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Constraint solving for direct manipulation of features

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2006

DANIEL LOURENÇO
Affiliation:
Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
PEDRO OLIVEIRA
Affiliation:
Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
ALEX NOORT
Affiliation:
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
RAFAEL BIDARRA
Affiliation:
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

Abstract

In current commercial feature modeling systems, support for direct manipulation of features is not commonly available. This is partly due to the strong reliance of such systems on constraints, but also to the lack of speed of current constraint solvers. In this paper, an approach to the optimization of geometric constraint solving for direct manipulation of feature dimensions, orientation, and position is described. Details are provided on how this approach was successfully implemented in the Spiff feature modeling system.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

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