Simulation model for CNC machining of sculptured surface allowing different levels of detail.

Recently, CNC machining simulations require exponentially increasing computational time and memories of the computers, which have become a significant challenge for both computer hardware and software. This paper presents a novel geometric model for CNC machining simulations, which is called Level of details based on G-Code, or G-LODs for short. The G-LODs uses a type of progressive mesh to construct the surface simulation grid ( SSG). The SSG can be adopted to simulate the CNC machining processes at proper level of details. So theoretically simulations based on the G-LODs will not excessively occupy the computational and storage resources of computers. Based on the SSG, the G-buffer method is used to construct the solid model of the parts. The methodology of how to construct the G-LODs is established. In conclusion, several simulation examples based the G-LODs are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]