■High-quality approximation technique for two offset surfaces adjoining with G1-continuity

N. Satoh, K. MATSUYAMA, K. KONNO and Y. TOKUYAMA

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes a technique for approximating two G1-continuous offset surfaces. Since offset surfaces are in general not rational representation, spline approximations of offset surfaces are widely used. However, when two G1-continuous offset surfaces are approximated using existing methods, the shape data quality is reduced because gaps or creases arise between two approximated surfaces. Our technique generates two G1-continuous approximated surfaces represented by C1-continuous bicubic B-spline surfaces. The approximated surfaces are higher quality than those generated using existing methods, because no gaps or creases arise between those surfaces.