Procedural modelling, generative geometry, and the international standard ISO 10303 (STEP)

Abstract

The paper describes current work towards the development of an international standard for the exchange of procedurally defined shape models between CAD systems. Such models are specified by the sequence of operations used to construct them rather than by the explicit elements they contain. They have the advantage of being easy to manipulate in a receiving system, by contrast with the explicit models that can be exchanged using current standards. The transfer of comparatively simple procedural shape models has already been demonstrated. Some of the problems faced are briefly outlined, and comparisons are made between the approach taken in this work and a formal method for procedural shape representation recently advocated by Leyton. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.