FEATURE MODELING BY INCREMENTAL FEATURE RECOGNITION

A novel feature-modelling system which implements a hybrid of feature-based design and feature recognition in a single framework is described. During the design process of a part, the user can modify interactively either the solid model or the feature model of the part while the system keeps the other model consistent with the changed one. This gives the user the freedom of choosing the most convenient means of expressing each required operation. The system is based on a novel feature recognizer that provides incremental feature recognition, which allows changes to a geometric model to be recognized as new or modified features while preserving previously recognized features that remain unchanged in the geometric model. Each recognizable feature type is specified by means of a feature-definition language which facilitates the addition of new feature types into the system.