Incremental Mid-Surface Extraction for CAD Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic mid-surface extraction tools often produce inappropriate mid-surfaces due to incorrect face pair identification, leading to increased manual correction efforts and user frustration, as they are either overly complex or unintuitive.
Innovation Solution
An incremental mid-surface workflow that allows for the automatic identification and user-driven modification of face pairs in a CAD model, enabling editing and previewing of face pairs, and extracting mid-surfaces based on dimensions, topological connections, and geometric continuity, with graphical feedback for intuitive user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional automatic mid-surface extraction tools are used, then automation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to incorrect face pair identification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mid-surface extraction process into distinct phases: automatic face pair identification, user review and correction, and final mid-surface generation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain automation benefits while introducing controlled user intervention to ensure accuracy, directly resolving the contradiction between automation extent and reliability.
2Ease of operation
If conventional automatic identification methods are used, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inappropriate face pair selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system presents automatically identified face pairs to the user for review, allowing users to provide corrective input. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from user corrections and improve subsequent automatic identifications, maintaining ease of operation while enhancing manufacturing precision through iterative refinement.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex conventional tools requiring user input are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing automatic face pair identification before user review. This pre-processing step prepares the data in advance, reducing the complexity of user interaction during the review phase. Users only need to review and correct pre-identified face pairs rather than manually creating them from scratch, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while reducing perceived device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for generating face pair surfaces of a solid, including, but not limited to, identifying at least two face pairs including a first face pair and a second face pair. Each of the first and second face pairs including at least two face pair surfaces, graphically displaying the at least two face pairs, and receiving user input for at least one of (1) merging the first face pair and the second face pair, (2) deleting the first face pair, (3) adding a third face pair, (4) adding an additional surface to one of the at least two face pair surfaces of the first face pair, (5) removing at least one face pair surface of the first face pair, or (6) splitting the second face pair into at least a fourth and a fifth face pair, and determining at least one adjusted face pair based on the user input.