Modifying free-formed NURBS curves and surfaces for offsetting without local self-intersection

This paper presents an algorithm of modifying free-formed NURBS curve/surface for offsetting without local self-intersecting. The method consists of (1) sampling a number of points from a progenitor curve/surface based on second derivatives; (2) checking the curvature or maximum curvature of the progenitor curve/surface at the sampled points; (3) inserting corresponding knots of sampled points; (4) repositioning control points till the curvature/maximum curvature of the curve/surface everywhere are less than the reciprocal of offset distance. The method is efficient and is able to obtain better offsetting results. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.