Random cutting plane approach for identifying volumetric features in a CAD mesh model

This paper presents a method to identify regions that make up features like holes, slots, pockets as well as interacting features in a three-dimensional mesh of a computer-aided design (CAD)/Engineering model. Feature recognition is an important area in the field of CAD/Engineering with applications in model retrieval, creating an analysis model by defeaturing of the designed model for finite element applications, etc. Most feature recognition methods use either a cluster-based decomposition or feature line extraction through solid angles or curvature values, followed by graph-based heuristics. Such approaches require a user parameter for clustering or a threshold value for angle/curvature, neither of which is an easily deterministic one. The proposed algorithm identifies the features using contours generated by random cutting planes, followed by graph traversals (and not using heuristics) and without using parameter/threshold values. The algorithm can identify blind holes, through holes, slots and pockets. The geometry of most of the extracted features has also been identified using Gauss map. Interacting features have also been extracted and separated, which normally pose difficulty for most algorithms. Extensive experiments on CAD models from various benchmarks show that the algorithm is robust. Comparison with different algorithms (of which code was available) shows that our approach performs admirably and in the case of interacting features, the algorithm performs better than the existing ones.