Key features of Autodesk Alias
Concept modelling
Bring your concepts to life with subdivisional modelling, tailored for product design
Surfacing
Fine-tune your technical surfaces to the highest quality levels inclusive of construction history
Automated surfacing
Build surfaces from scanned or mesh data automatically
Computational design
Quickly create production-quality, repeatable patterns with user-friendly, algorithm-based design
Design in virtual reality
Immersive conceptual design with curve, surface and subdivisional modelling tools
Working with assemblies
Cross-team and -department assembly modelling uses the reference manager to quickly update design changes
Design communication and collaboration
Seamless integration with VRED and Flow Production Tracking (formerly ShotGrid) for enhanced design collaboration
What’s new in Alias 2024
Check out the latest features and workflows of Alias
New features of Alias 2024
NEW
New user experience
Alias 2024 includes a modernised user interface, while maintaining the familiar Alias tools and DNA (video: 2:24 min.)
NEW
Markup and animation editors
Improve collaboration and review with intuitive markup and animation editors. (video: 1:27 min.)
ENHANCED
Surface modifier tools
Easily control objects on curves with the feature modifier. Smooth curved surfaces quickly and easily with the accelerated surface function. (video: 2:30 min.)
Alias 2023 highlights
NEW
Subdivisional modelling workflows
Alias 2023 provides more SubD automation with the reform function, and a unique way to transition creases. Reform gives you the power to take any scanned mesh data and convert it to a SubD model for faster roundtrip design iteration. (video: 1:47 min.)
ENHANCED
Accelerate your design process
Accelerate your design process with multiple enhancements in the latest version of Alias, including a new reworked round tool. (video: 54 sec.)
Alias 2022 highlights
Class-A enhancements
SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Create shareable presets for tools and parametric capabilities. (video: 1:42 min.)
Sharing and reuse of design data
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Custom-built feature sets and Dynamo scripts aid in creating libraries and templates for use by your whole team. (video: 1:31 min.)
Workflow and process improvements
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Improved workflow and user experience, including faster SubD modelling and new Dynamo scripts. (video: 3:22 min.)
Alias 2021 highlights
Subdivision modelling improvements
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
SubD modelling improvements included diagnostic shade, specific menus, and a shelf for the SubD workflow. (video: 1:18 min.)
Alias Create VR with SubD
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
SubD modelling in your VR workflow represents another step forward in Alias Create VR. (video: 1:13 min.)
Dynamo player
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
New interactive UI to work with and modify Dynamo scripts. Improve speed of design automation. (video: 1:47 min.)
Improved design efficiency
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
This update includes enhancements to the tool finder, variant lister and freeform blend tool. (video: 1:19 min.)
Alias assemblies workflow
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Additional enhancements to reference workflows, including a true assemblies workflow. (video: 1:07 min.)
SubD ReTopo tool
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Generate subdivision topology by placing CVs and building SubDs on a reference mesh or NURBS geometry. (video: 1:04 min.)
SubD user profile
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Subdivision modelling workflow includes a customised SubD Marking menu and dedicated SubD shelf set. (video: 2:18 min.)
Dynamo drag and drop
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Save Import Dynamo sample file locations so that you can drag and drop scripts to a shelf.
Selection sets
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Create, modify and select objects and components using selection sets.
History visualiser
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Get a new way of visualising the flow of construction history in your Alias files.
Surface fillet
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
G2 curvature/Arc creates a fillet that has curvature lead-in and maintains a more arc-shaped section.
Proportional Crown
SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
This capability has been added to Skin, Surface Fillet, Multi-Surface Draught and Free Form Blend.
Dynamo Wheel Arch script
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Quickly create wheel arches using a Dynamo sample file, saving you time when building a new vehicle concept model.
Transform tool
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
Modify components such as CVs, hulls and edges. Transform entities without moving off the selected plane.
SubD Align to Curve
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
New options allow for better control over how subdivision CVs align to curves and surface boundaries.
Visual Clip
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
A visual clipping plane tool now exists in Alias Concept for quick visual sectioning and clip of geometry.
