SBIR-STTR Award

Computer aided design systems have gained significant popularity in recent years. These systems are routinely used to create 3D models of parts and assemblies. Such models are saved in files that are named using part numbers. Currently design models only store geometric data and do not have any information about functionality of the designs. Recently, designers have saved such information using text files. Such documents are not suitable for supporting database-type searches. This work develops a search engine for designers using geometric characteristics and functionality information derived from existing designs. This includes development of indexing schemes for archiving geometry-based information in cad/pad device database, development of taxonomy for creating functionality-based design information models, development of search algorithm for supporting functionality based queries and finally development algorithms for spatially arranging existing cad/pad devices in virtual warehouse for efficient "walk-throughs." The methodology is generalized to allow the design of other electomechanical systems. There is no search engine available that integrates functionality and geometry for design purposes. Nor is there is there a capability to design parts by specifying geometric characteristics. The successful outcome of this research shall be an engine which allows designers to use functionality and geometric characteristics in the design process. Such a search engine has a significant commercial market.

This work is concerned with the archiving and retrieval of design and manufacturing information for a class of small devices and illustrated using energetic devices such as CAD/PAD and ROCATS. The technical feasibility of indexing and searching geometric and functional information associated with parts by specifying certain geometric attributes and functional taxonomies. This includes searching and browsing in virtual environments. In Phase II we propose to complete the development of an integrated scheme and build a single design navigation system that will offer visualization, geometry and functionality based search capabilities. Further, we will develop a mechansim for allowing users to customize the system by registering new signatures and new functionality taxonomies. Benefit The software tools that we propose to continue developing will greatly enhance the state-of-the-art by increasing our ability to archive and retrieve highly specialized design knowledge used to create specialized devices. The geometric modeling community has developed reliable modeling systems and the digital library efforts have created techniques for higher dimensional, multimedia data. The proposed work unites these advances by integrating geometric reasoning with digital repositories of functional information. Keywords virtual warehousing, geometry-based search, functionality-based search, archival/retrieval, cad/pad