Shape Editing#

Modify and simplify CAD models by removing geometric features (defeaturing). This module enables you to remove fillets, chamfers, holes, and pockets from BRep models while maintaining topological validity.

Note

Prerequisites: Basic understanding of CAD terminology (faces, edges, solids). For advanced history tracking, familiarity with Attributed Adjacency Graph (AAG) is helpful.

Getting Started

Understand why and when to use defeaturing. Learn the core concepts before diving into the API.

To concepts

Defeaturer

The high-level API for most defeaturing tasks. Simple, chainable methods for removing features.

To Defeaturer

History Tracking

Track what happened to faces through operations. Query the evolution of shapes in the model.

To history tracking

Developer Guide

Internal architecture and extension patterns. For developers building on the module.

To developer docs

Learning Path#

For new users, we recommend following this order:

Start with Concepts - Understand why defeaturing matters, learn about soft vs hard features, and grasp the two-stage removal strategy.
Use the Defeaturer - Most users only need this high-level API. It handles cavities, blends, and arbitrary features with a simple chainable interface.
Track History (optional) - If your application needs to trace face correspondence through operations, learn about the HistoryGraph.
Developer Guide (optional) - For extending the module or understanding the internal algorithms.

Key Classes#

High-Level API

Defeaturer: Main entry point with fluent interface for chaining operations
DefeaturingStep: Record of each removal operation with statistics
HistoryGraph: DAG-based shape evolution tracking

Low-Level Removers (for advanced use)

FeatureRemover: Unified interface with automatic soft/hard fallback
IsolatedFeatureRemover: Soft feature removal via face deletion
ComplexFeatureRemover: Hard feature removal via surface extension
BlendChainRemover: Blend-specific removal with chain detection