16.10.2004 ICEM, a developer of surface modelling, surface analysis AND design visualisation software, announced that the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, relied on the their software to streamline the design development

ICEM, the leading developer of surface modelling, surface analysis and design visualisation software, announced today that the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster, launched by the Italian super-car manufacturer earlier this year, relied on the ICEM Surf software suite to streamline the design development process for the vehicle’s body and interior.

ICEM Surf was used by Lamborghini throughout the Murcielago Roadster development project to transform the stylists’ designs into the final, production-ready Class A surface model data required for the tooling development process and subsequent manufacture of all the ‘customer-visible’ components of the car.

“Using ICEM Surf on the Murcielago Roadster project enabled us to streamline the design development workflow process through better integration of the different design phases”, said Andrea Bonfatti, Lamborghini’s body development manager.

“Stylists, surface design engineers and manufacturing engineers were able to work together, using ICEM Surf visualizations of the vehicle to examine and agree on various aspects of the design from an aesthetic and from an engineering feasibility viewpoint.

"This shortened the development time and also enabled us to reduce the number of physical models needed, which in turn, reduced the development costs.”

In addition to enabling the Murcielago Roadster development team to meet Lamborghini’s Class A surface quality requirements while satisfying the styling and engineering feasibility requirements, ICEM Surf model data was used in the development of the production tooling for a variety of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, laminated thermoplastics and aluminum pressing.

“ICEM Surf is an invaluable tool for us”, said Bonfatti. “It enables us to design and develop complex surface shapes and to visualise them in real time at the same time as ensuring that they are feasible designs from an engineering and manufacturing standpoint.

"It also enables us to better integrate the body surfaces development process and the vehicle engineering design process. This helps us avoid errors which could be costly to rectify later in the development process.”

With its headquarters in the UK, ICEM Ltd. is the leading worldwide developer and supplier of advanced, surface-based modelling software for use in the design and development of automotive vehicle bodies and interiors and consumer durable products.

The company has a worldwide network of sales and support offices and specialist distributors covering continental Europe, the USA, Australia and the Asia Pacific region.

ICEM’s principal market sector is the worldwide automotive industry, where it includes most of the leading manufacturers among its customers, including the Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler Group, Volkswagen Audi Group, Porsche, BMW, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Nissan, Subaru and Harley Davidson among others.

Leading automotive industry companies such as Volke, EDAG, Pininfarina, Bertone and Bertrandt, among many others are also customers.