The integration of free-form design and manufacturing using free-form features

摘要

The use of orthogonal features are widely illustrated in design and manufacturing publications, if not widely used. Features as a method of design and manufacturing integration is dependent upon the communication of information from one context to aonother. Free-form features are used to represent sculptured aesthetic surfaces, for instance, in the automotive and mould tool industrie. The surface creation, manipulation and blending processes are highly laboru intensive, with automation a highly desired software characteristic.