Design of solids with free-form surfaces

Abstract

We propose a unified method of generating a wide range of three dimensional objects from polyhedra to solids with free-form surfaces. Modeling systems for polyhedra and systems for free-form surfaces have been developed independently in the past because of the difference in their underlying theory and practices. However, this is not desirable for a designer. So in this paper, we have shown a method in which a wide range of shapes are generated in one system by using local modifications. Local modifications are procedures used to change the shape of solids locally. The construction and the modification of three dimensional shapes by these procedures are natural and easy for a designer in many cases. The implementation of these procedures in a computer is easy and their execution does not require much time.