Abstract: A method in a computer aided drafting application for replicating a component mating in a modeled assembly includes examining constraints and geometry surrounding a selected component of the component mating in a first surface of the assembly. A first descriptor with a plurality of numerical characteristics of the constraints and geometry is captured. The first descriptor is set as a first seed descriptor. A potential first target geometry in the region of the first face is examined and a first target descriptor is computed according to the first target geometry. If first seed descriptor matches the first target descriptor, an instance of a first target component is created according to the first target descriptor.

Abstract: A method for selecting a plurality of edges or faces of a displayed modeled object in a computer-aided design (CAD) system extracts a plurality of features, each feature including a measurable numeric property of one or more of edges or faces of the modeled object. The features are scaled, and a selection of a seed edge or a seed face is received. A suggested edge or face is chosen based upon the seed edge or seed face, and a graphical indication of the suggested edge or face is displayed on the modeled object.

Abstract: A method for mating a user selected first component of a computer aided drafting application assembly to a second component detects a user drag of the first component. A user pause of the drag for a predetermined interval is detected at a pause location. A plurality of first component surfaces and a plurality of second component surfaces are identified. The first component surfaces are compared with the second component surfaces, and a mating is suggested between a first component surface and a second component surface.

Abstract: A method in a computer aided drafting application for replicating a component mating in a modeled assembly includes examining constraints and geometry surrounding a selected component of the component mating in a first surface of the assembly. A first descriptor with a plurality of numerical characteristics of the constraints and geometry is captured. The first descriptor is set as a first seed descriptor. A potential first target geometry in the region of the first face is examined and a first target descriptor is computed according to the first target geometry. If first seed descriptor matches the first target descriptor, an instance of a first target component is created according to the first target descriptor.

Abstract: A method preserves shapes in a solid model when distributing material during topological optimization. A 3D geometric model of a part having a boundary shape is received. The geometric model is pre-processed to produce a variable-void distance field and to produce a frozen distance field representing the boundary shape. The geometric model is apportioned into a plurality of voxels, and a density value is adjusted for each voxel according to an optimization process. An iso-surface mesh is extracted from the voxel data, and an iso-surface distance field is generated from the extracted iso-surface mesh. A distance field intersection is derived between the iso-surface distance field and the variable-void distance field. A distance field union is performed between the distance field intersection and the frozen distance field, and a result iso-surface mesh is produced from the distance field union.

Abstract: A method preserves shapes in a solid model when distributing material during topological optimization. A 3D geometric model of a part having a boundary shape is received. The geometric model is pre-processed to produce a variable-void mesh and to produce a frozen mesh representing the boundary shape. The geometric model is apportioned into a plurality of voxels, and a density value is adjusted for each voxel according to an optimization process. An iso-surface mesh is extracted from the voxel data, and a mesh Boolean intersection is derived between the extracted iso-surface mesh and the variable-void mesh. A mesh Boolean union between the mesh Boolean intersection and the frozen mesh.

Abstract: A method preserves shapes in a solid model when distributing material during topological optimization. A 3D geometric model of a part having a boundary shape is received. The geometric model is pre-processed to produce a variable-void mesh and to produce a frozen mesh representing the boundary shape. The geometric model is apportioned into a plurality of voxels, and a density value is adjusted for each voxel according to an optimization process. An iso-surface mesh is extracted from the voxel data, and a mesh Boolean intersection is derived between the extracted iso-surface mesh and the variable-void mesh. A mesh Boolean union between the mesh Boolean intersection and the frozen mesh.

Abstract: A method preserves shapes in a solid model when distributing material during topological optimization. A 3D geometric model of a part having a boundary shape is received. The geometric model is pre-processed to produce a variable-void distance field and to produce a frozen distance field representing the boundary shape. The geometric model is apportioned into a plurality of voxels, and a density value is adjusted for each voxel according to an optimization process. An iso-surface mesh is extracted from the voxel data, and an iso-surface distance field is generated from the extracted iso-surface mesh. A distance field intersection is derived between the iso-surface distance field and the variable-void distance field. A distance field union is performed between the distance field intersection and the frozen distance field, and a result iso-surface mesh is produced from the distance field union.

Abstract: A method preserves shapes in a solid model when distributing material during topological optimization. A 3D geometric model of a part having a boundary shape is received. The geometric model is pre-processed to produce a variable-void mesh and to produce a frozen mesh representing the boundary shape. The geometric model is apportioned into a plurality of voxels, and a density value is adjusted for each voxel according to an optimization process. An iso-surface mesh is extracted from the voxel data, and a mesh Boolean intersection is derived between the extracted iso-surface mesh and the variable-void mesh. A mesh Boolean union between the mesh Boolean intersection and the frozen mesh.

Abstract: A computer-based method includes enabling a user to create or select a geometric entity in a design in a computer-aided design program, predicting a location and orientation in the design for a copy of the geometric entity, and displaying, as a suggestion to the user, a visual representation of the copy of the geometric entity in the predicted location and orientation in the design.

Abstract: A method for selecting a plurality of edges or faces of a displayed modeled object in a computer-aided design (CAD) system extracts a plurality of features, each feature including a measurable numeric property of one or more of edges or faces of the modeled object. The features are scaled, and a selection of a seed edge or a seed face is received. A suggested edge or face is chosen based upon the seed edge or seed face, and a graphical indication of the suggested edge or face is displayed on the modeled object.