NX Shape Studio is a tailored styling and industrial design package that offers the freedom and accuracy designers need to explore shapes and what-if styling in the conceptual modeling phase. By seamlessly integrating curve- and surface-based modeling, NX Shape Studio puts cutting-edge CAD tools into the hands of industrial designers. At the same time, the easy-to-use toolbox fosters innovation. These flexible tools, from drag-and-drop templates to dynamic construction, enable fast, easy creation and evaluation of design alternatives while providing real-time visual feedback. And there's no worry about changes or iterations, as associativity takes care of downstream data integrity.
With Shape Studio, designers can use practically any approach or modeling technique. For example, the designer might begin modeling by using standard parametric design techniques that employ curve-driven geometry. Then, when creating contours and integrating ergonomics, the designer might use freeform techniques. Or the designer could begin modeling without precise definitions, adding geometric constraints later. Construction geometry and style details can be rapidly generated by the dynamic mapping of 3D curves onto freeform shapes. Or surfaces can be constructed using pre-set combinations of section and guide curves, with the designer monitoring impact as it occurs.
All model data transfers directly downstream. And the fully associative database ensures that any changes are automatically updated in related applications such as engineering design, assembly, drafting, simulation, and manufacturing.
The NX Shape Studio modeling toolset has multiple controls for editing and blending surfaces. Designers can easily deform surfaces via stretching, bending, twisting, and skewing curvature. Slider controls and a real-time, dynamic display ensure a simple and reliable approach to deformations. Surfaces can be swooped quickly by creating and editing b-surfaces, with the designer specifying the diagonal vertices of the surface and shape characteristics such as bend. NX Shape Studio also provides the ability to blend across multiple surfaces and solid faces while maintaining constraints along the edges of the blend. As with other functionality, the emphasis is on ease of use and dynamic display of results.
NX Shape Studio enables designers to modify a selected surface so it is geometrically continuous with one or more reference objects. This dynamic tool eliminates gaps between surfaces or surface edges. Options allow the designer to specify the continuity, from positional through G3. As a fully associative feature, surface-to-surface continuity is maintained even when subsequent changes are made to the base geometry. Styling geometry, including curves and surfaces, can be modified by editing the control poles or points. A range of functions ensures that designers can control the effects of their manipulations, including restricting regions, thereby controlling the global reach of changes. Once again, real-time feedback keeps the designer informed about impact.
NX Shape Studio analysis tools guarantee precisely defined product models, including "perfect" Class A surface models. Analytic gauges and visualization options can be applied to surfaces or curves, providing immediate feedback by measuring deviation, curvature, rate of curvature changes, and surface smoothness during geometry manipulation. Aside from examining the overall design, these sophisticated tools ensure design manufacturability and feasibility from both engineering and production points of view.
