Midsurface Abstraction From 3D Solid Models for Engineering Analysis
Abstract An integral part of implementing parallel product and process designs is simulation through numerical analysis. This simulation-driven design requires discretization of the 3D part in an appropriate manner. If the part is thin or has thin sections (e.g., plastic parts), then an analysis model with reduced dimensionality may be more accurate and economical than a standard 3D model. In addition, substantial simplification of some details in the design geometry may be beneficial and desirable in the analysis model. Unfortunately, the majority of CAD systems do not provide the means for abstraction of appropriate analysis models. In this paper we present a new approach, based on midsurface abstraction, which holds significant promise in simplifying simulation-driven design. The method is user-friendly because very little interaction is required to guide the software in its automatic creation of the desired analysis model. It is also robust because it handles typical parts with complex and interacting features. Application of the method for feature recognition and abstraction is also briefly discussed.