CAD Constraint Automation via Historical Data Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CAD systems require design engineers to manually define constraint relationships for components, which is tedious and repetitive, as they often reuse components in similar ways across different designs, without leveraging previous constraint data effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that automatically adds constraints between entities in a CAD model by accessing a database storing information on previously used constraints, allowing for the detection of common component relationships and suggesting likely constraint schemes based on previous use data, thereby reducing the number of steps needed for constraint definition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual constraint definition is used, then constraint relationships can be established, but the process is tedious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically retrieving and applying constraint relationships from previously designed CAD models before the design engineer begins manual constraint definition. The system proactively searches the database for matching components and pre-configures constraint options, eliminating the need for engineers to start constraint definition from scratch and significantly reducing both time and manual effort.
2Productivity
If geometry-based solutions are used, then constraint relationships can be established, but previous intelligence is not reused
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously querying the database for previously used constraint relationships and feeding this information back to the current design process. When a component is inserted, the system automatically retrieves historical constraint data from similar components in previous models and presents these as pre-configured options to the engineer, thereby reusing organizational intelligence and improving productivity without losing valuable previous knowledge.
3Extent of automation
If predetermined mate-reference solutions are used, then automatic constraining is possible, but manual setup is required in advance
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by automatically performing the constraint definition process without requiring engineers to manually set up mate references in advance. When a component is inserted into a model, the system autonomously queries the database, identifies matching constraint relationships from previous designs, and automatically applies these constraints to the current model, eliminating both manual setup complexity and enabling automatic constraint application.
Data Source
AI summary
Automatically adding constraints between entities in a subject computer-aided design (CAD) model of a real-world object includes storing information regarding CAD model entities and related constraints in a computer database in which the CAD model entities belong to one or more components of the subject CAD model or other CAD models. The computer database is accessed to determine previously used constraints for at least one entity of a given component being added to the CAD model, and constraints are automatically added between at least one entity of the given component and another entity in the subject CAD model based on the previously used constraints.