With over thirty years in the OEM Automotive industry and design, Steve Osorio at Osorio Design continues to use the latest technology to create 3D, aerodynamic, performance-enhancing automotive products. He watched technology unfold as machines started sculpting cars in clay; he has adapted and reinvented his style to keep up with developments at the cutting edge. We sat down with this designer, artist and entrepreneur to find out how his company is using the Absolute Arm to turn functional designs into awe-inspiring automotive products.
Brian Winters (BW): Steve, can you tell me a little about Osorio Design?
Steve Osorio (SO): Osorio Design develops and designs modifications of existing concepts. We’re currently developing our own electric car concept vehicle dubbed the ‘Triple O’, a three-wheeled concept commuter vehicle that turns heads wherever it goes. Because much of our work is about the lines of automotive beauty, we concentrate on those that are aerodynamically sound like the Corvette. Currently, we’ve made enhancements to the standard C7 Corvette to produce our own version called the C72020RR.
However, we don’t limit our design activity to the automotive industry, as we have many designs for several sectors of the economy, which has given us a substantial online following. We’ve put together a team of professionals that wake up to the smell of design every morning; from Photoshop to the fiberglass shop, we do it all.
BW: What differentiates Osorio Design from other automotive designers – what sets you apart?
SO: We’re truly free to explore any area of design specification and push the limits to twist, turn and set that perfect aesthetic and enhance the beauty of the product. We make individual artwork accessible to the mainstream. Our tools and expertise allow us to precisely measure every aspect of the design and enhance the features necessary to create a bold visual presence.
Our in-house measurement technology allows us to make real-time measurements and adapt the current design live as it’s being shaped by the automotive sculptor. In the past, we needed to wait days for measurements and specs in order to make real-time adjustments to the clay; now it’s a matter of seconds and you can see if that angle is going to work with your design.
Our work is far from easy. With a variety of skills, years of experience and the latest technology available we are easily doing the work of fifty men. Our design process is fast and efficient with record turnaround time.
BW: Which systems from Hexagon are you using in the shop? What applications and features are being measured?
SO: Osorio Design uses the Absolute Arm 7-axis system with the RS-SQUARED Area Scanner; it is unbelievable to have that kind of real-time measurement. You’ve got to remember that I was doing this thirty years ago all by hand on overtime hours. It would blow any designer’s mind to have thought you could go from paper design or computer-aided design to clay in a matter of minutes. But now we have the Absolute Arm and, with a few clicks and scans, we can begin or modify endless projects on a daily basis. It really is mind boggling the amount of overhead and time you are saving.
BW What was life like before the Absolute Arm?
SO: Before we started using the Absolute Arm, we were using the giant and cumbersome surface plate which is a piece of marble and metal that is calibrated, squared and has a flatness factor to rival any OEM design studio. That expensive hunk of equipment works great but is no match to the portability of the Absolute Arm. The surface plate cannot be easily moved as it weighs thousands of pounds. The Absolute Arm is mobile and can go with me on any project on the road.
BW: If you compare the situation before with the current situation, what are the advantages of using our systems?
SO: The old method is so much more time-consuming and leads to human error that can mess up your entire timeline. The new Absolute Arm is so easy to use, and the reproducibility factor is amazing. Other designers can copy anything I do and Hexagon is available throughout the world for any designer’s needs. If you’re serious about a design studio or a 3D print shop you cannot overlook the Absolute Arm.
Reverse engineering is a thing of the past with the Absolute Arm because you are working within the actual design and interpreting the results in real time. This means freedom for the designer and for the shop as well because less measurement mistakes equates to faster turnaround time for your client.
I can scan any curve, surface or angle in clay and vice versa. Turn those measurements into real product inventory or dollars and that is the real bottom line.
BW: What factors led you to choose Hexagon as a measurement service provider?
SO: The ease of equipment setup, the learning curve, the incorporation into our studio, the customer service and most importantly reliable measurements that can be reproduced consistently, and that is how we ended up with the Absolute Arm at Osorio Design. Hexagon came in, setup the arm, trained our techs and we were off and running in a matter of days.
BW: What does quality mean to you?
SO: Osorio Design strives for the utmost in quality designs and taking designs to the highest quality level that you can imagine. The freedom to design at your very best and use the best and latest technology – that is a good start to a quality product.
Visit the About Portable Measuring Arms page to learn more about the solutions that help Osorio Design bring 3D automotive sculpture design to life in the real world.
