Recognising 3D products and sourcing part documentation with scanned data

Searching databases of 3D models is a crucial yet difficult problem that has been studied by the academic community for a considerable time. A useful and robust method for finding engineering parts remains difficult however. Previous work typically describes finding the best match in a single search. Work described in this paper uses scanning techniques allied to shape similarity measures to produce a system that successfully allows search by browsing. We also describe some new shape descriptors and methods of identifying and dealing with chirality. The technique is evaluated in the context of the part search applications. The use of the techniques is applied to large (80,000 + parts) databases of real world engineering components in use in automotive and aerospace companies. The methods employed are applicable to a wide range of scenarios in engineering, as well as the arts, archaeology, medicine and commerce.