Web Services are a distributed component technology based on XML and Web. The Web Services are used to integrate heterogeneous systems under the distributed environment. In this study, the concept of Web Services for CAD (WSC) is introduced, which aims at interoperation with CAD systems using the Web Services. This paper introduces one part of the WSC which enables remote users or applications to retrieve the geometries and the design history of CAD models using the Web Services. This paper proposes an architecture of the WSC, the data model and the interfaces for retrieving CAD model information, and the way to apply the WSC to commercial CAD systems.

This research proposed feature extraction algorithms as an input of STEP Ap214 data, and feature parameterization process to simplify further design change and maintenance. The procedure starts with suppression of blend faces of an input solid model to generate its simplified model, where both constant and variable-radius blends are considered. Most existing cell decomposition algorithms utilize concave edges, and they usually require complex procedures and computing time in recomposing the cells. The proposed algorithm using reference features, however, was found to be more efficient through testing with a few sample cases. In addition, the algorithm is able to recognize depression features, which is another strong point compared to the existing cell decomposition approaches. The proposed algorithm was implemented on a commercial CAD system and tested with selected industrial product models, along with parameterization of recognized features for further design change.

In the finite element analysis of forming process, objects are described with a finite number of elements and nodes and the approximated solutions can be obtained by the variational principle. One of the shortcomings of a finite element analysis is that the structure of mesh has become inefficient and unusable because discretization error increases as deformation proceeds due to severe distortion of elements. If the state of current mesh satisfies a certain remeshing criterion, analysis is stopped instantly and resumed with a reconstructed mesh. In the study, a new remeshing algorithm using tetrahedral elements has been developed, which is adapted to the desired mesh density. In order to reduce the discretization error, desired mesh sizes in each lesion of the workpiece are calculated using the Zinkiewicz and Zhu's a-posteriori error estimation scheme. The pre-constructed mesh is constructed based on the modified point insertion technique which is adapted to the density function. The object domain is divided into uniformly-sized sub-domains and the numbers of nodes in each sub-domain are redistributed, respectively. After finishing the redistribution process of nodes, a tetrahedral mesh is reconstructed with the redistributed nodes, which is adapted to the density map and resulting in good mesh quality. A goodness and adaptability of the constructed mesh is verified with a testing measure. The proposed remeshing technique is applied to the finite element analyses of forging processes.

All manufactured parts and tooling have unavoidable variations from their nominal shapes. During assembly, compliant parts are further deformed by relatively rigid assembly tooling. Lack of Knowledge regarding variations and deformations often results in expensive problems. Most current computer-aided design systems are based on ideally sized, ideally located and rigid geometry. This paper proposes a model for the assembly of compliant, non-ideal part. We start by defining tolerance analysis as the process of simulation the variation of a product or a subassembly when given the tolerance of required parts. Analysis is then done by finite element analysis and using the material properties of the actual parts to be assembled. Using the result, estimate the weld process.

In this paper, a method of constructing a rectangular net from unorganized point cloud data is presented. In the method an implicit surface that fits the given point data is generated by using principal component analysis(PCA) and adaptive domain decomposition method(ADDM). Then a complete and quality rectangular net can be obtained by extracting voxel data from the implicit surface and projecting exterior faces of extracted voxels onto the implicit surface. The main advantage of the proposed method is that a quality rectangular net can be extracted from randomly scattered 3D points only without any further information. Furthermore the results of this works can be used to obtain many useful information including a slicing data, a solid STL model and a NURBS surface model in many areas involved in treatment of large amount of point data by proper processing of implicit surface and rectangular net generated previously.

Seamless data integration in the CAx chain of the CAD/CAPP/CAM/CNC has been achieved to a high degree, but research concerning the transfer of data from conceptual sketches to a CAD system should be carried out further. This paper presents a method for reconstructing a 3D model from a freehand sketch. Sketch-based modeling research can be classified into gestural modeling methods and reconstructional modeling methods. This research involves the reconstructional modeling method. Here, Mitani's seminal work, designed for box-shaped 3D model using a predefined template, is improved by leveraging a relational template and specialized for automotive design. Matching between edge graphs of the relational template and the sketch is formulated and solved as the assignment problem using the feature vectors of the edges. Including the stroke preprocessing method required to generate an edge graph from a sketch, necessary procedures and relevant techniques for implementing the template-based modeling method are described. Examples from a working implementation are given.

In recent years, researchers are actively investigating new methods that are applicable for manufacturing micrometer to nanometer scale structures. Among them, optical tweezers that can manipulate microscopic objects using a laser is receiving one of the key attentions. Optical tweezers have been used actively in the field of science. For example, for measuring mechanical characteristics in the scale of piconewtons or for manipulating and sorting large numbers of particles, bacteria, cells. etc. However, little works have been reported for "manufacturing" objects. In this paper, we present a new method for manufacturing micrometer scale structures using micrometer scale biotin coated polystyrene particles. Particles will be controlled with a user interface that utilizes a CyberGlove and glued together by the bonding force between biotin and streptavidin.

A multi-agent and web based engineering framework concerning the automation of fatigue durability analysis for welded bogie frame of railway vehicles is presented. Mostly, this kind of design or analysis includes complex workflow, huge amounts of information processing, and problem solving. Macro programs of I-DEAS, APDL of ANSYS, and in-house fatigue code are utilized for parametric geometry representation, automatic mesh generation, static stress analysis, fatigue durability analysis, post-processing, and data sorting. The engineering framework is implemented on the JADE. Since every task requires a fairly complex process and specialized knowledge, the multi-agent based framework is very useful to keep the independency among several disciplines or tasks and to use distributed hardware and software resources. All engineering programs are integrated by XML wrapper. Related database of the engineering framework and web based user interfaces are also developed. A parametric study is carried out to take into account the effect of geometrical change of transom support bracket on its cumulative fatigue damage. The developed engineering framework reduced remarkably the time and costs required in designing and solving engineering problems.