Simplifying small mesh components with redundant backs

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processing device, a three-dimensional (3D) polygonal mesh comprising topologically interconnected polyhedral planar facets representing a planar surface approximation of a 3D object, wherein the 3D polygonal mesh comprises a first component and a second component, wherein the first component is topologically isolated from the second component;

casting a ray from a surface of the first component in a direction of a surface normal vector of the surface;

identifying an intersection point of the ray with the second component, wherein the intersection point is closest, among two or more intersection points of the ray with the second component, to a start of the ray;

determining that the intersection point is located on a front surface of the second component;

responsive to determining that a distance between the surface and the intersection point is less than a threshold distance, removing the surface from the first component to produce a simplified component comprising fewer interconnected polyhedral planar facets than the first component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that a first surface area of the first component is less than a threshold area, wherein the threshold area is a share of at least a portion of a surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh comprising a surface area of the second component.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the first size surface area of the first component is less than the threshold area comprises:

determining a second surface area of the second component;

determining the threshold area as a share of the second surface area; and

comparing the first surface area to the threshold area.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the portion of the surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh comprises a total surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the first size surface area of the first component is less than the threshold area comprises:

determining a total surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh;

determining the threshold area as a share of the total surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh; and

comparing the first surface area to the threshold area.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the surface as a back surface of the first component.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

setting the threshold distance as a share of a linear size of the 3D polygonal mesh.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that removing the surface from the first component introduces a non-manifold topology to the simplified component, wherein the non-manifold topology comprises a first vertex of a first component that is incident to two or more locally disconnected surfaces of the first component, retaining the surface as part of the simplified component.

9. A method comprising:

identifying, by a processing device, a component of a three-dimensional (3D) polygonal mesh, wherein the component comprises a set of topologically interconnected surfaces;

casting a ray from a surface of the component in a direction of a surface normal vector of the surface;

identifying an intersection point of the ray with the 3D polygonal mesh, wherein the intersection point is closest, among two or more intersection points of the ray with the 3D polygonal mesh, to a start of the ray; and

responsive to determining that a distance between the surface and the intersection point is less than a threshold distance, removing the surface from the component to produce a simplified component.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

setting a threshold surface area as a share of the total surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh; and

determining that a surface area of the component is less than the threshold area.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

setting the threshold distance as a share of a linear size of the 3D polygonal mesh.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining that the intersection point is located on a back surface of the 3D polygonal mesh; and

identifying the surface as the back surface.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the component forms a structure enclosing a defined volume.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the simplified component further comprises:

responsive to determining that removing the surface from the component introduces a non-manifold topology to the simplified component, wherein the non-manifold topology comprises a first vertex of a first component that is incident to two or more locally disconnected surfaces of the first component, retaining the surface as part of the simplified component.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

identify a component of a three-dimensional (3D) polygonal mesh, wherein the component comprises a set of topologically interconnected surfaces;

cast a ray from a surface of the component in a direction of a surface normal vector of the surface;

identify an intersection point of the ray with the 3D polygonal mesh, wherein the intersection point is closest, among two or more intersection points of the ray with the 3D polygonal mesh, to a start of the ray; and

responsive to determining that a distance between the surface and the intersection point is less than a threshold distance, removing the surface from the component to produce a simplified component.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising executable instructions to cause the processing device to:

setting a threshold surface area as a share of the total surface area of the 3D polygonal mesh; and

determining that a surface area of the component is less than the threshold area.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising executable instructions to cause the processing device to:

setting the threshold distance as a share of a linear size of the 3D polygonal mesh.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising executable instructions to cause the processing device to:

determining that the intersection point is located on a back surface of the 3D polygonal mesh; and

identifying the first surface as the back surface.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the component forms a structure enclosing a defined volume.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the simplified component further comprises:

responsive to determining that removing the surface from the component introduces a non-manifold topology to the simplified component, wherein the non-manifold topology comprises a first vertex of a first component that is incident to two or more locally disconnected surfaces of the first component, retaining the surface as part of the simplified component.