Feature-based modelling of conceptual requirements for styling

Industrial design plays a key role during the product development cycle in the integration of conceptual product design and engineering design. Innovative product design depends on the appropriateness of computer-aided tools for the support of the creative and intuitive design process using a highly interactive modelling tool. Efficient use of computer-aided industrial design systems necessitates meeting the requirements of the designer. A prototype system is presented which aims at both integration of industrial design with adjacent product development processes employing feature-based modelling techniques of conceptual data models as well as intuitive modelling for a rapid shape definition using the approach of virtual clay modelling.