Parameterization of analytic and synthetic curves

Computer-aided design

Computer-aided design
Introduction to computer-aided design (CAD)

Knuckle joint
Car body Aircraft body
Why CAD?
▪ To release the drawings of objects
▪ To visualize the 3D shape of objects
▪ To conduct engineering analyses
How to do it better?
▪ Facilitate better representation of the object shape
▪ Lessen the computation cost ⟶ less time and memory usage
▪ Improve the design for better performance, ergonomics and aesthetics
Computer-aided design Slide #1
Introduction to curves

Examples of wireframe models made in AutoCAD

▪ Geometric modeling is the basic task in CAD.
▪ Wireframe model ⟶ basic tool to visualize the 3D shape of an object.
▪ Clearly, wireframe model is made of several curves connected together
▪ Two types of curves ⟶ analytic, synthetic.
▪ Analytic curves ⟶ line, arc, circle, ellipse, hyperbola, parabola.
▪ Synthetic curves ⟶ cubic spline, B-spline, Bezier curve.
Computer-aided design Slide #2
Non-parametric representation and its disadvantages
▪ Nonparametric equations of curves can be explicit or implicit
▪ In non-parametric explicit form,
▪ The explicit form is a one-to-one relationship.
▪ In non-parametric implicit form, the below two equations must be solved at each point

Disadvantages
▪ It is compute-intensive.
▪ It is axis-dependent, which is inconvenient.
▪ Computed points are not evenly distributed.

Computer-aided design Slide #3

Example: Non-parametric representation of a unit circle

No. x y
y = +(1 – x2)1/2
1 0 1
2 0.25 0.97
3 0.5 0.87
4 0.75 0.66
5 1 0

▪ Equal increments in x are taken to compute y using the above equation

▪ Resulting y values are not equally spaced ⟶ visualization is poor
▪ True shape is not retained
▪ Calculation must be repeated for each point ⟶ computationally expensive
Computer-aided design Slide #4
What is parametrization?

Each point on the curve is expressed as a function of a parameter u

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Parameterization of analytic curves
▪ Parametric equation of a circle on a 2D plane (x-y) is P(u) = [x y] = [r.cos u r.sin u]
▪ Equal increments in u are taken to obtain points of a unit circle
u X Y
0 1 0
π/8 0.92 0.38
π/4 0.707 0.707
3π/2 0.38 0.92
u
π/2 1 0

▪ y intercepts are equally spaced; visualization is good, true shape retained.

▪ However, it is computationally expensive as the calculation of trigonometric
functions, cos u and sin u, must be repeated for every point

Computer-aided design Slide #6

Parameteric representation of circle
▪ How to avoid repetitive calculations of trigonometric functions ?
▪ Use a fixed parameter increment called ‘du’, and write recursive relations
▪ Given: increment du and point (xn, yn), Is it possible to find the successive point?
xn = r cos un and yn = r sin un ---------------------------------(a)
xn+1 = r cos(un + du) and yn+1 = r sin(un + du) -----------------------(b)
Using angle sum formula,
xn+1 = r (cos un * cos du – sin un * sin du) and
yn+1 = r (cos un * sin du + sin un * cos du) ------------------------------------------(c)
Using Equation (a), we get,
xn+1 = xn * cos du – yn * sin du and
Recursive relations
yn+1 = xn * sin du + yn * cos du ---------------------------------(d)
Computer-aided design Slide #7
Parametric representation of analytic curves

Line Ellipse
P(u) = P1 + u(P2 – P1) , 0 ≤ u ≤ 1 P(u) = [A.cos u B.sin u] 0 ≤ u ≤ 2 π
xn+1= xn.cos du – (A/B).yn.sin du
yn+1= yn.cos du + (A/B).xn.sin du

Computer-aided design Slide #8

Parametric representation of analytic curves
Hyperbola Parabola
P(u) = [± A.sec u ± B.tan u] P(u) = [A.u2 2.A.u ]
B.xn xn+1= xn + yn.du + A.(du)2
xn+1= ±
B.cos du – yn.sin du yn+1= yn + 2A.du
B.yn + B.tan du
yn+1= ±
B – yn.tan du

Directrix
Focus Axis of symmetry

Computer-aided design Slide #9

Need for synthetic curves

▪ What if only a collection of measured data points are available for design?
▪ What if an existing curve must change to meet new design requirements?
Analytic curves are not sufficient
▪ A synthetic curve offers more flexibility and control of its shape
▪ It is described by a set of data points (control points)

1. Hermite cubic spline 2. Bezier curve 3. B-spline

Computer-aided design Slide #10

Parametric synthetic curve ⟶ 1. Hermite cubic spline

▪ Two end points and tangent vectors to define curve shape

▪ Curve passes through the data (end) points
▪ Shape can be changed only using end points and/or tangent vectors
▪ For complex shapes, multiple curves must be connected by defining the continuity condition
▪ e.g. C2-continuity of 2 curves with 3 points, P0, P1, and P2:
▪ Applying the above condition to the tangent equation, we get,
Computer-aided design Slide #11
Parametric synthetic curve ⟶ 2. Bezier curve

▪ Characteristic polygon ⟶ created by joining the control (data) points

▪ The curve is always tangent to the first and the last polygon segment
▪ The curve shape tends to follow the polygon shape
▪ Just adding one point at any vertex changes shape
▪ Only the control points determine the shape
▪ Reversing sequence of points does not change shape
▪ Closed curve can be generated by closing the polygon
▪ But, the degree of the curve is dependent on the number of control points

Computer-aided design Slide #12

Parametric synthetic curve ⟶ 3. B-spline

▪ Degree (k-1) does not depend on the number of control points, but limited to 2 ≤ k ≤ n+1
▪ Local shape change is possible without changing degree.
▪ Degree can be changed without changing the control points
▪ Curve is pulled more sharply towards its control points by increasing its multiplicity.
▪ This curve offers the most flexibility and is sufficient for all engineering applications

Computer-aided design Slide #13

Summary
▪ Mathematical representation of curves is important in wireframe modeling.
▪ Non-parametric curve ⟶ costly, does not capture the true shape of the curve.
▪ Parametric equations of analytic curves must support recursive relations.
▪ Computation requires only 3-5 input values depending on the analytic curve type.
▪ Synthetic curve offers more flexibility and utility than analytic curve.
▪ Cubic spline ⟶ passes through the input points, but shape is not obvious.
▪ Bezier curve ⟶ shape is obvious from input points and polygon shape.
⟶ tweaking the curve shape involves maneuvering input points only.
⟶ number of input points decides the degree of the curve.
▪ B-spline ⟶ degree of the curve is NOT dependent on the input points
⟶ offers greater flexibility to the user than the other synthetic curves

Computer-aided design Slide #14

 THANK YOU !

Computer-aided design