Anti-aliasing
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
A supersampling option increases the anti-alias quality by a factor of 4, resulting in a quality of up to 64x.
Replace shader by name
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
You can now replace shaders by name when you import Alias supported geometry with shader assignments.
Create VR
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
An immersive conceptual design tool that lets designers explore form in 3D using simple curve and surface tools.
SubD and Dynamo tutorials
CONCEPT, SURFACE, AUTOSTUDIO
SubD and Dynamo tutorials and exercises for Alias, including example files and three special Alias 2021 scripts.
More features of Alias
Concept design and fast concept modelling
Sketching and illustration tools
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO
Draw and edit with integrated tools. Capture lines, circles and ellipses with predictive strokes. (video: 2:43 min.)
Flexible product modelling
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Fast, repeatable, curve-based modelling tools let you directly edit and sculpt 3D models. (video: 2:32 min.)
Fast concept modelling
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO
Get a complete concept model workflow, from sketch to final concept model. (video: 3:03 min.)
Photoshop live link
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Sketches from Photoshop can be linked to Alias. Changes to sketches are dynamically updated in Alias.
Dynamic shape modelling
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Quickly manipulate your product model and explore shape variations on 3D forms without rebuilding geometry.
3D sculpting
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
3D sculpt surfaces by directly adjusting surface control vertices. Use curve-based tools, direct modelling and more.
Detailed design and surface analysis
Deck seam
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Use the deck seam (similar to a flat fell seam) to create a deck shape and stitch along an edge or curved surface. (video: 3:31 min.)
Precise surface creation
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Use tools that help you create mathematical shapes. Control pitch with the Revolve tool and more. (video: 1:26 min.)
Multiblend tool
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Use the Multiblend tool to easily generate nice-looking, hard-to-build surfaces and make smooth transitions between surfaces. (video: 4:28 min.)
Light ray effects and reflections
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Study your surfaces in a virtual lighting studio with the Light Tunnel tool.
Computational design
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Quickly generate complex repeatable patterns and enable rapid design iterations and exploration.
Automatic arrays of shapes
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Simplify uniform and nonuniform objects using arrays. Create arrays of lines and surfaces in 2D and 3D.
Surface modelling and Class-A surfacing
New subdivision modelling tools
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Take concept modelling to a new level with the strengths of adaptive subdivision controls combined with native NURBS surface technology in Alias. (video: 3:45 min.)
Global refit
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Refit your digital model to the changed physical model. (video: 1:24 min.)
Improved surface from mesh tool
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Create a surface on mesh with one of three surface types. Update original data with scanned clay data. (video: 2:01 min.)
Precision surface modelling
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Create Class-A surfaces with speed and control.
Surface creation and editing
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Perform multiple operations with a single, automated tool.
Predictive control
AUTOSTUDIO
Get more predictable results with new tools such as Freeform Curve Blend and View Flip.
Multicurve profile input
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Profile tools provide an advanced way to work with surfaces, such as rotating a profile to a target surface.
Intelligent form factor capability
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Define ratios with Form Factor tools.
Mesh selection techniques
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Use an expanded mesh selection toolset.
Offset tool
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Maintain offset CV layout quality to enable a semiautomated, time-saving workflow.
Design communication and product visualisation
Save file author options
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Save the file author information under the save information section when saving or exporting a file.
File > Share view
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Disable the share view option using an environment variable.
Virtual reality with Alias
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Enhance design reviews with virtual reality. Explore your design to scale using a HMD in VR.
Interactive product visualisation
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Evaluate design options with real-time visualisations. Use shading models, apply colour, add texture and more.
Convenient data exchange
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Share industrial design data with mechanical design and CAD software, including Inventor, CATIA and SOLIDWORKS.
VRED compatibility
AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Quickly convert Alias files to VRED software for 3D visualisation.
Switch between shading assignments
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Easily switch between colour combinations.
Variant configuration sets
CONCEPT, AUTOSTUDIO, SURFACE
Capture your current view to return to it easily.