Generation of Hierarchical Multi-resolution Medial Axis for CAD Models

AbstractThe “sketch” drawn by a human designer represents a shape class of wider variability than can be captured by traditional CAD models; these typically work with parametrizations based on a nearly finished shape. Traditional Qualitative Reasoning is also unable to model this degree of ambiguity in shape. Cognitively, shapes are often represented in terms of an axial model. In defining 2D contours, such an axial representation is called the Medial Axis Transform or MAT. By perturbing the parameters of the MAT—length, link angle, and the node radius—one can define a shape class. Unlike the contour-to-MAT transform, which is well-known to be unstable, the MAT-to-contour process is an integrative process and is very stable. The variation in these parameters can be controlled by defining a suitable discretization over the parameter space. This leads to a broad class of similar shapes from which an optimized shape can be obtained for a given set of criteria. The optimizing criteria may involve the boundary description for each shape; the axial model is only used for generating the shape class. This Qualitative MAT model has been tested in several design optimization contexts, using Genetic Algorithms, and we show results for Automobile contours, IC engine parts, building profiles, etc.

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Virtual Prototype Design and Test-Simplifying the CAD/Analysis Interface

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.284-287.3473 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 284-287 ◽

pp. 3473-3476

Author(s):

Qiong Li ◽

Carol A. Rubin

Keyword(s):

Finite Element ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Medial Axis ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Virtual Design ◽

Element Analysis ◽

Feature Geometry ◽

Cad Models ◽

Structural Parts ◽

Treat All

The design of mechanical structural parts is now predominantly a digital process. As an important element of the virtual design cycle, these parts must be tested for their structural integrity using finite element analysis (FEA) software. However, the interface between CAD and FEA is imperfect. The process of preparing CAD models for FEA consumes a great deal of the stress analyst’s time. Existing “automatic” CAD to FEA translators tend to treat all part features as “solid”; this leads to longer computation times and less accurate results for features that can be better characterized as “thin” or “long.” In addition, many features of CAD parts (e.g. fillets and chamfers) are important for their size and shape in the manufactured product, but have relatively little impact on the strength of the part and needlessly complicate the stress analysis—these features are usually removed by the analyst prior to FEA; they may need to be evaluated with additional analyses to test if it is safe to remove them. The Automatic CAD-FEA Interface Project (ACFI), is developing algorithms to make the translation from CAD to FEA seamless and automatic; these algorithms are based on mathematical theory and the principles of theoretical mechanics. This paper presents the latest ACFI advances for (i) automatically evaluating and reworking three dimensional CAD part geometries to prepare them for finite element meshing, (ii) exporting the revised geometries to a preprocessor, and (iii) identifying element type to be associated with each feature geometry. The algorithms used in this work approximate the medial axis transform (MAT) of the CAD part, a “power shape” that represents the three-dimensional solid part. This part can then be evaluated for its geometric properties. This approach has been shown to be a robust method for shape interrogation of three dimensional geometries.

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