Abstract: Updating a three-dimensional model includes generating a three-dimensional model comprised of components, modifying one of the components, determining other components having a possible changing effect on the three-dimensional model as a result of modifying the one component, and constructing a modified version of the three-dimensional model by regenerating the modified component and the other components having the possible changing effect while not regenerating remaining ones of the components not having the possible changing effect. The modified version achieves the same result as revising the three-dimensional model by regenerating each one of components.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for rendering a computer-aided design model includes constructing a boundary representation data structure of the model comprising topological data for a face, constructing a data structure representing a parameter space of the face, and decomposing the parameter space into cells, where each cell indicates the presence of the face in the cell. The cells are encoded in a texture construct that is transmitted to a graphics processing unit where further processing renders the face on a computer monitor.

Abstract: Deforming a three-dimensional computer-generated model to cause a change of shape of the three-dimensional model includes representing a surface of the model using a surface representation initially comprised of an original surface definition, deriving smooth three-dimensional mapping functions where each mapping function defines a deformation to the surface and at least one mapping function is non-affine, constructing a composition of the mapping functions and the original surface definition where each mapping function is included in the composition in succession in accordance with the order of derivation, and applying the composition after each successive mapping function is included in the composition causing the surface of the three-dimensional model to be deformed while preserving the smoothness to the lowest degree of smoothness of the mapping functions.

Abstract: Creating a reference to data used to construct a computer-aided design model includes storing model data with tracking data, where the tracking data identifies the model data. A reference is created and the tracking data is associated with the reference to enable the reference to refer to the model data. A modeling operation is executed, which retrieves the tracking data associated with the reference, traverses a data structure defining the computer-aided design model while attempting to match the tracking data associated with the reference to the tracking data stored with the model data, and returns geometric data stored in the model data.

Abstract: Reusing design data in a computer-aided design model includes automatically analyzing a computer-aided design file to identify a set of elements, storing information corresponding to each element in a manner enabling querying and retrieval of the information, presenting one element in a user interface upon retrieval of the information corresponding to the one element, selecting the presented element for inclusion in the model, and constructing the model by incorporating the presented element in the model. The information identifies corresponding elements to facilitate reproduction of at least one element. The information is data indicating a location in the computer-aided design file or data defining at least one of the elements. The stored information allows querying and searching for elements matching a search criterion in a manner free of opening the design file.

Abstract: Creating an explicit feature used for construction of a computer-aided design model includes recognizing that model features form an implicit feature, presenting variations of the implicit feature, selecting one of the variations of the implicit feature, and creating the explicit feature. The explicit feature produces geometry that gives rise to the selected variation of the implicit feature. The computer-aided design model is constructed by generating the explicit feature after generating the model features that form the implicit feature.

Abstract: Automatic generation of a tolerance scheme includes accessing data defining a three-dimensional model that defines a part for manufacture, identifying a tolerance feature in the three-dimensional model, determining at least one unconstrained degree of control for the tolerance feature, automatically creating a tolerance scheme for the tolerance feature, and rendering the tolerance scheme and the three-dimensional model in a window such that the tolerance scheme annotates the tolerance feature. The tolerance scheme is based on an engineering standard for communicating a tolerance and constrains the unconstrained degree of control.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system reduces size of a data structure of a computer-aided design (CAD) model. Given a CAD model formed of a plurality of modeling elements, the method and system provide one or more geometric entities defining modeling elements of the CAD model. The geometric entities have corresponding graphical entities configured to display the CAD model. For each modeling element, the method and system determine visibility of the modeling element and produce a reduced data structure by storing in the structure graphic data representing the graphical entities and geometric data of only certain ones of the geometric entities determined as a function of visibility of the corresponding modeling elements.

Abstract: Generating a routing system for a three-dimensional model of a real-world object includes specifying a set of connections, applying a filter to the connections to prevent more than one connection having the same first connector and the same second connector from being rendered more than once, creating geometric entities that are curves and that represent the connections, and displaying the routing system in a visually simplified manner by rendering the plurality of geometric entities. Additionally, the connections can automatically be merged into a harness bundle.

Abstract: Determining a minimum condition and a maximum condition of an assembly of parts includes determining a subset of the assembly of parts, constructing a tolerance chain comprised of tolerance features associated with the parts and that have tolerances that can assume maximum and minimum values, setting at least one tolerance to a minimum value or a maximum value, and calculating the minimum condition and the maximum condition of the assembly based on the setting of the tolerance.