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Evaluating an Information Technology (IT) based research and development project from an end-user's perspective is necessary in order to discover whether or not the outcomes of the project are successful. However, it is not straightforward to design and implement a generic user evaluation methodology that can be applied to a large-scale collaborative integrated research and development project. In this article, we share our experience based on the research evaluation carried out in a large-scale integrated ICT research project--The HUMBOLDT project. The project develops IT tools and services for cross-border geospatial data harmonization, which are applied to nine different application scenarios. A novel user-oriented evaluation methodology, namely--Criteria Indicators and Metrics (CIM)--is defined and utilized for the evaluation of the project research outcomes. The user evaluation results reveal the extent to which the research and development objectives of the project are achieved, and also demonstrate the benefits and limitations of the evaluation methodology. The results of this article can be usefully applied to other collaborative research projects in a variety of domains. Copyright The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.

Feature-based modeling is of particular importance for the design process. This paper presents the basic steps of the design process and it shows that CAD systems that perform only geometric modeling are not fully capable of supporting the designer in an efficient way. The main requirements that a feature-based modeling system has to meet are discussed from the viewpoint of classical engineering design. We show that besides the ability to handle creation, deletion, and modification of form features and assembly features, additional operations become necessary. These operations serve to maintain the integrity of a feature, if an edge or surface is modified (local operations) in the vicinity of that feature. We take the system IKA, which was especially developed to support the designer, as an exemplary prototype implementation to demonstrate the abilities and the performance of feature-based systems. In a previous paper [1], we discussed a new classification scheme for form features, and we showed a basic concept for feature-based design consisting of four levels (application-, definition-, representation-, and geometric modeling level).

Computer-aided design based on the notion of features is currently being discussed in the scientific community as a means for better capturing the involved semantics, i.e., the designer's intent. Several systems proposed in this area employ feature classification schemes based on the respective user's points of view or specific application requirements[1]. This paper aims to provide a common classification of features that is based on semantic meaning; the central concern is the classification of form features. The general argument is that adoptation of such a classification would provide a basis for modeling that is more flexible and user-friendly in the context of computer-aided design. On the basis of this classification, a concept for feature-based design is given. We argue that features are not product parts themselves, but rather, distinctive characteristics (properties) of these parts which exist only within the parts. Thus, feature-based design can be characterized as a method for designing product parts by defining and manipulating the properties of those parts.

The increasing competitiveness in the manufacturing industry forces companies to reduce development costs and time, and to increase product innovation, quality and flexibility, to react quickly to new customers requirements. In this context, one of the main objectives is to replace a great part of physical mock-ups with digital models — the so called Digital Mock-ups —. Due to the fact that a considerable part of resources are invested in the early phases of the product development process to verify and planned assembly and maintenance processes, a research project has been establish in order to investigate the potential use of Virtual Reality (VR) techniques within this processes. The use of VR for this propose is normally called Virtual Prototyping (VP).

The ability to rapidly prototype a proposed design is becoming a key contributor towards fulfilling the business requirements embodied in a short time-to-market, in cost-effective and high quality manufacturing, and in easy support and maintenance. Reorganizing the design and development process along the lines implied by the concept, Concurrent Engineering, means that advanced information technologies must be taken advantage of. However, most of today’s generic, commercial, off-the-shelf technologies have to be extended and adapted to the needs of the product development process. The integration of existing technologies in CAD modelling, design, analysis, simulation, networked cooperation, and virtual reality leads to a distributed desktop-environment which provides the basis to take the greatest advantage of the Virtual Prototyping technique.

CAD Models and Architectures.- Integration Aspects of STEP and their Expression in the CAD Reference Model.- Features in Product Design.- Modelling Shape Through a Cellular Representation Scheme.- Consistency Management Aspects in SINFONIA.- A Geometric Reasoning Server with Applications to Geometric Constraint Satisfaction and Configurable Feature Extraction.- Features and Modelling Re-Design with DEKLARE.- Design Techniques.- Data Fitting with B-Splines Curves.- SIDEPO: a System for Interactive Design of Exact Parametrized Objects.- The EBP System: Example Based Programming System for Parametric Design.- An Introduction to Object Design Technology with Computer Graphics to Support Concurrent Engineering.- Construction of 3D Model of an Unknown Environment using Range Data.- Communication in Design and Analysis.- Communication Einvironment for Cooperative Product Development between Manufacturers and Suppliers.- KAMEDIN - Teleconferencing and Automatic Image Analysis for Medical Applications.- Input and Interaction Techniques.- Towards an Intuitive 3D Interaction.- Virtual Environments meet Architectural Design Requirements.- Efficient Spatial Data Acquisition in Temporal Geographic Information Systems.- Topology Preserving Vectorization.- Visualization.- Ray-Tracing for Stereoscopic Images.- A Dynamical Quadtree Hierarchical Radiosity Algorithm in Thermal Radiation Modelling.- The Sun and its Impact on Thermal Analysis in Buildings: Physical Simulation and Visualization.

Das CAD-Referenzmodell stellt einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Spezifikation und Umsetzung zukunftiger CAD-Systeme dar. Die primaren Aspekte aus Systemsicht sind eine offene, modulare Systemarchitektur, eine konfigurierbare und anpasbare Systemfunktionalitat, ein homogenes Produktdatenmanagement und leistungsfahige Kommunikations- und Kooperationsmechanismen. Die Anwendungen konnen dynamisch in den Systemteil eingebunden werden und nutzen die bereitgestellte systemtechnische Funktionalitat des Laufzeitsystems.

The paper will show and discuss different strategies of integrating applications into a Virtual Prototyping Environment. The ability to rapidly prototype a proposed design in a Virtual Environment is becoming a key contributor towards fulfilling the business requirements embodied in a short time-to-market, in cost-effective and high quality manufacturing, and in easy support and maintenance. The ability of integrating already existing applications into such an environment is fundamental. The paper first clarifies the different notations used for the different forms of integration. Afterwards a communication system as a basis for integration is proposed, which tackles most of the problems concerning the communication between heterogeneous applications Finally, different strategies to integrate an already existing CAD system are shown and discussed.

This paper will give a short overview of developments and methods in the area of graphical user interfaces. As an example a User Interface Management System (UIMS) as a dialogue design tool and an open CAD system with a graphical user interface will be described. These systems result from developments realized in Darmstadt by the Computer Graphics Center (ZGDV) and the Fraunhofer Computer Graphics Research Group (FhG-AGD). Under the perspective of integration of the different aspects, the possibilities to support the design process will be discussed. These aspects are to use methods of artificial intelligence, to unify the presentation of those methods, and to realize those processes in parallel.

The Migration Problem of GKS-3D and PHIGS is discussed in this report under the view of the graphics reference model's description technique: the component and framework concept. Therefore the components of GKS-3D and PHIGS are defined. The common and different concepts are indicated and the mapping from PHIGS to GKS-3D and from GKS-3D to PHIGS is done. This mapping is performed only on the components which have been proved as a description technique suited for such purposes. The migration has two different aspects. One is the theoretical approach to prove that such a migration is possible. The other one is more practical. It gives guide-lines for the use of PHIGS and GKS-3D and shows under which circumstances both can be used together.

Experience with raster graphics is still growing and more applications are taking advantage of raster device technology. A device driver is needed to support applications using the raster facilities.

Although raster graphics is becoming more and more common, graphics users are still much more familiar with vector graphics. The reason is mainly historical. For technical reasons vector graphics devices were available much earlier than raster devices. Consequently the amount of experience with raster graphics is still comparatively low.