Interoperability between CAD and Simulation Models for Cooperative Design

Abstract

During the design process, multiple views of a product are required to perform each task. CAD models and simulation models are examples of such models that are required to perform a structural analysis. Within a co-operative design environment, designers are able to perform asynchronous modifications, i.e. once an analysis has been conducted from a given version of the CAD model, a new version can be generated to insert geometry changes required by functional constraints. If CAD and simulation models are interoperable, some software mechanism should be available to evaluate the impact of geometry changes onto the associated simulation model. The approach proposed addresses such an interoperability between CAD and simulation models. To this end, an intermediate model between the CAD and the simulation one is set up to perform the geometry adaptation process. This process serves as basis to record the shape changes of the object. These shape changes form the reference that will be used for comparing the modifications of CAD model with the adapted model generated from the initial CAD model. Using this comparison, it is possible to evaluate the impact of CAD model modifications onto the associated simulation model and decide whether or not the finite element results stay coherent with the CAD model.