Clay Modeling
What sets Hydra apart from other design firms is our ability to bring a rendering to life through in-house modeling services. Since physical properties are essential to any new automotive shape, clay remains the medium of choice for modeling because of its ease of machining and hand-sculpting. Our Southern California facility features three full-size 4×6-meter surface plates and 40% surface plates, quarter-scale and eighth-scale tables – offering clay modeling for full-size and scale models.
The clay model is a critical part of our automotive development process – these models allow us to assess design details and proportions that may not be so evident in computer data. Jumping back and forth between CAD modeling and Clay modeling provides the best of both worlds. After milling CAD data into clay, the model is refined by hand and then laser-scanned to bring the new changes back into data. The finished clay model can be painted or evaluated with Di-noc film. We can create clay models for any project requirements, including interiors or exteriors at either scale or full size.
While technology continues to revolutionize the design industry, there is still no substitution for clay modeling. Having a tactile 3D form that you can touch and refine with subtle nuances on surfaces – that can never be replicated in VR.
