Introduction To Geometric Modeling

What is CAD ?
In the fast moving world of technology and development of technical aspect made it necessary for the students to keep themselves updated the latest developments in Mechanical engineering. Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)is one of the recently developed and highly advanced technologies. 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional drawings are the ways to express the efforts of Mechanical design Engineer. Traditional Methods involve drawing manually using drafters and drawing boards, which is comparatively time consuming and tedious work. Advanced soft wares are fast, accurate and user friendly.Autocad , ,Ideas,ProEngineer are are some of the very advanced tools for CAD. Before starting any work on CAD software it is necessary to have some basic knowledge of engineering drawing. Applications: Mechanical, Civil, Aeronautic Engineers in order to visualize ,design or plot the actual diagrams of various engineering components as per their requirements extensively use AUTOCAD . Some of the typical examples are listed below: - Drawing of Mechanical structure - Drawing of building plans - Drawing of Structured framework - Drawing of various machine components - Drawing of sectional views of engineering components - Architectural drawing - Mechanical Design and assemblies - Space modeling - Aerospace designs - Machine Design

Basic Shapes and Objects There are two different types of basic shapes viz. : Two dimensional and

there dimensional. In two dimensional, line curve arc the basic shapes which forms complete 2D drawings. For 3-dimensional drawings cone, cylinder, cube and wedge are basic objects.

(i)

Understanding Co-ordinate System: There are two types of co-ordinate systems: Cartesian co-ordinate system

(ii)

Polar co-ordinate system

Cartesian co-ordinate system : This system defines a point in the space using three co-ordinates viz. X, Y dimensional used for describing height. and

Z. X-dimensional used to describe length, Y-dimensional to describe width and Z-

2-Dimensional Drawings:

2-dimensional drawings are defined by length and

width dimensional only. There drawings are represented on one single plane. Only x and y co-ordinates are required for defining any point on this plane. 2-dimensional are described in (x, y) format. (Refer fig.3) 3-Dimensional Drawings: 3-dimensional drawings are defined by length, width and Height. These drawings are represented using x, y and z co-ordinates.any point is defined using x, y and z co-ordinates. These 3-dimensionas are described in (x, y, z) format.(Refer Fig.4). Polar co-ordinate system : This system defines a point in the space using its distance and angle of direction from reference point and fixed reference direction. Generally East is as a zero reference direction. North is 90 o, West is 180
o

and south 270

with respect to East.

Other directions are specified by measuring angle from zero reference direction.

INTRODUCTION Strengths and weaknesses of conventional 2D drawing: Two dimensional model is basically a model which is made in typical 2D ordinates. Strengths: Better Drawings and Visualization Storage and retrieve of drawing is easier

Increases accuracy, Uniformity and quality of drawings Increases Productivity Standard component library and parametric program can be used for production of CAD work No scrap work Inbuilt dimensioning facilities Effective time Utilization Hard can be generated by printing the drawing on paper The size can be altered as per requirements Unit of measurement can be selected Multi colored display makes user more comfortable to understand intricate details in more effective manner. Drawings can be sent/received via email in seconds. Time & cost of implementing the CAD system Time & cost of training people to use the CAD.

Time & cost of migrating legacy drawings into CAD format Weaknesses :

Such models can be used for limited applications only, as most of the real life products are 3D in nature. 2D objects are useful only in information sharing and is not efficiently used for other engineering applications except in special conditions.

Advantages of 3D over 2D : When using 2D cad drawings during the manufacturing stage ,numerous problems arise .Viewing 3D models helps indetify errors easily. These erros can be found while simulating the matching and mating of parts .Through the use of 3D CAD the assembly procees of any given product can be simulated, visualized and analyzed before the design goes into production.3d CAD models are essential beforehand in determining the volume of material needed to mold specific parts as well. The use of 3d cad files also ensures that a design has sufficient room for other parts within design. 3D CAD is simply more accurate than 2d cad drawings, the end result is better product,optimized in design ,weight with better performance,no faults in design,in less time for less money. Most 3d soft ware will allow you to rotate your models so you can get a look at any side you want. You will be able toturn it over to look at it from any angle-a good reason to go 3D. Volumetric calculations are fast and easy with 3D model which late helps you with things like cost analysis. More stylish /complex products can be designed using 3D Clearance/inteference checks can be made easily 3D CAD data can be imported directly in to CAM software, further reducing . 3D models are also invaluable when it comes to rapid prototyping and manufacturing. Need of a Geometric Model: surfacing.

