Automated connections of computer-aided design components

A computer-implemented method for processing a three-dimensional design model of a real-world object generated by a computer-aided design system, the method comprising:

• constructing within the memory of a computer system the three-dimensional design model of the real-world object by:
• constructing a feature of the three-dimensional design model based on data received from a user;
• and
• automatically selecting a previously defined part from a part library, the part being configured to couple with the constructed feature, the part being selected from a parts library, the parts library comprising data representing a plurality of parts and at least one geometric characteristic of each of the parts.

A method of constructing a three-dimensional model of a real-world object using a computer-aided design system, the method comprising:

• constructing within the memory of a computer system the three-dimensional model of the real-world object by:
• selecting a feature of the three-dimensional model, said feature representing a physical element of the real-world object;
• generating a component configured to couple with the feature, said component modeling a second real-world object and said component being generated by:
• querying a component model repository storing previously defined components to retrieve a previously defined component model, said retrieving being based on compatibility between an attribute of the component model and a design attribute of the feature;
• constructing a first component from the component model;
• and
• establishing a coupling relationship between the first component and the feature.

A computer-readable data storage medium comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

• construct within the memory of a computer system a three-dimensional model of a real-world object, said instructions to construct within the memory further comprising instructions to:
• construct a feature of the three-dimensional model of the real-world object based on data input by a user;
• and
• automatically identify a previously defined part from a part library, the part comprising a model of another three-dimensional object, said part being configured to compatibly couple with the feature, the part being identified based on at least one design attribute of the feature.

A computer-aided design system comprising:

• a processing unit coupled to a database and a program storage medium, the database comprising a library of previously defined model parts and geometric characteristics of each part, and the program storage medium comprising instructions to configure the processor to construct within the memory of a computer system the three-dimensional design model of an object, said memory further comprising instructions to:
• construct a feature of the three-dimensional design model based on input from a user;
• and
• query the database to automatically construct a part from a model in the library of previously defined model parts, the constructed part being configured to couple with the feature.