Feature-Based Computer Modeling and Reasoning on Mechanical Functions

This paper presents an approach for feature-based computer-aided modeling of functions. Features are used in geometric CAD as a means to encapsulate primitive entities and operations into more complex forms that have engineering significance, which also allows faster modeling, uniformity of data sets between similar features, and reasoning support at the features-level. In a recent research, a formal language for functions has been proposed that ensures consistency of function models against physics, esp. the balance laws of mass and energy. The language is implemented in a software tool to support physics-based reasoning. In this paper, the primitive entities and relations of this language and tool are encapsulated to define more complex function features that have engineering significance. To demonstrate the approach and its benefits, three common functions from the Functional Basis vocabulary are defined as features and used in models, which are then used to show the reasoning potential of this approach.