Connection Feature Extraction in 3D CAD Assemblies using a Knowledge Graph - Challenges and Applications

Abstract

With the growing emphasis on resource conservation, recycling is becoming increasingly important. Our goal is to support engineers in designing products that are better aligned with the interests of the circular economy. A software system’s awareness of connection types between components in an 3D CAD assembly is essential to support an engineer in order to design products tailored to the requirements of a circular economy. In our work, we present a method for extracting connections from 3D CAD assemblies using an RDF knowledge graph. Our approach identifies different connection types through collision detection and populates the knowledge graph with the acquired data. This knowledge graph serves as the basis for software systems for assessing the recyclability of products. In our contribution, we focus on the challenges of using the open CAD exchange format STEP (Standard for Exchange of Product Information) and we provide an overview on possible industrial applications in our contribution. In summary, this work represents a first important step towards the development of a software system for assessing the recyclability of products. In the future, such a software system should help engineers to design products that are optimally tailored to the requirements of the circular economy. The use of such a system not only enables the development of more efficient and resource-saving products, but also makes a significant contribution to global environmental protection by promoting sustainable design principles.