheeled, high-performance vehicle designed through technical ingenuity and the expert utilization of Luxologys 3D modeling, painting and rendering software, modo 501.
Design+Industry, the largest and leading industrial design and product engineering consultancy in Australia, was asked by Strike Motors to turn a radical concept for a three-wheeled trike into a commercially manufacturable vehicle. The Trike is a high-performance half-car, half-motorcycle that seats two people and combines phenomenal acceleration with excellent ride stability, amazing cornering capability and strong stopping power. Design+Industry took the specs for the car and used the creative tools and advanced modeling and rendering capabilities in modo 501 to create an innovative design that would appeal to car enthusiasts and style-minded drivers while simultaneously catching the attention of bystanders with its sleek, futuristic design.
We began using modo when clients started requesting features we were not able to provide with the visualisation software we were using at the time, said Ben Carroll, industrial designer at Design+Industry. Once clients saw what could be done compared to the other software we were using, they began requesting renderings be done solely in modo.
Since Design+Industry began using modo in 2009, the software has become an integral part of the companys pipeline. Used in conjunction with SolidWorks and Luxologys PAD and SES 1 Kits, modo 501 allowed the designers to quickly visualize the Trike in studio and real world environments, letting them quickly review materials and surfaces, and make design changes on the fly.
The 3D modeling and rendering features of modo 501 have enhanced our design process in incalculable ways, said Carroll. We particularly love using modo to quickly visualize an array of ideas, so clients can interactively review our designs and make decisions on the direction of the final product early on in the process, saving us both time and money.
The images that modo produces are shockingly realistic, continued Carroll. We have had clients ask to see the physical prototype after our presentation based solely on a picture done in modo and that wow factor has always served us well.
The Trike will be ready for production in 2012. To see more, view a video of the Trike at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj9GGDGic0s. For more information on Design+Industry, please visit http://www.design-industry.com.au/.
About modo
modo is an innovative 3D modeling, painting and rendering software designed to accelerate the creation of world-class models, associated color and normal maps, and ultra high-quality renderings. modos modern workflow and advanced toolset easily deliver enhanced productivity for 3D artists working in concept modeling, design visualization, package design, film visual effects, video production and graphic arts. A favorite tool among many designers and artists, modo’s innovative toolset offers one of the fastest paths to content creation on the PC and Mac. modo is available from www.luxology.com or through any of Luxologys authorized resellers around the world.
About Luxology
Based in Mountain View, Calif., Luxology® LLC is an independent technology company developing next-generation 3D content creation software that enhances productivity via artist-friendly tools powered by a modern underlying architecture called Nexus®. Founded in 2002 by Allen Hastings, Stuart Ferguson and Brad Peebler, Luxology is home to some of the top 3D engineering expertise in the industry. More information on the company, its licensable Nexus technology, its flagship product modo® and a gallery of designers images from the active modo community is available online at www.luxology.com.
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