CAD

BML Munjal University

1 kalluri.vinayak@bml.edu.in
 Introduction to CAD systems and Parametric
modelling

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 CAD Systems
• A CAD system is a complex application requiring both CAD hardware and CAD
software
• CAD Software
– It is a computer program written in C, C++, Scheme or Java

– Has multilayered GUI providing menus and icons

– May run client/server mode

– Installing CAD software – very easy! Did you ever install AutoCAD or NX? Try
once.

– A data structure is used to store the geometry and topology

– CAD/CAM signifies integration of them;

– CAD database – file that stores information

– Suitable DBMS is required 3

Modules in CAD Applications

• Will have different modules

– Geometric engine - modeling
– Application module - FEM
– Programming module – NC part program
– Communication module – import/export
– Collaborative module – participative design

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Acquiring CAD System
• Low end
– Meant for beginners, less complex geometry can be dealt with
– E.g., AutoCAD, Autodesk, Inventor, CADKEY
• Mid range
– Meet the need to have complex models
– Support design and manufacturing needs
– E. g., SolidWorks, SolidEdge and MasterCAM
• High end
– Legacy systems and have been around since 1970s
– Offer modeling, analysis, manufacturing, complex products such as
airplanes,cars etc.
– E. g., NX, Creo, CATIA
• Specialized
– Provide a very robust and universal geometric modeling and offer
graphics kernel
– E. g., ACIS and Parasolid
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How to choose among various CAD systems?

• A good CAD system should be:

– Easy to learn
– Easy to work with
– Have macro commands
– Have its own embedded programming language
– Have an open database
– Be compatible with other CAD/CAM and analysis program

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 Major Benefits of a CAD package
• Automates repetitive tasks
• Reduces duplicate efforts
• Allows you to communicate with others via electronic
means
• Makes drawing revisions easier to perform
• Enable you to customize environment
• Lets you to create accurate and high-quality drawing
• Provides impressive presentation
• Supports a wide selection of hardware

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Coordinate systems and sketch planes
• THREE DIFFERENT COORDINATE SYSTEMS

– MODEL COORDINATE SYSTEM (MCS)

• Also called as the world coordinate system by other
literature
– WORK COORDINATE SYSTEM (WCS)
• Also called as user coordinate system by other
literature
– SCREEN COORDINATE SYSTEM (SCS)

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 Geometric Modeling

• Wire-frame modeling

• Surface modeling

• Solid modeling

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 Wireframe Modeling
• It is the simplest but most verbose geometric model of an
object
• The word “wire” is to represent that a bent wire can be
arranged to simulate the wireframe model of an object
• It consists entirely of points, lines, arcs, circles, conics and
curves.
• It is the most commonly used technique
• Almost all commercial CAD packages support wireframe.
• It is also referred sometimes as stick figure or edge
configuration.

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 Wireframe Modeling: Advantages

• Simplicity of construction: does not required as much

computer time and memory as required by surface and
solid modeling techniques
• It is a natural extension of traditional methods of
drafting: does not require extensive training to existing
draftsmen
• Terminology is much simpler and fewer than SfM and SM
• Wireframe models are basis for SfM and SM
• The CPU time required to retrieve, edit or update a
wireframe model is usually small compared to SfM and
SM
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 Wireframe modeling: Disadvantages
• Data input is laborious

• Wireframe models are ambiguous

• Lengthy and verbose

• WM requires both “Topological” and

“Geometrical” data whereas SM required on
“Geometrical” data
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 AMBIGUITY OF WIREFRAME MODEL

Model

Which one?

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 Wireframe Entities
• Analytic Entities
– Points
– Lines
– Arcs
– Circles
– Fillets
– Chamfers
– Conics: Ellipses, Parabolas, and Hyperbolas
• Synthetic Entities
– Cubic Splines (Hermite cubic spline for example)
– Bezier curves
– B-Spline curve
• Various modifiers to suitable blend the above, when required
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 Surface Modeling
• Stores equations of surfaces
• Most 3D graphics libraries use surface modeling
• Good for visualizing complex surfaces and automated NC
path generation of complex surfaces
• Material volume information is ambiguous or hard to
determine (therefore can’t calculate volume)
 Solid Modeling Functions
Different ways that a user can create solid
shapes:
• Primitive creation
• Boolean operations
• Sweep operations
• Surface operations
• Engineering Feature-Based modeling
• Parametric modeling
Geometric Modelling of Curves and
Surfaces

Implicit Explicit Parametric

Representation Representation Representation

• x2 + y2 –r2=0 • y=(r2-x2)1/2 x=r cos(t) ;y = r sin(t)

 Geometric Modelling
• Which form is most appropriate and why?
 Parametric Representation
• Parametric equations completely separate the role of
dependent and independent variables.
• How x and y varies of t is independent.
• Representation can be easily extended
• What do these equations represent
x = r cos(t); y = r sin(t); z = h
 Parametric Representation

Circle with centre (0,0) and r= 7 Circle with centre (4,3) and r = 7
x = 4 + 7 cos (t)
x =7 cos(t)
y = 3 + 7 sin (t)
y = 7 sin (t)
Explicit
Explicit
x2 + y2 -8x-6y-24=0
x2 + y2- 49=0

Parametric Representation
Transformations can be easily applied
 Parametric Representation
• Offers more degree of freedom for controlling
the shape of the curve.
• Has an advantage of representing curves and
surface segments
• Has an advantage in handling infinite slopes.
 Parametric Form of a Curve
• In parametric form, each point on a curve is expressed as
a function of a parameter u.
• The parameter acts as a local coordinate for points on the
curve
• The parametric equation for a 3-D curve in space is
P(u) = [ x y z]T = [ x(u) y(u) z(u)]T, umin≤u≤umax
• Coordinates of a point on the curve are the components
of its position vector.

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 Parametric form of a curve
• It is a one-to-one mapping from the parametric space (Euclidean
space E1 in u values) to the Cartesian space (E3 in x, y, z values)
X

u=0
u
u
u=umin u=umax
Y

Y
u
umax
Z
umin n
P(u) P’(u)
umax u
umin u
X
Z 25
 PARAMETRIC REPRESENTATION OF LINES

P = P1 + u (P2 − P1 ) 0  u 1
This is equivalent to
x = x1 + u ( x2 − x1 ) 

y = y1 + u ( y2 − y1 ) 0  u  1
z = z1 + u ( z 2 − z1 ) 

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 The Tangent Vector of a Parametric Curve
• To enable evaluation of slope of a parametric curve at any
arbitrary point on it, the tangent curve must be evaluated.
• The tangent vector is a vector P’(u) in Cartesian space such
that
dP (u )
P(u ) =
du
• The components of tangent vector in parametric space
P’(u) = [ x’ y’ z’]T = [ x’(u) y’(u) z’(u)]T, umin≤u≤umax

P ' (u )
The unit tangent vector
is given by: nˆ = = nxiˆ + n y jˆ + nz kˆ
P ' (u )
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• Parametric representation of curves can be in two
categories:
– Analytic curves
• May be very useful as planar curves
• Not useful when the curves has to be a space curve
– Synthetic curves
• Useful to represent space curves
• Described by a set of data points (called as control points)
• Both local and global control is possible
• Due to greater flexibility, useful for freeform modeling

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