Parametric Shape Portioning for Simplified CAD Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CAD systems are complex and difficult to use, leading to low productivity and poor user experience due to the need for numerous user interventions and precise selections, often requiring different specialists for design phases, resulting in inefficiencies and communication challenges.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that displays three-dimensional parametric shapes divided into portions, each with assigned design operations, allowing users to interact with the screen to determine the closest portion and perform the associated operation, reducing the number of user interventions and improving ergonomics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional CAD systems require multiple user interventions (selecting operations, shapes, and parameters through dialog boxes), then design precision can be maintained, but user productivity decreases and operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures design operations with default parameters and automatically identifies target shapes based on user interaction proximity, eliminating the need for users to manually select operations and enter parameters through dialog boxes. The operation and its parameters are prepared in advance and applied automatically when the user interacts with the screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically determines which operation to apply and which shape to modify based on the user's interaction location on the screen. The CAD system self-configures the operation parameters and selects the target shape without requiring user intervention, making the system serve itself rather than requiring the user to configure everything.
2Adaptability or versatility
If CAD systems provide comprehensive design operations through GUI icons and menus, then functionality is complete, but interface complexity increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the essential interaction element (user click/touch location on the screen) from the complex sequence of traditional CAD operations. Instead of requiring users to navigate through multiple GUI menus and dialog boxes, the system captures only the critical interaction (location on screen) and automatically determines the operation and target shape based on that single input.
Solution Approach 2:
A single user interaction (clicking or touching the screen) serves multiple functions: it selects the operation, identifies the target shape, and triggers the design modification. This universal interaction method replaces the traditional multi-step process involving multiple GUI elements, making the system easier to operate while maintaining full functionality.
3Loss of time
If specialist designers use CAD systems directly for 3D modeling, then communication overhead between specialists and CAD designers is reduced, but the learning curve and difficulty of operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The CAD system automatically adapts to the user's intent by determining the operation and target shape based on the interaction location, eliminating the need for specialist designers to learn complex CAD operations. The system serves itself by interpreting the user's simple screen interaction and automatically configuring the appropriate design operation, making CAD accessible to non-experts.
4Measurement precision
If users must precisely click on small shapes with a mouse for selection, then selection accuracy can be achieved, but operation difficulty increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-defines interaction zones on the screen that are larger and easier to target than the actual small shapes. When a user interacts with the screen, the system determines the closest portion or shape based on the interaction location, eliminating the need for precise mouse clicking on small features. The target selection is prepared in advance based on spatial relationships.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is provided a computer-implemented method for designing a CAD modeled object. The method comprises displaying several three-dimensional parametric shapes on a screen, wherein each of the several three-dimensional parametric shapes is divided in several portions, a different design operation being assigned to each portion; user-interacting with the screen; determining one portion upon a location of the user-interacting on a support, the determining being performed among all the portions; and performing, on the shape to which the determined portion belongs, the operation assigned to this portion. Such a method makes the design of a CAD modeled object easier.