Audi A5 Sportback C Pillar

 This is the area which causes most problems to students

and if I’m honest, it took me personally quite some time to understand and eventually be able to model a complex fully blended C Pillar, like the one pictured here.

The point of this post is to give you a basic understanding of this problem

and the level of skills that you must acquire to reach a point where you are competent to take on this surfacing challenge in Alias. It takes several months of following a specialised Alias Automotive course to reach this level.

“C” is the surface that we must end up with and it must be curvature continuous

with all the surrounding surfaces. Numbered from 1 through 5. I should point out here that srf. #1 for modelling the C pillar would not be the offset srf. shown here, but the theoretical srf. from which it has been offset by 18mm. so srfs. C and #1 would be on the same level (crvtr. cont.)

The preparation for building srf. C involves building srfs. 1-5, which have to be absolutely 100% correct for srf. C to work.

In Industry the Alias modeller would receive a data transmittal from the clay model,

usually in the form of scan data, so the clay modellers, would have resolved the way that all these srfs. flow together. Then the Alias modeller would be required to build very accurate srfs. from the given data improving the highlight to the designer’s satisfaction. If you have to build a complex C pillar from say blueprints, then it becomes a far more difficult task, as there just isn’t enough information on BP’s. to enable you to know the critical xsecs for the srfs. numbered from 1-5. Therefore building it would be a very slow process involving lots of trial and error. If you are lucky enough to have the designer sitting with you it would be tough, but if you were doing it without any support or data it would be a nightmare.

Building a C pillar from scan data:

The preparation would be to build the shoulder #2 and then the Deck #3 and #4 (the Deck has a base srf#3. + a blend #4 to the theoretical rear screen). These srfs. must have G2 crvtr. and the highlights must be perfect, as they form the base srfs. that srf. “C”  is blended to.

Next: The Cant Rail is brought down below the Deck. It is built to the theoretcal Rear Screen and not to the actual rear screen shown in the pic. The Cant Rail must blend to the Deck with G2.

Finally surface “C” is built from the theoretical Side Glass and the Cant Rail and then blended with the Shoulder and Deck surfaces.

I hope that you have found this insightful.

For students who wish to achieve this skill level

My advice would be definitely to take lessons with an Alias trainer, as you need a lot of help, support, advice as well as access to specimen surfaces and meshes to reach this level and complete this area to a pro. level. Alias Automotive Modelling is a very interesting and well paid profession and in my humble opinion, it is definitely worth investing in a short course now, so that you can go on to reap the benefits throughout a long and interesting career in the future.

Good luck with your Alias

Graham bullock B.Ed. CNAA. Des. Tech.

To Learn Alias Automotive to Industry Entry level has been made easier.

For student’s who have the objective of finding a CAD job in the near future, I still teach One to One students and all of these students get Automotive Modeling or Design/Modeling jobs, so it’s a great investment to make. The hourly rate is very high and there are vacancies in UK. France, Germany, Sweden, Spain, USA, Brazil etc. I can only take a maximum of 5-7 students at any one time. I teach all levels right up to Post Graduates. I have never had a Private student fail to get an Alias Automotive job (Companies include Ferrari, GM, Lotus, Opel, Audi Seat etc. ). If you wish to apply for a place, please email me with all your details.
Why not visit my website and take a look for your self?
Over 100 videos on many, many aspects of Learning Pro. Alias
I show you how to build a Complete Audi A5 Sportback (ext.) . Over 50 Videos on that alone !

Info. on Courses:

“Course #1”.

6 Months website access to all website based video tutorials, 167 Euros (215 USD equivalent Sept. 2012)

“Course #2”.

167 Euros (215 USD equivalent Sept. 2012) per month. You get your .wire reviewed by me every 15 days and you will receive : feedback, instruction, tips and advice from me personally. Access to all videos including my ” Private Student Training Videos”. You will build at least 3 complete automotive exteriors. The course also includes an intensive Reverse Engineering section, which required by most employers.

“#3 Full Pro. “Elite” Course”.

Fast Track Full Pro. “One to One” Course with weekly reviews and coaching 200-250 Euros (USD. 260-320 approx. Sept. 2012) per month. One to One Private tuition. You will receive specific geometry and meshes and modeling from me personally where required, to help you to complete your exteriors quickly to an Industry entry level standard. This means a bigger investment, but once in an Alias modeling job you will get back what you invested many times over and be able to work anywhere in the world

NB: Typically students pay 50% of the cost of the “Elite” course by monthly installments settling the balance over time,  once they have an Alias Automotive contract.

For more info,

Just register on my website and I’ll send you all the details
www.learningalias.co.uk

*** Special 25% Discounts for US students (Message me on my website for details)

USA:

If you are in the USA, just register and login, then go to Profile and you can pay your subscription with your US credit card. Absolutely no extra charges for currency conversion.

Regards

Graham Bullock B.Ed.(CNAA)Des.Tech.