Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a program segment mesh model data into analytic surfaces based on robust curvature estimation and region growing by extracting, from mesh model data, analytic surface regions (planar, cylindrical, conical, spherical and toric surface regions) and by automatically recognizing fillet surface regions, linear-extrusion surface regions and surface regions of revolution from the extracted regions and edges.

Abstract: A feature edge extraction technique supports automatic creation of a solid model from a 3D or triangular mesh model. The technique extracts feature edges from the 3D mesh model according to a global normal-line evaluation method and an improved watershed method. The technique uses data related to the 3D mesh model, defines an area with a Euclidean distance, globally evaluates normals of triangles in the area, calculates edge and vertex feature values, carries out discretization and differentiation on the calculated vertex feature values, extracts feature edges satisfying requirements, divides the mesh model into segments each consisting of connected triangles according to the improved watershed method that is capable of grouping vertexes, extracts the boundaries of each segment as feature edges, allows a user to interactively select required feature edges from among the extracted feature edges, and outputs data related to the selected feature edges.