Title: Constraint-based adaptive shape deformation technology for customised product development

Authors: Zhixin Yang; Pak-Kin Wong; Chi-Man Vong; Kin-Man Lo

Addresses: Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 00853 China. ' Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 00853 China. ' Department of Computer and Information Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 00853 China. ' Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 00853 China

Abstract: Customised agile product shape development requires intelligent integration of multiple designers' inputs to fit various customer preferences. This study proposes a robust feature-based product modelling architecture for design customisation, which represents the product modelling processes as constrained morphing of relatively constant base feature with customised defined working features by subjecting to corresponding boundary constraints. The deformation on the surface patches of working features is adaptively controlled by the proposed energy-based solid mechanics surface model. The techniques on the construction of surface control network of springs, model segmentation, displacement computation of network nodes, as well as surface morphing processes are introduced in detail. The shape deformation process is uniformed across the surface control network, maintaining the shape being similar to its imported source pattern. This paper discusses examples and case study in footwear industry. The proposed method could be applied for customised product development in other related industries.

Keywords: adaptive shape deformation; customised product development; constrained morphing; energy-based solid mechanics; shape reuse; product technology; product customisation; customer preferences; feature-based modelling; product modelling; design customisation; product design; footwear industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2012.048194

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2012 Vol.44 No.1/2, pp.1 - 16

Published online: 17 Sep 2014 *

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