Abstract
When reverse engineering free-form surfaces a perennial question is the limit on the number of points to be measured and the size of the grid in which the points are measured. The size of the grid can be determined only after an analysis of the surface is performed. However, the data required for analysis is not available. Hence, a continuous scanning technique or scanning at very close intervals is necessary. When using continuous scanning techniques for reverse engineering free-form surfaces a large number of points are generated. The transfer of these points into a CAD system to generate a NURBS surface requires a large database. Fitting a surface through a limited set of points and performing a geometric analysis of the surface to determine the complexity of the surface can reduce the excessive number of points. The complexity of the surface will be determined by using such parameters as radius of curvature. Additional points can be measured at necessary location based on the analysis. This research describes the development of an integrated reverse engineering system that will measure a free-form surface using a scanning contact probe and determine the location points on the surface to be measured. The developed system reduces the number of data points that are measured and stored. The software has been developed using ACIS and C++.
