Alias StudioTools 13 and Alias ImageStudio 3 Released

By DE Editors

Alias(Toronto, ONT) has released the latest versions of its signature lineof industrial design software solutions: Alias StudioTools 13, AliasImageStudio 3, and Alias PortfolioWall 3. In conjunction with thesoftware launch, Alias has also enhanced its Alias StudioTools PlatinumMembership, offering top-tier support and maintenance via softwaredownloads, hotline support, and learning resources.

The latest release of the Alias design software suite has expandedcapabilities so designers can create, craft, collaborate, and conveydesigns in a smoothly flowing process. It frees up designers to focuson the idea rather than the tools.

Alias StudioTools integrates the tools designers require for the shapedefinition and communication processes, from sketching to productionmodeling, within an intuitive working environment. New features andenhancements offer benefits in productivity, sketching, 3D modeling,visualization, and data interoperability. Productivity improvementsinclude changes to the user interface to streamline design workflow, aWork Shelves feature that presents designers with essential tools forspecific tasks, new data management features to help designers workmore efficiently with large datasets, and enhanced documentation allowsusers to quickly find information.

Other features include improvements to sketching and 2D/3D designcapabilities; new dynamic shape modeling enables the globalmodification of 3D data; the addition of semi-automated modeling toolssuch as Ball Corner and Multi-Surface Blends; and photorealistic,interactive visualization that provides designers with a real-timefeedback and design communication vehicle without the time/expense ofhaving to construct a physical prototype or wait for software rendering.

A new addition to StudioTools 13 software is the High Resolution ScreenGrab function that enables designers to create snapshots of anywindows. Combined with the new Hardware Shade features, this allowsdesigners to create high-quality, high-resolution images at the touchof a button.

StudioTools 13 features a number of tools useful for preparing largescan datasets for modification, visualization, and reverse engineering.The software now also enables a unique, timesaving hybrid modelingworkflow for automotive design combining the advantages of NURBS withpolygon scan data (e.g., to update an existing NURBS car model toquickly reflect changes in a new model).

Alias ImageStudio 3 allows users to render larger files, and get fasterresults, through the addition of satellite rendering. Satelliterendering offloads rendering computation onto networked computers,leaving the user’s machine free for interactive work.

Finally, Alias PortfolioWall software allows creative teams toorganize, review, annotate, and make rapid decisions on 2D and 3Dvisual data. It forms the backbone of design workflow by providing adirect link between designers, managers, and clients, allowing them todirectly share visuals and project data. The third version ofPortfolioWall boasts faster performance, improved visual quality, andgreater scope in its data organization tools.

In a related move, Alias has expanded its Alias Platinum Membershipprogram to StudioTools, enabling users to maximize investment in theirdesign software tools. For a fixed annual fee, Alias PlatinumMembership delivers unlimited telephone and email hotline support,early access to software product upgrades, Alias Insider CaseManagement to expedite bug fixes, as well as the option to nominate"super users” within an organization.

For more information, visit alias.com.