Recognition of Volumetric Features from CAD Models: Problem Formalization and Algorithms

Abstract

Automated recognition of features from CAD models has been attempted for a wide range of application domains in mechanical engineering. However, the absence of a clear mathematical formalism for the problem has made it difficult to develop a general approach - and thus most of these methods are limited in scope.<P>In this paper, we develop a formalization of the problem of recognizing a class of machinable features expressed as MRSEVs ( a PDES/STEP library of machining features) [19], and an algorithm for solving this problem. Some of the characteristics of this approach are: the algorithm handles a large variety of hole and pocket features along with elementary accessibility constraints and blends for those features; it is provably complete, even if the features interest with each other in complex ways; it has O(n4) worst-case time complexity,