Automated stamping part design

A process for manufacturing a stamping part having one or more flanges, the process comprising:

• performing a computer-implemented designing of the stamping part by:
• obtaining a first boundary representation (B-Rep) model, the first B-Rep model representing the stamping part without the one or more flanges, the first B-Rep model having a 3D boundary curve formed by a set of boundary-curve edges;
• obtaining a first value representing a g1-continuity extrapolation length requirement and a second value representing a g2-continuity extrapolation length requirement;
• determining a second B-Rep model representing the stamping part with extra material to be removed to form an unfolded state of the one or more flanges, the second B-Rep model including an extrapolation of the first B-Rep model with extrapolation patches formed along the 3D boundary curve, the second B-Rep model presenting at least a g2-continuity over a length of the extrapolation patches equal to the second value and then at least a g1-continuity over a length of the extrapolation patches equal to the first value, the determination of the second B-Rep model including:
• partitioning the set of boundary-curve edges into:
• first groups each of one or more consecutive first boundary-curve edges, and
• second groups each of one or more consecutive second boundary-curve edges,
• applying a surface-extension operator respectively to each first group, thereby obtaining respective first extrapolation patches formed along the 3D boundary curve and separated by respective gaps, and
• filling the gaps, thereby obtaining respective second extrapolation patches connecting the first extrapolation patches together and with the first B-Rep at respective second boundary-curve edges, thereby obtaining a B-Rep model representing the stamping part with extra material to be removed to form an unfolded state of the one or more flanges;
• and
• using the obtained B-Rep model to produce the stamping part with the extra material.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program including instructions for performing a method for designing a stamping part having one or more flanges, the method comprising:

• obtaining a first boundary representation (B-Rep) model, the first B-Rep model representing the stamping part without the one or more flanges, the first B-Rep model having a 3D boundary curve formed by a set of boundary-curve edges;
• obtaining a first value representing a g1-continuity extrapolation length requirement and a second value representing a g2-continuity extrapolation length requirement;
• and
• determining a second B-Rep model representing the stamping part with extra material to be removed to form an unfolded state of the one or more flanges, the second B-Rep model including an extrapolation of the first B-Rep model with extrapolation patches formed along the 3D boundary curve, the second B-Rep model presenting at least a g2-continuity over a length of the extrapolation patches equal to the second value and then at least a g1-continuity over a length of the extrapolation patches equal to the first value, the determination of the second B-Rep model including:
• partitioning the set of boundary-curve edges into:
• first groups each of one or more consecutive first boundary-curve edges, and
• second groups each of one or more consecutive second boundary-curve edges,
• applying a surface-extension operator respectively to each first group, thereby obtaining respective first extrapolation patches formed along the 3D boundary curve and separated by respective gaps, and
• filling the gaps, thereby obtaining respective second extrapolation patches connecting the first extrapolation patches together and with the first B-Rep at respective second boundary-curve edges.

A system comprising:

• a processor coupled to a memory, the memory having recorded thereon a computer program including instructions for designing a stamping part having one or more flanges that when executed by the processor causes the processor to be configured to:
• obtain a first boundary representation (B-Rep) model, the first B-Rep model representing the stamping part without the one or more flanges, the first B-Rep model having a 3D boundary curve formed by a set of boundary-curve edges,
• obtain a first value representing a g1-continuity extrapolation length requirement and a second value representing a g2-continuity extrapolation length requirement, and
• determine a second B-Rep model representing the stamping part with extra material to be removed to form an unfolded state of the one or more flanges, the second B-Rep model including an extrapolation of the first B-Rep model with extrapolation patches formed along the 3D boundary curve, the second B-Rep model presenting at least a g2-continuity over a length of the extrapolation patches equal to the second value and then at least a g1-continuity over a length of the extrapolation patches equal to the first value, the determination of the second B-Rep model including the processor being configured to:
• partition the set of boundary-curve edges into:
• first groups each of one or more consecutive first boundary-curve edges, and
• second groups each of one or more consecutive second boundary-curve edges,
• apply a surface-extension operator respectively to each first group, thereby obtaining respective first extrapolation patches formed along the 3D boundary curve and separated by respective gaps, and
• fill the gaps, thereby obtaining respective second extrapolation patches connecting the first extrapolation patches together and with the first B-Rep at respective second boundary-curve edges.