How to Design/Create Bodyparts?

"Hans Kuiper" (hanschepuve) 04/23/2015 at 17:46 • Filed to: None

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So oppo, I have NO, NON, ZERO, ABSOLUTELY any idea how to fabricate my own bodykit/bodyparts.

Im interested to learn how, knowing some of you might work in auto shops or work in the industry, i’d like to know at least what to expect or well...anything about it.

Example:

I know this Rocket Bunny guy isnt really loved here, but I was seeing one of those speedhunters or whatever features and saw the guys creating the bodykit digitally then working on the car.

What kind of knowledge is necessary? is it hand made? do I need a special machine?

What about abilities, software needed?

Any light you can give me will be really appreciated. I kind of illustrate cars and now my things or two on car drawing, but thats it.

Help me pls :(

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 17:49

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if I had to guess.. use the original as a template and for the frame work and attachment points. Cut, add, build, etc til you have Franken part. Cover with fiberglass, remove shell, finish. Ta-da.

Or something like that I don’t know.

TheHondaBro > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 17:51

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You’ll need:

An orthographic drawing of the car in question

A computer that can run Autodesk Inventor + Autodesk Inventor

Skills in Autodesk Inventor

A model of the car in question in Autodesk Inventor

Milky > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 17:53

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#Lyfe

Sketch / Render part. Make part in 3D program (alias). Send part file to plastics company who makes a very expensive mold and you get parts back in about a month.

*after going to an expensive art school for 4 years.

TheOnelectronic > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 17:54

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Two ways, really.

Model the part in CAD or similar

Find someone who can mill something that large with a CNC machine

Create mold based on milled part

lay fiberglass in mold

OR

carve the part out of styrofoam yourself

Follow 3&4 as above.

That’s sort of the amateur way of doing it, at least.

Doing it all on your own would likely be prohibitively expensive, but you might be able to find a machine shop nearby that has the machinery.

Learning a CAD program takes time, but it’s absolutely doable, as is learning how to lay fiberglass.

By far the most difficult step will be turning your concept into a physical part. things like bumpers are larger than most milling machines are meant for. One way of doing it would be to mill out sections and then glue them together.

While you could absolutely do it by hand with blocks of styrofoam and a hot wire cutter, it won’t be as precise as a milled piece would be.

That’s the extent of my knowledge, in lieu of someone who ACTUALLY knows what they’re doing.

Hans Kuiper > TheOnelectronic 04/23/2015 at 18:26

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Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Looks like a long road ahead, welp i’ll try my best, right now I dont know anyone with a CNC machine, heck, I dont even know if theres one in the country.

But hey, I guess everything is possible!

Hans Kuiper > Milky 04/23/2015 at 18:28

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Wooooooooow THAT is so cool, what school did you go to? Is alias something like a standard or is just one of the available programs that can do the job, I know some basics in 3ds Max, so If i start learning a new program I’ll try to learn the one that is suited for that job. or at least the most popular/common.

Hans Kuiper > TheHondaBro 04/23/2015 at 18:29

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Orthographic drawing, such as blueprints of the car right?

In one of the replies, Alias was mentioned, how does it compares to Autodesk Inventor?

My pc is an Overclocked i7 with a GTX570 so I think im covered there.

Thanks for the reply.

Hans Kuiper > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul 04/23/2015 at 18:30

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Lol, at least it seems you know more than I do.

TheOnelectronic > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 18:42

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Orthographic means there’s no perspective. Like this for example

Frank Grimes > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 18:58

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roth used plaster and fiberglass. it can also be done with a buck and english wheel and those sorts of tools to build them like a coach builder.

Milky > Hans Kuiper 04/23/2015 at 19:00

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College for Creative Studies in Detroit. But Alias is the standard program all of the OEM car companies use (i.e. GM, Ford, etc.) but there are others that will do the job. Not to mention ‘Im sure Alias is the most expensive.

IIRC though you can a free student version on their website.

Hans Kuiper > Milky 04/23/2015 at 21:21

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woooaaah, I was fantasizing the other day checking all the automotive/industrial design colleges and saw that one, it looked like one of the bests! could you share how was it (the career, experiences)? if its not asking too much of course.

But, back on point, how is the learning curve with Alias? im going to research about it, im just asking because well getting info from somebody with experience should be better.

Thanks for replying!

Hans Kuiper > TheOnelectronic 04/23/2015 at 21:22

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well thanks, its just I didn’t know the word for that in English as it isnt my native language. Thanks

Hans Kuiper > Frank Grimes 04/23/2015 at 21:23

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welp! talk about doing it the old fashioned way, seeing those pictures makes you think the kind of craftsmanship that went into some cars masterpieces of that era.

DeLM > Milky 04/24/2015 at 10:03

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That is some very nice surfacing you got going on there....

DeLM > Milky 04/24/2015 at 10:05

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The student versions are really good, the only difference I found was that it was a one year license. There are plenty of tutorials online to get you started.

DeLM > Milky 04/24/2015 at 10:18

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These were done on the student versions. What do you think professional designer; I am just a wanna be designer, you think I have a future in it? :P

Milky > DeLM 04/24/2015 at 10:18

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Thanks, its all about getting that curvature!

Milky > DeLM 04/24/2015 at 10:23

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Well yea! Its depends on if you want to be a designer or a 3D modeler though. Thats on par with the stuff I was doing in school for Alias class. The sketching/rendering is what gets you a job as designer.

Both are great and pay about the same, just depends on what you want.