Autodesk makes software for people who make things. If you've ever driven a high-performance car, admired a towering skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched a great film, chances are you've experienced what millions of Autodesk customers are doing with our software. Autodesk gives you the power to make anything, but some segments of the general public are not yet aware of that.
The Autodesk Gallery at One Market in San Francisco celebrates design — the process of taking a great idea and turning it into a reality. With about 60 different exhibits regularly on display that showcase the innovative work of Autodesk customers, the gallery illustrates the role technology plays in great design and engineering. Autodesk Gallery Ambassadors conduct gallery tours as a sideline to their day jobs. The tours provide ambassadors with opportunities to practice public speaking in front of small groups by informing visitors about what our customers imagine, design, and make using our software.
Sometimes exhibits from the gallery go on the road and appear at special events, like pop-up galleries that we have hosted in Paris, London, Tokyo, and Toronto. In contrast, sometimes exhibits are created for special events and then make their way to the Autodesk Gallery in San Francisco. For example, at last year's Autodesk University in Las Vegas, we debuted 19 new exhibits. Some of these may resurface in San Francisco.
The The New Silverpilen Motorcycle exhibit is one such exhibit from AU:
People
Software
KISKA reimagines classic motorcycles and brought back the iconic 1955 Steve McQueen Silverpilen (Silver Arrow) motorcycle.
Industrial-design studio KISKA reimagined a classic, Steve McQueen–era Husqvarna bike with new Svartpilen and Vitpilen models. KISKA understands the essence of design like few other industrial-design studios, which made it the perfect choice to bring back and update the iconic Silverpilen (Silverpilen is Swedish for "Silver Arrow") motorcycle. The Svartpilen is the updated, modern version of the classic Silverpilen.
KISKA designers look for new and innovative results that stir emotions, both within the company and with the client — in this case, KTM (owner of the Husqvarna brand that built the original Silverpilen).
"Everything starts with pencil sketches on paper. Design staff clear their desks and schedules, put headphones on, and aren't interrupted for three or four weeks. It's where the magic happens."
— Craig Dent, KISKA Lead Designer
The next step is realizing those sketches in CAD, and Autodesk Alias is the "go-to" software to translate 2D sketches into 3D designs. But to elicit emotion, even a 3D picture on a flat screen can be limiting, so KISKA uses leverages digital processes coupled with traditional analog.
KISKA designers use Alias to translate 2D sketches into 3D designs, Autodesk software to form clay models, and scanning/VR to rebuild surfaces and volumes to exacting specifications before milling.
With the design captured in Alias, next comes 3D milling to create a design prototype. Data collated through the CAD software is converted into toolpaths using Autodesk PowerInspect and PowerMill software. KISKA's in-house mill runs the resulting G-codes to create a clay model. The clay model is then crafted and finished in loving detail. That becomes the basis for the final designs for manufacturing.
After the design prototype is built to size and painted, it's scanned at very high resolution. That data is then fed back into the CAD workflow, where surfaces and volumes are rebuilt exactly to specifications. Although initially used for prototype visualization, Virtual Reality (VR) also assists with the rebuilding process. When the 3D data is plugged into a VR system, it allows the user to pick up, spin, turn, and inspect the design from every angle, coming as close to finished reality as possible prior to the milling stage. This allows the design to be finalized, and the final product is then milled using PowerMill.
Thanks to the Autodesk Gallery team for the descriptive text for this blog post.
Autodesk has always been an automation company. Today, more than ever, that means helping our customers automate their design and make processes. We help them embrace the future of making, where they can do more (e.g., efficiency, performance, quality), with less (e.g., energy, raw materials, timeframes, waste of human potential), and realize the opportunity for better (e.g., innovation, user experience, return on investment). The combination of analog (clay) and digital processes allow for history to be accurately recreated. KISKA used VR and 3D-design processes to bring 1955 beauty and simplicity back to life.
The Autodesk Gallery in San Francisco is open to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. There is a guided tour on Wednesdays at 12:30 pm and a self-guided audio tour available anytime. Admission is free. Visit us.
Replication is alive in the lab.
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