Automatic 3D CAD Model Partitioning for Hexahedral Meshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual partitioning of 3D volumetric parts for hexahedral meshing in CAD systems is cumbersome, expertise-dependent, and uncertain, leading to inefficiencies in simulation and manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for automatically partitioning CAD 3D models by detecting and ranking ribbons in the volumetric B-Rep, using geometrical criteria to select and split them, and determining sweepable volumes, which facilitates hexahedral meshing and improves simulation accuracy and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual partitioning is used to decompose 3D volumetric parts into sweepable regions, then hexahedral meshes can be generated for simulation, but the process is cumbersome, time-consuming, and depends on designer expertise leading to uncertain results
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic partitioning where the software itself identifies and creates sweepable regions without requiring manual designer intervention. The algorithm autonomously analyzes the 3D volumetric model, detects ribbons, and generates partitions that are suitable for hexahedral meshing, making the process self-service and eliminating dependency on designer expertise.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of partitioning by designers is replaced with an automated computational algorithm. The system uses computer-based methods to detect ribbons, rank them by geometrical criteria, and automatically generate sweepable regions, substituting human manual operations with automated mechanical/computational processes.
2Reliability
If manual partitioning is performed by designers, then partitioning can be completed, but the result is uncertain due to dependency on designer expertise and analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic partitioning where the software itself identifies and creates sweepable regions without requiring manual designer intervention. The algorithm autonomously analyzes the 3D volumetric model, detects ribbons, and generates partitions that are suitable for hexahedral meshing, making the process self-service and eliminating dependency on designer expertise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from subjective designer judgment to objective computational parameters. By using geometrical criteria to detect and rank ribbons automatically, the process transitions from expert-dependent decision-making to parameter-driven algorithmic determination, improving reliability through consistency.
3Productivity
If automatic partitioning methods are used, then processing time is reduced, but achieving high-quality sweepable volumes for hexahedral meshing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic partitioning method segments the 3D volumetric model into smaller sub-volumes by detecting and processing individual ribbons. This segmentation approach allows the system to handle complex geometries systematically, maintaining sweepable volume quality while improving processing efficiency through automated decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality control by detecting specific geometrical features (ribbons) and applying targeted partitioning strategies to each detected feature. By focusing on local geometrical characteristics and using geometrical criteria to rank ribbons, the method ensures high-quality sweepable volumes are generated in each local region while maintaining overall productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for partitioning a computer-aided design 3D model of a mechanical part. The method including obtaining a volumetric B-Rep of the CAD 3D model, detecting one or more ribbons of the volumetric B-Rep, ranking the one or more detected ribbons based on one or more geometrical criteria that are associated with each of the one or more detected ribbons, and selecting successively following the ranking each of the ranked one or more detected ribbons. The method further comprises, for each selected ribbons partitioning the volumetric B-Rep of CAD 3D model using a splitting method associated with the geometrical criteria of the selected ribbon, thereby obtaining two or more partitions, and for each obtained partition, determining whether the partition represents a sweepable volume.