Vizualizing of semi-regular polyhedrons in AutoCAD environment

Abstract

The paper examines the automated formation by the kinematic method of the surfaces of Archimedes' semi-regular polyhedra of three forms: truncated tetrahedron, truncated octahedron and truncated icosahedron. To solve this problem, AutoCAD and the built-in programming language AutoLISP were used. Each of these five semi-regular polyhedra of Archimedes has faces of two kinds. In this regard, the surface of a separate polyhedron is considered to consist of two structural forms. Each structural shape is formed in the AutoCAD environment from the compartments of the surfaces of the faces of the polyhedron of the same type, and each compartment is assigned to a specific layer of the drawing. The formation of constructive forms is provided by user-defined functions developed in the functional programming language AutoLISP. User-defined functions not only form images of surfaces, but also perform all the necessary calculations. The electronic model of each polyhedron is formed by the union of its structural forms. A block is formed from it. The surface formation of each polyhedron performs user-defined functions that provide “freezing” of drawing layers intended for surface compartments, insertion of a block with an electronic model of the polyhedron, and sequential “defrosting” of drawing layers. When there is a “thawing" of the layers of the drawing, the process of forming a polyhedron is shown on the monitor screen. As a result of research software that includes userdefined functions for the formation of an electronic model of selected polyhedrons and visualization of the process of formation of their surfaces in a dynamic mode was created.

Keywords

• semi-regular polyhedron
• electronic model
• design form
• formation
• truncated tetrahedron
• truncated octahedron
• truncated icosahedron