Preserving design intent in feature-based parametric CAD data exchange

Abstract

The proliferation of 3D technology on many different platforms has made CAD data exchange vital to industrial engineering innovation. The need to share and integrate CAD data, information, and knowledge amongst systems involved in product development has become an important requirement. This requirement is largely determined by a proper communication of design intent, which is usually expressed implicitly within CAD models or tacitly as experiential knowledge from domain experts. However, solutions for CAD data exchange are mostly restricted to the exchange of pure static shape information, restricting their applicability in many downstream processes. This paper suggests methods and strategies for preserving design intent in CAD data exchange. A test case is undertaken to demonstrate the idea and as evidenced in the results, the method proposed helps in capturing and preserving design intent.