System, method, and computer program product for identifying manufacturing-specific regions in object models

1. A method for object model processing, comprising:

generating a first view of an object model along a specified direction;

identifying first-view edges and first-view faces visible in the first view;

generating a second view, opposite of the first view;

identifying second-view edges and second-view faces visible in the second view;

assigning a region to each of the first-view edges, first-view faces, second-view edges, and second-view faces; and

storing the assigned regions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the regions are assigned so that if a face is a first-view face only, then it is assigned to a cavity face region;

if a face is a second-view face only, then it is assigned to a core face region;

if a face is a first-view face and a second-view face, then it is assigned to a crossover face region;

if a face is not a first-view face and not a second-view face, then it is assigned to an undercut face region;

if an edge is not a first-view edge and not a second-view edge, then it is assigned to an undercut edge region; and

if an edge has two adjacent faces belonging to a cavity and a core face each, then it is assigned to a parting edge region.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying parting loops, including a parting line loop and patch loops, wherein parting loops are comprised of parting edges, and a parting line loop is defined as the parting loop with a maximum loop length against the specified direction, and all other loops are assigned as patch loops.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first view is a top view and the second view is a bottom view.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting an object model.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising specifying a draw direction.

7. A data processing system having at least a processor and accessible memory, comprising:

means for generating a first view of an object model;

means for identifying first-view edges and first-view faces visible in the first view;

means for generating a second view, opposite of the first view;

means for identifying second-view edges and second-view faces visible in the second view;

means for assigning a region to each of the first-view edges, first-view faces, second-view edges, and second-view faces; and

means for storing the assigned regions.

8. The data processing system of claim 7 , wherein the regions are assigned so that

if a face is a first-view face only, then it is assigned to a cavity face region;

if a face is a second-view face only, then it is assigned to a core face region;

if a face is a first-view face and a second-view face, then it is assigned to a crossover face region;

if a face is not a first-view face and not a second-view face, then it is assigned to an undercut face region;

if an edge is not a first-view edge and not a second-view edge, then it is assigned to an undercut edge region; and

if an edge has two adjacent faces belonging to a cavity and a core face each, then it is assigned to a parting edge region.

9. The data processing system of claim 7 , further comprising means for identifying parting loops, including a parting line loop and patch loops, wherein parting loops are comprised of parting edges, and a parting line loop is defined as the parting loop with a maximum loop length against the specified direction, and all other loops are assigned as patch loops.

10. The data processing system of claim 7 , wherein the first view is a top view and the second view is a bottom view.

11. The data processing system of claim 7 , further comprising means for selecting an object model.

12. The data processing system of claim 7 , further comprising means for specifying a draw direction.

13. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, comprising:

instructions for generating a first view of an object model;

instructions for identifying first-view edges and first-view faces visible in the first view;

instructions for generating a second view, opposite of the first view;

instructions for identifying second-view edges and second-view faces visible in the second view;

instructions for assigning a region to each of the first-view edges, first-view faces, second-view edges, and second-view faces; and

instructions for storing the assigned regions.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the regions are assigned so that

if a face is a first-view face only, then it is assigned to a cavity face region;

if a face is a second-view face only, then it is assigned to a core face region;

if a face is a first-view face and a second-view face, then it is assigned to a crossover face region;

if a face is not a first-view face and not a second-view face, then it is assigned to an undercut face region;

if an edge is not a first-view edge and not a second-view edge, then it is assigned to an undercut edge region; and

if an edge has two adjacent faces belonging to a cavity and a core face each, then it is assigned to a parting edge region.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , further composing instructions for identifying parting loops, including a parting line loop and patch loops, wherein parting loops are comprised of parting edges, and a parting line loop is defined as the parting loop with a maximum loop length against the specified direction, and all other loops are assigned as patch loops.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the first view is a top view and the second view is a bottom view.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for selecting an object model.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for specifying a draw direction.