Abstract: A new machining feature recognition method is presented, which is capable of recognizing protruding and interacting features in a shape feature based model. The total machinable volume, including all the machining feature volumes, is obtained by subtracting the design model from the corresponding machinable raw stock. Regularized algorithm is developed to deal with all kinds of shape features so as to get a regularized design model, in which there exist only three kinds of shape features: independent protruding feature, independent depressive feature and depressive feature with subsidiary protruding feature. Using the regularized design model, all the machining features can be decomposed from the total machinable volume conveniently. Furthermore, in the proposed method, the shape feature terms can be converted into corresponding machining feature terms suitably.

Key words: shape feature, machining featur e, design- by-featur e, feat ur e recognit ion