Retrieval of similarly shaped parts from a CAD database

The increased use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools have resulted in the obvious need to efficiently retrieve specific and groups of similar parts from CAD databases for group technology (GT) applications; Current classification and retrieval methods from CAD databases are typically code based. The disadvantage of such a retrieval scheme is application dependency. We propose an application independent scheme and utilize it in retrieving similarly shaped parts on the basis of form-features and the inter-feature relationships. We address the issues of completeness of spatial interactions vocabulary and multiple interpretations for a part.