Y-AR: A Mixed Reality CAD Tool for 3D Wire Bending

2024-10-31

arXiv.org

AI Summary

Current CNC wire-bending machines rely on CAM software but lack CAD tools tailored for personalized design, hindering users from intuitively constructing physically realizable wire structures within real-world environments. This paper presents the first mixed-reality (MR)-enabled, wire-specific CAD system, implemented on HoloLens 2. It integrates spatial anchoring, real-time geometric constraint solving, and spring-based physical simulation—introducing the spring as a novel core design primitive that simultaneously provides mechanical functionality (e.g., clamping) and compensates for modeling-to-manufacturing discrepancies. The system supports environment-anchored freehand sketching and parametric modeling, and directly drives the DIWire wire-bending machine end-to-end. In a user study with 12 participants, all successfully designed and fabricated functional bottle holders; ten rated the system ≥7/10, confirming its usability and practicality.

Technology Category

• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Computational Creativity
• Intelligent Robots: Manipulation
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Mixed Discrete/Continuous Planning

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User modeling and simulation for interactive and conversational systems
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy

Abstract

Wire bending is a technique used in manufacturing to mass-produce items such as clips, mounts, and braces. Wire bending machines like the DIWire by Pensalabs have made this process accessible for personal fabrication. However, such machines are controlled using Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software which is hard to use, making custom design challenging. We present Y-AR, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) interface for 3D wire bending. Y-AR uses mixed reality to let designers create structures that physically connect to objects in the environment. The interface incorporates springs as design primitives which (1) apply forces to hold objects, and (2) counter-act dimensional inaccuracies inherently caused by mid air modeling and measurement errors in AR. We demonstrate design workflows to design and fabricate a range of mechanisms designed in Y-AR as well as structures made using free-hand design tools. In our usability evaluation, all 12 participants successfully designed and fabricated a functional bottle holder with Y-AR. 10 out of 12 participants felt that the system aided their design process, rating it above 7 out of 10.

Problem

• Developing CAD tools for custom wire bending fabrication
• Addressing dimensional inaccuracies in AR-based modeling
• Enabling novice users to create functional wire connectors

Innovation

• Mixed reality CAD for 3D wire bending
• Uses springs as design primitives
• Gesture-based interaction with fabrication-aware principles