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Xiao Zhang: Topology Reconstruction of a Discontinuous B-rep Geometry by Using Form Finding Method


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Topology Reconstruction of a Discontinuous B-rep Geometry by Using Form Finding Method


Xiao Zhang

Ph.D. Candidate, Tsinghua University



Xiao Zhang is a Ph.D. candidate in the Academy of Art and Design, Tsinghua University. He graduated with a Master degree in Architecture from Tongji University, China. From 2019–2022, he served as a consultant for Li-Ning’s parametric design team, developing shading patterns for two professional basketball shoes and using them on the NBA court. At the same time, he recorded four episodes of “Geek Online Class” during 2019–2022, which received more than 300,000 plays, and developed the first basketball shoe for a self-media brand. In design practice, he realized that computer graphics has great significance for design innovation in the digital age, but also found that the mathematical ability of industrial designers could not fully support this progress. Therefore, he and his friend Yuan Chao use the form-finding method to avoid mathematical problems through digital physical models, and develops related digital geometry plug-ins for designers and engineering teams.


Abstract

In the field of industrial manufacturing and building design procedure, B-Rep (Boundary Representation) model is often used to design and fabricate building components or molds, but in the finite element analysis (FEA) procedure, engineers often need to use the F-Rep (Functional Representation) model files. So, converting two file formats back and forth from one to another is a critical topic in the architectural design and manufacturing process. However, there are still some limitations to carry out the conversation process efficiently on discontinuous B-rep geometries with existing software and plug-ins. In this project, authors introduce an efficient retopology method with the Kangaroo physics plug-in based on the Rhino platform to convert a B-Rep file into an F-Rep file (a continuous uniform mesh infinitely approached to the original geometry with a controllable face number) within limited steps. Thus, designers and engineers can do creative parametric design or finite element analysis continuously without surface boundary limitation. Furthermore, the mesh converted by the method introduced in the paper has a better regularity on every single face and better homogeneity of all faces than the built-in “QuadRemesh” function in Rhino-7.




Keywords: Form-finding; Retopology; Mesh mapping; Finite element analysis; Shape quality


 

Host

Wei Wu

Master of Design Studies, Harvard GSD


Wei Wu is a designer and computational artist with a Master’s degree in Design Studies from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She operates at the intersection of design and emerging technologies, producing work that encompasses robotic installations, interactive media art, and extended reality design.

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