Solid Model Geometric Objects Detection Based on CAD Software Programming
摘要
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programming can be integrated into many engineering procedures that ranges from design and assembly of mechanical parts and products, to manufacturing. This work demonstrates the advantages of the Application Programming Interface (API) of SolidWorks™ CAD software in terms of topology detection that can be utilized in many routine tasks during the development phase of a product. These characteristic processes are embedded into a tool that is able to automatically apply typical design features such as chamfer, fillet, and hole to the corresponding geometric object (edge or face). The tool operates with minimal input from the user, requiring only the name of the geometric object in the case of either the chamfer or fillet and the center coordinates, in addition to the name of the appropriate geometric object, in the case of the hole feature. It is noted that the code was written with the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA™) language and can be applied to any solid model.