We developed an on-line lathe simulator which can be used for a CAM education on the internet. Previously, VRML or static images such as JPG have been commonly used to achieve the same goal. With the 3D tool like VRML, it was possible to describe the movement of 3D object effectively. However, G-code based modeling and real-time visualization for the cutting process including parts being machined could not be accomplished. By using the simulator, we can machine a part with G-code input from a user or modeler, and parts being machined can be visualized in 2D as well as 3D. The developed system is based on EMCO lathe from Eshed and can be used through a web browser.

Electrical discharge machining(EDM) is an important process of machining the injection mold. This paper includes efficient design processes of electrodes for EDM. Based on the solid modeler, electrodes can be created by boolean and offset operations with core/cavity models. The built-in offset operations of the solid modeler may occur unexpected results due to the limitations of the solid modeler. We proposed the multi-step and moving-face offset processes in order to apply the EDM clearances. The proposed design processes are implemented with Unigraphics Vl5 API functions and C language and tested on Windows NT 4.0.

Lasting machines for shoe manufacturing are continuously developed with the aid of automation and CAM(Computer Aided Manufacturing). Although automation and CAM techniques have tremendously reduced the labor in shoe manufacturing, there still remain some parts manufactured by experts. In order to enhance the capability and efficiency of machines for labor-free shoe manufacturing, CAD data of a shoe last is essential. While CAD datarization takes the fundamental role in the shoe design and manufacturing, there has been little research for the CAD datarization of a shoe last. In this paper, a new procedure for CAD datarization of a shoe last using finite element patches and a tension sl)line method is proposed for application to shoe manufacturing machines. The outer line of a shoe-last sole is interpolated by a tension spline method and bonding lines are extracted from the shoe CAD data. Data set for a control algorithm of the tasting machine can be produced from the CAD data.

An efficient and robust algorithm to compute the exact Voronoi diagram of a circle set is presented. The circles are located in a two dimensional Euclidean space, the radii of the circles are non-negative and not necessarily equal, and the circles are allowed to intersect each other. The idea of the algorithm is to use the topology of the point set Voronoi diagram as a seed so that the correct topology of the circle set Voronoi diagram can be obtained through a number of edge flipping operations. Then, the geometries of the Voronoi edges of the circle set Voronoi diagram are computed. In particular, this paper discusses the topological aspect of the algorithm, and the following paper discusses the geometrical aspect. The main advantages of the proposed algorithm are in its robustness, speed, and the simplicity in its concept as well as implementation. Since the algorithm is based on the result of the point set Voronoi diagram and the flipping operation is the only topological operation, the algorithm is always as stable as the Voronoi diagram construction algorithm of a point set.

Presented in this paper are algorithms to compute the positions of vertices and equations of edges of the Voronoi diagram of a circle set. The circles are located in a Euclidean plane, the radii of the circles are not necessarily equal and the circles are not necessarily disjoint. The algorithms correctly and efficiently work when the correct topology of the Voronoi diagram was given. Given three circle generators, the position of the Voronoi vertex is computed by treating the plane as a complex plane, the Z-plane, and transforming it into another complex plane, the W-plane, via the Mobius transformation. Then, the problem is formulated as a simple point location problem in regions defined by two lines and two circles in the W-plane. And the center of the inverse-transformed circle in Z-plane from the line in the W-plane becomes the position of the Voronoi vertex. After the correct topology is constructed with the geometry of the vertices, the equations of edge are computed in a rational quadratic Bezier curve farm.

In reverse engineering, existing products are digitized fur the computer modeling. Using the digitized data, surfaces are modeled for new products. However, in the digitizing process measuring errors or deviations can be happened often in practice. Thus, it is important to adjust such errors or deviations during the computer modeling. To adjust the errors, fairing of the modeled surfaces is performed. In this paper, we present a surface fairing algorithm based on various fairness metrics. Fairness metrics can be discrete. We adopt discrete metrics for fairing given 3D point set. The fairness metrics include discrete principal curvatures. In this paper, automatic fairing process is proposed for fairing given 3D point sets for surfaces. The process uses various fairness criteria so that it is adequate to adopt designers'intents.

One of the biggest problems of rapid prototyping(RP) technologies lies in their standard file format for CAD data exchange. Current methods using the de facto industry standard 'STL'have at times resulted in problems such as accuracy, redundancy, and integrity. In this paper we propose a STEP based data exchange framework for rapid prototyping systems. In this paradigm of data exchange, STEP models can be imported and converted into faceted B-rep. solid models for visualization and 2-D layer data for RP. Also an STL model, on the other hand, can be converted into a faceted B-rep. STEP model and exported as a new data exchange model with RP information.

This paper investigates the structural analysis and design of mechanical heart valve through the numerical analysis methodology. In a numerical analysis methodology application to the thickness minimization structural design of mechanical heart valve, fluid analysis is performed for the blood flow through a bileaflet mechanical heart valve. Simultaneously the kinetodynamic analysis is carried out to obtain the appropriate structural condition for the structural analysis. Thereafter the structural static analysis is also carried out to confirm the thickness minimization structural condition(minimum thickness shape of leaflet).