Freeform Curves

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Types of Curves
Plane & Space curves
Known & Freeform curves
Interpolation & Approximate curves

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Freeform Curves
A set of point data (position, tangent, normal, curvature etc.) are the
basic input to define the curve rather than the equations and constants.
Based on the way these point data are used/ interpreted, there are two
types of freeform curves.

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Freeform Curves
A set of point data (position, tangent, normal, curvature etc.) are the
basic input to define the curve rather than the equations and constants.
Based on the way these point data are used/ interpreted, there are two
types of freeform curves.
96

94

Hardness (HRB)

92

90

Interpolation
88

Approximate

86

84

82
0

10

15

20

25

Thermal Cycles

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Freeform Curves

Freeform

Interpolation

Cubic

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

Approximation

Bezier

B-Spline

NURBS

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Interpolation Curves
Zero-order continuity
First-order continuity
Common tangent

Second-order continuity
Common tangent
Common center of curvature

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Interpolation Curves
Zero-order continuity
First-order continuity
Common tangent

Second-order continuity
Common tangent
Common center of curvature

Cubic Curves are Enough!

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Parametric Cubic Curve

Also known as Hermite curve
It is an interpolation curve
It has three different forms:
Algebraic form (12 algebraic coefficients)

Geometric form
Hermite form (End points & tangent vectors)
Four-point form (four points)

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Parametric Cubic Curve

Algebraic form:
= 3 3 +2 2 +1 + 0

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

Parametric Cubic Curve

Algebraic form:
= 3 3 +2 2 +1 + 0
= 3 3 +2 2 +1 + 0

= 3 3 +2 2 +1 + 0
= 3 3 +2 2 +1 + 0

12
unknowns

01

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

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Parametric Cubic Curve

Algebraic form
No physical meaning. Used as an internal canonical form. So it is a system-friendly
representation (not user-friendly).

12 constants are required as input.

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

11

Parametric Cubic Curve

Algebraic form
No physical meaning. Used as an internal canonical form. So it is a system-friendly
representation (not user-friendly).

12 constants are required as input.

Geometric form
Physically meaningful and suitable for interactive design; hence these are user-

friendly representations. This can be correlated with algebraic form as well as

other geometric forms of PC curves.
The 12 constants can come from 4 vectors. These could be a combination of
various geometric inputs vectors such as position, tangent, normal, curvature etc.

Gometric forms are:

Hermite form
4 point form

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

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Geometric Form Hermite form

The position and tangent at ends are given.
Normalized parameters.
Significance:
Inputs at 0 and 1 of the parameter is easy mathematically.

When conditions at ends are given, chaining the curves

becomes easier when more than 4 points are to be fitted.

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

13

Discussion Points
How a curve is displayed
Display form vs computational information (scaling
up/down)
Computationally simpler forms

Algebraic form to Hermite form or vice versa

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

14

Algebraic to Hermite form

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

15

Demo

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

16

Have a nice day!

S. Suryakumar, ME, IITH

ME3040/ME5090: Mathematical Elements for Geometrical Modelling

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