Freeform Tools in CAD Systems

From 13th-17th May, 1991 the Centre for Applied Mathematics at the Darmstadt University of Technology and at the University of Kaiserslautern in cooperation with the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry {ECMIl has organized the Workshop: "Practice of Computer Aided Gemetric Design - What CAD Systems are really capable of". Some of the most im portant software vendors had been invited to participate in the workshop and to demonstrate their developments in the area of free form surface technology. The following systems were presented: CATIA (IBM/Dassault); EUCLID (Matra); ICEM (CDC); SYRKO (Mercedes-Benzl; STRIM (Cisigraph); UNIGRAPHICS (McDonnel Douglas) and in addition the visualization system WAVEFRONT (mental images) was introduced. The presentations were supposed to focus on the following topics: re presentation of analytical curves/surfaces; Coons-Eace-Top-Elements; multisurfs; triangular patches; offset surfaces; volume elements; inter secting algorithms; operations for combination of curves, surfaces and volumes; sweeping elements/fillets; blending methods; parametrization of data; interpolation/approximation of irregular data/NC data; NC control (three axes, five axes milling). - Demonstrations of the systems were also given on work stations. Besides, a qUestionnaire should have given a short overview on the implementations. Beside these presentations of software systems, the participants had the opportunity to hear lectures on developments for interfaces.