Variational modeling with removal features

1. A method implemented in one or more data processing systems, comprising:

receiving a geometric model including at least one removal feature having at least one face;

designating at least one face as a remove variational face;

adding a constraint that refers to the designated face;

creating a second object corresponding to the removal feature;

modifying the constraint to refer to the second object instead of the removal feature;

removing the removal feature;

performing a variational edit and solve on the model using the second object in place of the removal feature; and

recreating the model according to the variational edit, the recreated model including the removal feature placed according to an updated location of the second object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the variational edit includes moving a location of the second object in the model according to the constraint.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removal feature must be removed from the model before the model can be solved.

4. A data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

an accessible memory,

the data processing system particularly configured to

designate at least one face as a remove variational face;

add a constraint that refers to the designated face;

create a second object corresponding to the removal feature;

modify the constraint to refer to the second object instead of the removal feature;

remove the removal feature;

perform a variational edit and solve on the model using the second object in place of the removal feature; and

recreate the model according to the variational edit, the recreated model including the removal feature placed according to an updated location of the second object.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a data processing system to perform the steps of:

designating at least one face as a remove variational face;

adding a constraint that refers to the designated face;

creating a second object corresponding to the removal feature;

modifying the constraint to refer to the second object instead of the removal feature;

removing the removal feature;

performing a variational edit and solve on the model using the second object in place of the removal feature; and

recreating the model according to the variational edit, the recreated model including the removal feature placed according to an updated location of the second object.

6. A method implemented in one or more data processing systems, comprising:

receiving a geometric model including at least one removal feature having at least one face;

creating a second object that is associated with the removal feature;

adding a constraint to the second object;

removing the removal feature from the model and adding a temporary topology to the model to support the removing, the temporary topology being substantially identical to the second object;

binding the temporary topology and the second object;

performing a variational edit and solve on the model using the second object to position the temporary topology in the model; and

recreating the model according to the variational edit, the recreated model including the removal feature placed according to the location of the temporary topology.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the binding requires that the temporary topology and the second object are moved and changed in the same way during an edit.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the temporary topology and the second object are discarded after the model is recreated.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

an accessible memory,

the data processing system particularly configured to

receive a geometric model including at least one removal feature having at least one face;

create a second object that that is associated with the removal feature;

add a constraint to the second object;

remove the removal feature from the model and adding a temporary topology to the model to support the removing, the temporary topology being substantially identical to the second object;

bind the temporary topology and the second object;

perform a variational edit and solve on the model using the second object to position the temporary topology in the model; and

recreate the model according to the variational edit, the recreated model including the removal feature placed according to the location of the temporary topology.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a data processing system to perform the steps of:

receiving a geometric model including at least one removal feature having at least one face;

creating a second object that is associated with the removal feature;

adding a constraint to the second object;

removing the removal feature from the model and adding a temporary topology to the model to support the removing, the temporary topology being substantially identical to the second object;

binding the temporary topology and the second object;

performing a variational edit and solve on the model using the second object to position the temporary topology in the model; and

recreating the model according to the variational edit, the recreated model including the removal feature placed according to the location of the temporary topology.