Product design efficiency: surface vs. voxel modeling - Lead time and surface quality

Paper in proceeding, 2005

Product design tend to keep surface modelling as a major means for creating geometry, where excessive time is spent and specialized professions are needed sometimes. Would a change to voxel modelling increase efficiency without reducing surface quality? A comparison between software for surface modeling and voxel modeling was made. Two objects were modeled side-by-side in the two software, one motorcycle tank demanding high surface quality and one automotive seat having detailed form. Surface quality was evaluated using curvature visualization and lead time from sketch to finished CAD object was measured. The tests showed voxel modeling to be much faster than surface modeling for both objects significant difference. However, there was a difference in surface smoothness in favor of surface modeling, although not visible in real-time rendered reflections. Despite the quality difference, voxel modeling might be accurate enough even for products with glossy surfaces, such as automotive exterior panels.