Apparatus and method for transferring and editing sheet...

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data routing – Least weight routing

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C700S182000, C709S241000, C709S241000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06542937

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of computer-aided design (CAD) systems and the use of such systems for modeling parts, such as sheet metal parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for transferring part data, such as sheet metal part data, between computer-based application or CAD environments and for editing such part data.
2. Background Information
The production of parts, such as sheet metal parts, has traditionally included a design and modeling stage during which a sheet metal part design is developed based on a customer's specifications. A customer will typically place an order for a particular sheet metal component to be produced at a sheet metal manufacturing or production facility. The customer's order will usually include basic product and design information so that the component may be manufactured by the factory. This information may include, for example, the geometric dimensions of the part, the material required for the part (e.g., steel, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), special forming information, the batch size, the delivery date, etc. The sheet metal part requested by the customer may be designed and produced for a wide variety of applications. For example, the produced component may ultimately be used as an outer casing for a computer, an electrical switchboard, an armrest in an airplane, or part of a door panel for a car.
During the design and modeling stage, a sheet metal part design may be developed by a design office of the manufacturing facility using a computer-aided design (CAD) system. Based on a customer's specifications, a two-dimensional (2-D) model of the sheet metal part may be developed by a design programmer with the CAD system. A customer may provide a blueprint containing one or more drawings of the component and the critical geometric dimensions of the part. The blueprint may also indicate any special forming or marking to be included in the part, as well as the location of holes or other types of openings on the surface(s) of the sheet metal part. The design programmer will often use this blueprint and/or other information from the customer to develop a 2-D model on the CAD system. The 2-D model may include a flat view and one or more other perspective views of the sheet metal part, with bendline and/or dimensional information. A customer may also sometimes provide raw 2-D CAD data (e.g., saved in a computer-readable file) to the manufacturing facility, that requires editing or refinement during the design stage.
The design and modeling of sheet metal parts with such conventional CAD systems suffers from several drawbacks and disadvantages. For example, most 2-D CAD systems have limited modeling and editing capabilities. Further, although three-dimensional (3-D) modeling has been recently provided in commercially available CAD systems, such systems cannot communicate and transfer sheet metal part data with other CAD or computer-based modeling systems. That is, sheet metal data may only be transferred between computer-based modeling and design systems by uploading or downloading files containing the sheet metal part data. The use of such data files causes several disadvantages, including the requirement that compatible, data file formats be used by the systems. Further, prior systems do not permit the design programmer to easily convert an existing 2-D CAD model of a part into a 3-D representation of the part.
An additional drawback with prior systems exists due to the limited information that is stored with the sheet metal part data. That is, while the part model data normally includes information concerning the overall part geometry, manufacturing information and production constraints are not included with the part model data. In co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/690,671, an object oriented data model is disclosed which includes part geometry and topology information, as well as manufacturing data for the sheet metal part. According to the disclosed object oriented data model, a bend model for the sheet metal part is defined as a completely self-contained class library. All of the required data manipulation and functions for the sheet metal part (e.g., folding, unfolding, etc.) are captured as member functions of the class library. Further, all of the geometrical and topological data are defined in objects that are grouped within the bend model. The geometrical data includes both 2-D and 3-D representations of the part.
The use of an object oriented bend model, such as that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/690,671, provides several advantages. For example, an object oriented bend model provides a more comprehensive and realistic model of the sheet metal part, that includes both geometrical and topological information, as well as manufacturing information. Further, the use of an object oriented bend model provides greater flexibility and allows a design programmer to more easily modify or edit various features and attributes of the part, such as the faces, bendlines and bending properties of the part.
Currently, there exists a need to provide an interface between conventional CAD systems, such as 2-D CAD systems, and modeling systems employing an object oriented bend model, such as that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/690,671. Such an interface is required that permits part data to be transferred between these systems and that provides greater flexibility in the editing and modeling of the part. With such an interface, it would be possible to integrate object oriented bend model systems with existing 2-D CAD systems and other conventional CAD systems.
Many advantages would exist by integrating such systems. For example, such an integration would permit new, object oriented bend model systems to be utilized with existing CAD systems. This type of an interface would also permit design programmers to take advantage of pre-existing editing features provided in prior CAD systems, while still maintaining the benefits of an object oriented data model system. Since many design programmers are fully accustomed or skilled with using conventional CAD systems, such an integration would enhance the efficiency of the designing and modeling stages for manufacturing the part, and would permit businesses and facilities to maintain use of existing or legacy CAD systems, while having full utilization of newer modeling systems, such as object oriented bend model systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, the present invention, through one or more of its various aspects, embodiments and/or specific features or sub-components thereof, is provided to bring about one or more objects and advantages, such as those specifically noted below.
A general object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for transferring and editing part data, such as sheet metal part data. Another object of the invention is to improve the efficiency of part modeling and design.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an interface that facilitates the transfer of part-related data between computer-based application environments, such as a 2-D CAD system and an object oriented bend model system.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for transferring data related to a sheet metal part, whereby the data may be transferred in real time in order to avoid the need to upload or download the part data from a data file.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for transferring sheet metal part data, wherein the part data may be transferred in various modes, including a faces mode in which the faces of the part are collectively transferred by the interface. In addition, the part data may be transferred in a flat mode whereby the part data is sent as an entire flat part with manufacturing related data.
Another object of the invention is to provide enhanced editing features

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