REDUCING SURFACE DATA OF GEOMETRIC MODELS WHICH HAVE REGULAR GRIDS

Abstract

Many applications in the CAD/CAM area utilize polygonal surface models. An effective and rapid algorithm, which maintains the model structure and reduces the number of polygons within specified limits, provide significant advantages in CAD/CAM applications. An algorithm based on Singular Value Decomposition was developed intending tool-path calculation for surface simplification and the results were analyzed. Singular Value Decomposition was applied to polygonal surface models formed by regular grid points. Singular Value Decomposition reduced three dimensional problem to a two dimensional state. As a result the problem was simplified; an effective and rapid data reduction was conducted. This data reduction was conducted considering the parameters utilized during tool-path calculation. Consequently, accelerated tool path calculation and optimal formation of tool path points were realized as long as the desired machining results were assured. A software application was developed as an executable model in Matlab. The results of this executable model were compared with the results of well known commercial software used in CAM applications. The results showed that the algorithm reduced the surface data in an effective and rapid way but also showed that its effectiveness depended on surface shape.