Aston Martin ONE-77 Challenge-11 (Project)

Surface Modelling, Assembly and Photo Realistic Rendering of Aston Martin - One 77

Objective:

To model parts of Aston Martin One-77 and assemble them in SolidWorks. After the assembly, the car is then rendered for photo realistic view using SolidWorks Visualize.

Introduction:

            SolidWorks is a 3D modelling software developed by Dassault systems. It enables the user to create/model parts, assemble them and sheet metal design etc., The designing of model is achieved by using various features in the software and most used features have been listed below:

Commonly used features in Part design:

• Part design has two types of features i.e., sketch tools and 3D features
• Sketch tools consists of 2D elements like line, Polygons (different types of rectangles), Circles, Arcs, Splines (a 2D line which can be controlled by control points), etc.,
• A 3D feature converts the sketch or 2D element into a 3-dimensional object by using features like Extrude, extrude cut, revolve base, Revolve cut, Sweep, Lofted base etc.,
• Surface is a two-dimensional object with zero thickness.

The design approach starts with a sketch of desired object which is Aston Martin One-77 in this case. The sketch will act as a reference or blueprint for the 3D modelling of complex parts which eases the job of modelling. The components of Aston Martin One-77 in this design are:

• Main Body
• Hood
• Lights
• Windshield
• Side Window
• Doors
• Rear Window
• Rear Bumper
• Wheels
• Emblem

Design Approach:

 Blueprint Setup: It acts as reference for the modelling of components. 2 dimensional drawing with specific views. The skectch picture is placed in appropriate plane for different views like front, top, side and rear views.

The design of Aston Martin One-77 starts with Roof. Then main body is developed through a series of other designs followed by roof. Other Parts such as Hood, lights, Doors, Windows, Windshield, Rear Window and Rear bumper are designed with reference to main body. From the design of main body, the surfaces are separated to build respective parts. Knitting of surfaces will play a key role while doing so. Design of Aston Martin One-77 consists of both surface and solid modelling. Parts with respect to main body are designed using surface modelling and other parts such as Grill, Emblem and Wheels are designed using solid modelling.

The Basic body of Aston Martin One-77 is developed through designing of following parts in sequence:

With the addition little more details to the basics body, following parts of the model are designed using surfaces from the basic model.

Because of symmetry of the model, only half of the body is designed while other half is mirrored with respect to an appropriate plane or face. Then the body is knitted into one part. Knitting of surface will be only done if there is no gaps or interferences between surfaces. Without knitting, the body can not be combined.

The following parts designed using Surface Modelling:

Main Body

Wind Shield

Rear Window

Hood

Rear Bumper

Doors

Side Window

 

Features used for Surface Modelling:

Extrude Surface: Creates a surface of a one-dimensional objects like line, curve, spline, etc.,

Revolved Surface: Creates surface around an axis/defined line.

Swept Surface: Creates surface of a profile along a path.

Loft Surface: Creates surface of two profiles. The shape of surface can be altered by using guide curves.

Boundary Surface: Creates boundary surface of open edges.

Filled Surface: Creates a surface of a closed boundary.

Offset Surface: Creates a surface parallel to an existed surface at a defined distance.

Ruled Surface: Creates a surface on an edge. It can be tapered/normal/tangential with respect to the defined edge/surface.

Delete Face: Deletes the selected surface. It can also be used to fill/patch the deleted surface.

Extend Surface: Extends the surface upto a defined distance or specified vertex/surface.

Trim Surface: Deletes the unwanted surface with reference to a specified surface or sketch.

 

The selected surface either be deleted or kept according to the design.

Knit Surface: Combines different surfaces into a single surface body.

Fillet: Replaces the sharp corners with a circular surface.

Thicken: Adds thickness to the surface.

 

Split Line: This feature divides the surface into multiple surfaces with a defined sketch.

Projection Curve: It is a 3D Curve produced by combining two sketches from different planes or projection of a sketch on a selected surface.

The intersection of two surfaces is a projection curve. It can not be achieved by a single sketch itself.

 Parts designed using Solid Modelling:

Grill

Caliper

Brake Disc

 

Front Rim

Rear Rim

Front Tire

Rear Tire

Emblem

Commonly used Features for Solid Modelling:

Extrude: It is a 3D features which will be used in all most every part design. It adds thickness to a given sketch or 2d drawing. Depending upon the requirement of design, different types of extrudes are available.

Extrude Cut: It is similar to the extrude except it removes the material from the object. It also has different types depending upon the type of removal.

Revolve: This feature is used to generate circular bodies around an axis. When a cross-section is revolved around an axis by adding material, then 3D object is produced.

Revolve Cut: It removes the material from an object in a revolved manner about an axis. The required cut of the material is achieved by revolving a cross-section around desired axis.

Sweep: It is produces 3D objects of uniform cross-section from two sketches of which one acts as cross section, and another sketch acts a guide curve or center line which guide the given cross-section through out the span. The cross-section can be a rectangle, circle, square or any closed path while the guide curve may be a straight line, spline, or arc, etc.,

Lofted Base: It produces 3d objects from the sketches which are on different planes. Objects with Variable cross-sections are produced using this feature. The path of cross-section of the object can be monitored by guide curves.

Combine: By using this feature, Solids of different shapes or cross-sections can be combines to generate a new complex design.

 

      

Result

Split: When two bodies are merged into on another, by using spilt feature they can be separated or to avoid the surfaces of an object, split can be used to avoid the merging.

Highlighted part will be deleted

Plane: This feature is used to generate new planes as it is not possible to create body on the given planes.

Mirror Entities: This feature is used to mirror the bodies or features with reference to an axis or a plane.

Patterns: This feature is used to copy an object for multiple times in a single operation. There are different types of Patterns like Linear pattern, Circular pattern and Spline or curve driven patter.

           

Linear Pattern in 2 directions                                             Circular Pattern

Fillet: this feature eliminates the sharp edges by adding a rounded edge. It can be either constant radius fillet or variable radius fillet.

Chamfer: This feature also eliminates the sharp edges but by adding a sloped edge. It can be added by giving the distance from edge onto two face or depth of chamfer with an angle.

Shell: This feature produces the hollow parts for solid bodies with defined thickness.

 ASSEMBLY:

After the completion of part modelling, the next step is assembly.

  

The relation between the parts is defined by mates. There are different types of mates in the assembly:

• Concentric Mate
• Coincident Mate
• Parallel Mate
• Width Mate

Appearances of parts is done in assembly to have an idea about design or materials of the parts. Different appearance is assigned to the parts according to their nature.

Note:

• The sketches should be fully defined i.e., the position of entities must be defined fully with respect to origin or any other references like construction lines.
• Avoid the mates between planes of parts and assembly planes. Instead create mates with respect to main component (for example: Main Body).

Solidworks Visualize: This software will help the designer to create realistic images of designed parts by using different environments. The environment or scene can be a pre-loaded scene in the software or a user defined image. There are variety of options like camera which enables the view of part from different angles, adjustable environment settings and appearance of the object.

RENDERING:

Rendering is done to apply real time graphics to the model. We can assign a scene or environment in which the car is placed, and we can modify the colors or looks of it. We can use different situations like sunny, or dark environments to check the behavior or looks of the designed model under a particular condition. We can apply different view positions to view it from different positions and angles to come to a conclusion about its design.

Conclusion:

Surface modelling is one of the complex things in designing. Selection appropriate tool to generate surfaces is key to modelling. The gaps between surfaces will play an important role while converting surface bodies into solid. This design of Aston Martin One-77 will give an opportunity to explore the tools of surface modelling.