Computer aided design attempts to eliminate the need of developing a prototype for testing and optimizing the design. Instead it assists in evaluating the design using a model with geometric parameters created on the computer. Such a model is called a Geometric Model. The different fields for which a geometric model is used are listed below with following characteristics: 1] Modeling or design (CAD): Model must be easy to generate Facilitate minimum calculations at the user level Encompass different options of generating the model with advanced and easy modifying tools and techniques. Better graphics to visualize the design graphically

2] Analysis and Optimization (CAE): Mass Property calculation Volumetric/Area calculation Stress analysis/CFD analysis Assembly mating and interference checking Motion analysis of mechanisms and Robots Tolerance check analysis Crash analysis for virtual crash testing

3] Computer aided Design and Drafting(CADD): Generating production drawings Visualizing information and drawings Generating exploded views, cut sections for technical illustrations

4] Computer Aided manufacturing(CAM): Process Planning and Scheduling Part programming Robot programming Actual production control

5] Bill of Material (BOM)Generation: Material requirement Manufacturing resource planning

6] Inspection and Quality Control: Inspection machines /Inspection Robots

Comparison of design and Part Specification

Types of Geometric Modeling: 3D modeling is done in three different ways: 1) Wire frame Modeling 2) Surface Modeling 3) Solid Modeling 1)Wire-Frame Modelling : It is the oldest and simplest method of geometric modelling which can be used to store model mathematically in the computer memory. It contains information about the locations of all points and edges in space co-ordinates. Various wire frame entities are points,lines,planer arcs, circle ,curves etc.Each vertex is defined by a pair of vertices and faces are defined as three or more edges.Thus wireframe is the collection of edges,there is no skin between area defining edges.This is the lowest level of modelling and has serious limitations. But in some applications such as tool path simulation it is very convenient to use wire frame models. Advantages: Disadvantages: One of the serious limitations is the ambiguity of orientation and viewing plane. Due to this it is very difficult to interpret the object from a particular viewing Plane and creates confusion. Lack of information to determine object profile as circles or curved surfaces. Physical properties such as mass, surface area, volume, centre of gravity are not possible to calculate. Wire frame model has no knowledge of surface faces ,therefore it will not detect any interference between two mating components. manipulations. A lot of data is requird to indetify such model. Can not model complex curved surfaces. This is a serious drawback in Robot arm It is the simplest method and uses a less memory space. It forms basis for Surface and Solid Modelling. Manipulations in the model can be done quickly and easily.

2) Surface Modeling: Surface modeling is the next step of Wire frame Modelling.A surface model represents skin of an object,these skins have no thickness or material type.Surface model define the surface features,as well as the edges, of objects.It is used to create complex shapes of automobile bodies,ship hulls and also air craft bodies. A surface model is defined in terms of faces in addition to wire frame entities. Various analytic and synthetic surface entities are available. Advantages: Disadvantages: Provides no information about inside of an object. Eliminates ambiguity and non-uniqueness present in wire frame models by hiding lines not seen. Renders the model for better visualization and presentation, objects appear more realistic. Provides the surface geometry for computer aided manufacturing (CAM),NC machines. Surface properties such as roughness. Color and reflectivity can be assigned and demonstrated.

Curved surfaces need a fine mesh to be accurate. Provides wrong results if mesh is too coarse.

 Complicated computation, depending on the number of surfaces.

3) Solid Modelling: In the solid modeling, the solid definitions includes vertices(nodes),edges, surfaces ,weight and volume. This model consisting of the complete description of the solid in a certain form is most ideal representation, as all the information required at every stage of product life cycle can be obtained with this technique. This is the most widely used model method and a number of different techniques are widely famous viz. Constructive Solid Geometry(CSG) and Boundary Representation(B-rep). Advantages : Has all the advantages of surface models (uniqueness, non-

amiguous,realistic,surface profile) plus volumetric information. Allows the designer to create multiple options for a design. 2D standard drawings ,assembly drawing and exploded drawings are generated from the model. Can be used in newly manufacturing (CAM) and design for manufacturing (DFM),computer aided manufacturing(CAM). Volumetric and mass properties of an object can be easily obtained .Corresponding mass properties are obtained if density is included. Disadvantages :

More intensive computation than Wireframe and surface modelling. Requires more powerful computers (faster with more memory) .

Difference between Wire Frame , Surface and Solid Modelling

Parameters 1. Computer memory required 2. Entities Used Less

Wire frame Modelling

Surface Modelling Moderate Plane ,revolved,ruled,tab ulated,free from surfaces Moderate Impossible Less Large

Solid Modelling

Point, line, circle,arc,, ellipse synthetic curves such as Benzier, Hermite,B-spline etc

Solid primitives such as cone,cube,wedge,

3. Input data required 4. Automatic Orthographic, perspective ,isometric view generation 5. NC code generation 6. Interference between mating parts 7. Rendering and shadow effect 8.Cross-Sectioning 9. Elimination of hidden lines 10. Calculation of physical properties such as volume , surface area , centre of gravity,M.I. etc. 11. Design parameter optimization 12.Generation of assembly and detailed drawings from model and vice versa 13. CAD/CAM/CAE modules

More Impossible

Easily possible

Not possible Not possible to detect Not Possible Not Possible done manually Done manually Not Possible

Automatic Possible Can detect Possible Not Possible May be possible Possible to calculate some properties

Automatic Possible Can detect Possible Possible done automatically Possible Possible to calculate all properties required for analysis

Not Possible Not Possible

Not Possible Not Possible

Possible Possible

Drafting

Drafting.Design

Drafting.Design,Manifacturing ,analysis, assembly,mechanism,optimization