A new collision detection method for CSG-represented objects in virtual manufacturing

In virtual manufacturing environment, operator-system interactions and phys ical simulation require real time collision detection. A fast and precise a lgorithm for collision detection is therefore critical to ensure the usabil ity of virtual reality (VR)-based manufacturing simulation. This paper prop oses an efficient and precise collision detection algorithm for constructiv e solid geometry (CSG) represented objects in a virtual environment. It mai nly takes advantages of the CSG 'divide-and-conquer' paradigm and efficient distance-aided collision detection for convex bounding volumes. An adaptiv e selection strategy for optimal bounding volumes of sub-trees of objects i s used to realize a fast localization of possible collision regions at each detection step, and decision rules for sub-tree freezing and result evalua ting are created. Performances of the applications used in a virtual traini ng system for CNC milling machine manual operations and virtual assembly op erations have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.