Skoda’s Roomster surfs in on visualisation

Skoda’s Roomster concept car was developed in record time by smart use of ICEM Surf surface modelling, analysis and visualisation software in everything from design development to tooling design. The software was used to create accurate 3D digital surface models of the vehicle, and the resulting data was then ploughed directly into machining of the final physical model for the IAA Show in Frankfurt late last year. “One of the big advantages in the design development of the Roomster’s interior was that it enabled us to visualise the design on computer from the earliest stages,” says Radek Simon, leader, CA-styling in Skoda design. “In addition, it enabled us to develop the vehicle’s interior in parallel with the exterior design, which saved us a great deal of time.” The system enabled the development team to read point cloud data from 3D photogrammetric scans of the clay model straight into the modeller, where it could then be visualised and converted automatically into a digital surface model. The designer’s original 2D vehicle body sketches were also used within ICEM Surf to create further 3D surface models. Notably, the software’s real-time rendering facilities were used to generate photo-realistic visualisations of the vehicle for design review and validation. Also, using the final model data, interior components were machined from foam and then finished with laminates, while the body was machined from metal, again using the ICEM Surf model data and then spray-painted.