Design and modeling system and methods

A computer aided design system comprising;

• a computer configured to operate a variational constraint server that supports combined mathematical and geometric modeling, and wherein
• the variational constrain server is operable to
• (1) accept user input to create a master component,
• (2) provide a dependent copy of the master component in an assembly design,
• (3) solve user-entered equations to compute functional properties of the dependent copy based on (1) geometric properties and non-geometric parameters in the assembly design and (2) geometric properties of the master component, and
• (4) constrain geometric properties of the dependent copy and the master component based on the computed functional properties, the master component being updated by user-defined functional relationships applied to The dependent copy.

In a computer aided design system, a method of configuring 4 variational constraint server, the method comprising:

• accepting user input to the computer aided design system to create a master component;
• providing a dependent copy of the master component in an assembly design;
• solving, by a computer system operating the variational constraint server, a user-entered equation to compute functional properties of The dependent copy based on (1) geometric properties and non-geometric parameters in the assembly design and (2) geometric properties of the master component;
• and
• configuring a variational constraint server to constrain, based on the computed functional properties, geometric properties or values of the dependent copy and the master component by a user-defined functional relationship applied to the dependent copy, the constraining comprising maintaining a constraint relationship directly between each geometric property or value in the master component and a corresponding property or value in the dependent copy, the master component being updated based on the constraint relationship with the dependent copy.

In a computer aided design system, an apparatus comprising:

• a storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to:
• provide a master component having a set of geometric and functional properties;
• produce a dependent copy of the master component in an assembly design, the dependent copy based on the master component and the set of geometric and functional properties;
• calculate modification to the dependent copy to satisfy criteria regarding 1) the set of geometric and functional properties of the master component and 2) a constraint on the dependent copy imposed by the assembly;
• and
• update the dependent copy and the master component based on the calculated modification, the master component being updated based on a transform constraint between the master component and dependent copy.