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Cadalyst Labs Review: Alias StudioTools 13
1 Feb, 2006 By: IDSA ,Mike HudspethThe perennial preference of industrial designers gets even better.
Progress. Everyone Wants it. Politicians campaign on it. Successful products foster it. People say you can't stop it. So we might as well enjoy it! Alias has just released its latest version of Studio Tools, v13. With a mature product, the challenge for software designers is to make it easier to use without decreasing the power and functionality. There are always new features to add, but in the end it comes down to interface. The road toward progress is littered with software that was new and different, even better than anything else available, but that never succeeded because of a clunky interface. Alias, being a smart company, has watched such programs fall by the wayside and has learned from their mistakes. It has continually tried to improve its program, and StudioTools 13 is its best effort yet. For current users, this is a great release that will help you do what you've been doing with much greater ease and flash. New users just might find that their lucky number is 13.
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Alias is aiming its products at what it calls the visually intelligent business—an organization that values being visually connected. Alias says successful companies are those that use design to develop product uniqueness, which it maintains brings market leadership and ultimately profit. Whether you agree or not, one thing is undeniable: Alias is a successful company. Almost every production automobile in the world is at least touched by one of its products at some point in its development. You can't argue with numbers. There has been much discussion of Autodesk's purchase of Alias. Though there's a certain amount of overlap between the two companies' products, as of this writing no major changes to the software have been made. On closing the deal in January, Autodesk said it plans to continue the development and support of Alias products. Its top priority is to link the existing products of both companies to increase interoperability and improve data management. Whatever happens, we hope that Alias will continue to provide tools to facilitate the design process for its customers.
 Figure 1. RKS Guitars uses Alias StudioTools to design its classic guitars. Read the full story online at www.cadalyst.com/rks/. |
For those who are just looking for the first time at Alias, it offers a suite of products designed to handle various tasks. DesignStudio (for fast concept creation), Studio (concept creation and production modeling), SurfaceStudio and AutoStudio (optimized for the automotive industry) are Alias' comprehensive industrial design products. Other modules are available, but these four do the lion's share of what most people are looking for. Visit the company Web site for full details.
 Alias StudioTools 13 |
Workflow Interfaces
Separate workflow interfaces let users view and access only the commands that are active and make sense for what is being done. Workflow shelves organize design tools (figure 2). The Paint shelf includes tools for 2D image construction. It's basically a paint program. The Modeling shelf lets users construct 3D wire frame and surface models. The Visualization shelf is for viewing and rendering models in spectacular detail. Users can easily make their own customized shelf—a great way to create a workflow for individual users. Shelves can be organized with dividers, grouping tools together however it makes sense. It's also easy to create cascading menus that put a huge number of commands at users' fingertips.
 Figure 2. Customizable workflow shelves give Alias StudioTools users access to just about any tool needed. |
Dynamic Duo
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AutoCAD Tips!
Autodesk Technical Evangelist Lynn Allen guides you through a different AutoCAD feature in every edition of her popular "Circles and Lines" tutorial series. For even more AutoCAD how-to, check out Lynn's quick tips in the Cadalyst Video Gallery. Subscribe to Cadalyst's Tips & Tricks Tuesdays free e-newsletter and we'll notify you every time a new video tip is available. All exclusively from Cadalyst! |
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