Dynamic Segmentation and Incremental Editing of Boundary Representations in a Collaborative Design Environment

Abstract

Currently boundary representations (b-reps) are a convenient means to exchange solid models between applications (e.g., design, manufacturing, inspection) in a distributed/collaborative design environment. There are two widely used approaches that help maintain the consistency of b-reps between applications, e.g., when a b-rep is modified in one application and needs to be updated in the other. One approach involves using a common database of b-reps where consistency is automatically guaranteed. The other approach involves using a repeated transfer of the entire b-rep using ftp-like protocols. The former results in a system that is not truly distributed and the latter results in consuming large amounts of network bandwidth and unacceptable latencies. This paper seeks to alleviate the abovementioned disadvantages by introducing a scheme for the incremental exchange of b-reps (i.e., for incrementally updating a pre-edit model to be consistent with the post-edit model) between applications in a collaborative design environment. The significance of this work is that only parts of b-reps (not the complete b-rep), which have been edited, need be transferred to update b-reps at distributed locations thereby reducing network bottlenecks during collaborative design activities.