Feature-based design of welded structure for robotic arc welding off-line programming

Feature modeler of welded structure provides both 3D-geographical and non-g eographical features for the off-line programming of are welded robot. Weld ed structure is regarded as an assembly, the design of welded structure con sists of three aspects: plane, joint, and groove design. Each aspect corres ponds to a category of features. The plane features are defined by interact ive feature definition. A method analogous to the "mating feature" is intro duced to represent the joint features. Based on AutoCAD 2000, a B-rep solid modeler, a prototype system is implemented.