Cutting Simulation Ray Tracing Region Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for displaying cutting simulations on low-performance computers without three-dimensional graphics hardware are inefficient due to high computational requirements, particularly in polygon rendering and ray-tracing methods, which are not feasible for inexpensive machines.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves separating the updating of the workpiece and tool rendering regions during ray-tracing, starting ray tracing from a location defined by the previous non-updated depth distance and coordinates of a ray-traced pixel, and using this approach to minimize the region that requires image rendering, thereby reducing unnecessary computations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ray-tracing method is used to display voxel model, then hidden surface removal is achieved, but computational load becomes excessively high for low-performance computers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehidden surface removal accuracyVSAvoidcomputational load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the ray-tracing process into two separate stages: workpiece ray-tracing and tool ray-tracing. This segmentation allows the computational load to be distributed and optimized, reducing the overall complexity while maintaining accurate hidden surface removal for both the workpiece and tool in the cutting simulation display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Speed

If complete region re-rendering is performed, then updated display is achieved, but unnecessary computations increase processing time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay update speedVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and identifies only the updated regions in the workpiece and tool models, then performs ray-tracing exclusively for these specific regions rather than re-rendering the entire scene. This extraction approach eliminates unnecessary computations and significantly reduces processing time while maintaining display update accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Manufacturing precision

If ray tracing starts from projection plane for each pixel, then complete image rendering is achieved, but computational steps are maximized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage rendering completenessVSAvoidcomputational steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary identification of updated regions and their depth information before executing ray-tracing. By pre-determining which regions require rendering and their starting depth positions, the system avoids unnecessary computational steps while ensuring complete and accurate image rendering of only the necessary portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2282245B9Cutting process simulation display device, method for displaying cutting process simulation, and cutting process simulation display program
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2282245B9 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2282245B9 patent drawingFigure 2-1~2-2
  • EP2282245B9 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In order to reduce the amount of computation required for ray tracing and facilitate simulating of changes in workpiece shape even on an inexpensive, low-performance computer, a device for displaying a cutting simulation includes: a rendered workpiece image update section (26) for updating by ray tracing a portion of a rendered workpiece image buffer and a rendered workpiece depth buffer, the portion being associated with a rendering region corresponding to a change in the shape of the workpiece; a rendered tool image creation section (28) for rendering a tool image by ray tracing for the current tool rendering region; and an image transfer section (29) for transferring a partial image of the previous tool rendering region and the current workpiece rendering region to be updated from the rendered workpiece image buffer to a display frame buffer as well as transferring the current tool rendering image to the display frame buffer.