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Abstract

A system for using a virtual reality environment to create a design model and generate numerically controlled (NC) machining trajectories for use in fabrication of the model. The model is created in a virtual environment by carving a workpiece with one or more tools, each of which may have the geometry of a hand tool (e.g. a knife) or a machining tool (e.g. milling cutter). The selection and manipulation of virtual objects is performed in virtual space. Swept volumes of the virtual objects are generated using a solid modeling system according to the shape of the virtual objects and their trajectories, and Boolean operations are performed on the swept volumes and the initial virtual stock (workpiece) to create the design model. If the virtual object has the geometry of a computer numerical control (CNC) machining tool, the real NC machining trajectories for making the design object can be generated from the virtual object's movements, during the design model creation with the virtual reality environment. In order for the virtual object to simulate the real machining tool, constraints are applied on the movements of the user to represent the physical effects and limitations of the real machining process. The trajectories of the machining tool in the virtual reality environment are post-processed by computer software, which converts the user movement (position and orientation) of the virtual tool to NC trajectories after taking the user movement and the machine parameters and conditions into consideration.

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