Trim Surface Volume Generation for Complex CAD Intersections
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Solution Overview
Problem
In CAD systems, identifying and selecting desired surfaces among many small, potentially overlapping surfaces during trim operations can be confusing and time-consuming, especially when multiple surfaces intersect, leading to tedious and error-prone manual processes.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatic volume generation in CAD systems that involves computing intersecting curves, splitting faces along these curves, merging manifold edges to create expanded shells, and pruning shells with non-boundary edges to identify and indicate minimum volumes on a graphical user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual surface selection is used in trim operations, then user control over surface selection is maintained, but time consumption and user confusion increase significantly when many small surfaces are present
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs surface selection and volume generation without requiring manual user intervention. The algorithm autonomously identifies surfaces, computes intersection curves, splits faces, merges manifold edges, and generates closed volumes, eliminating the need for users to manually select among numerous small surfaces while reducing time consumption
2Loss of time
If automatic volume generation is implemented, then time consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex automatic volume generation process is divided into distinct sequential steps: computing intersecting curves, splitting faces along curves, merging manifold edges to create expanded shells, pruning shells with non-boundary edges, and identifying minimum volumes. This segmentation makes the complex algorithm more manageable and implementable while achieving automation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary computations of intersection curves and face splitting before final volume generation. By preparing intermediate results (expanded shells, pruned shells) in advance, the system reduces the complexity of the main volume generation process and enables efficient automatic operation
3Manufacturing precision
If many small surfaces are generated from intersections, then geometric accuracy is improved, but user identification of desired surfaces becomes confusing
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges manifold edges between adjacent faces to create expanded shells, combining multiple small surface elements into larger unified shell structures. This merging process maintains geometric accuracy from the intersection computations while simplifying the visual representation and making desired surfaces easier to identify and select
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic volume generation method during trim setting of a modeled object receives geometric data for intersecting faces, computes intersecting curves, splits the faces along the curves, and merges manifold edges to create expanded shells. Shells with non-boundary edges are pruned, and minimum volumes formed by the pruned shells are identified and indicated on a graphical user display.