1. System Overview

Key Capabilities

• 14 Detection Modes - From single-sided interior walls to full geometry selection
• Transform-First Approach - Handles compound-angle blades by transforming to axis-aligned orientation
• Topology Walking - Uses face adjacency relationships, not coordinate positions
• Visual Feedback - Color-coded face highlighting for verification
• Open Profile Detection - Automatically detects L-shaped and U-channel profiles

Supported Blade Types

• U-Channel blades (closed pocket)
• L-Shaped blades (open on one side)
• Flat blades (no pocket)
• Compound-angle blades (tilted orientation)
• Blades with fillets, steps, and complex pocket floors

2. Architecture & Algorithm

Transform-First Approach

Algorithm Flow

3. Detection Modes (14 Total)

Category: INSIDE (Pocket Area) - Modes 1-4

Category: OUTSIDE (Perimeter) - Modes 5-11

Category: COMBINATION - Modes 12-14

4. Color Coding Reference

5. API & Parameters

Syntax

call fxBladeEdgeFeatures i_mode i_bladeBody w_radius w_interval w_clearance w_depthOffset $_zone

Parameters

Return Value

Results are stored in VDM set i_VDM_BLADE_EDGE_FACES containing selected face IDs.

6. JSON Schema for Zone Configuration

7. Mode Flag Reference

Internal flags control face selection behavior for each mode:

8. Topology Walk Algorithm

Priority-Based Face Selection

When walking from one face to the next, the algorithm uses priority selection:

1. Priority 1: Matching Wall - Face with NormX matching walk direction
2. Priority 2: Fillet/Arc - Face with entity class 4002 (cylindrical)
3. Priority 3: Any Unvisited - Any adjacent face not yet visited

Walk Termination Conditions

• Thickness Face - Reaches blade front/back (NormY > 0.7)
• Top Area (when i_includeTop=FALSE) - Reaches fillet/floor above midZ
• No Unvisited Neighbors - All adjacent faces already visited
• Wrong Extent (single-sided modes) - Reaches opposite side of blade

Face Classification Logic

'*** Face Classification by Normal Direction
if abs( w_faceNormX ) > 0.7 then
   '*** Wall face (left or right facing)
   if w_faceNormX < -0.7 then
      '*** Left-facing wall
   else
      '*** Right-facing wall
   end if
else if w_faceNormZ < -0.7 then
   '*** Downward-facing = Floor or Top surface
   if w_faceZ < w_midZ then
      '*** Interior floor
   else
      '*** Top face
   end if
else if w_faceNormZ > 0.7 then
   '*** Upward-facing = Base face
else if abs( w_faceNormY ) > 0.7 then
   '*** Thickness face (front/back of blade)
end if

9. Troubleshooting & Known Limitations

Common Issues

10. Testing Procedures

Test Macro

call fxTestBladeEdgeModes i_bladeBody

Runs all 14 modes sequentially with visual verification pauses.

Verification Checklist

• ☐ Mode 1-4 (inside): Only pocket surfaces selected
• ☐ Mode 5-7 (outside): Only exterior walls/base selected
• ☐ Mode 8-9 (top): Individual top faces selected
• ☐ Mode 10: All exterior + base selected
• ☐ Mode 11: Exterior walls WITHOUT base (key test)
• ☐ Mode 12: All except top Z faces
• ☐ Mode 13: Everything including base (cyan)
• ☐ Mode 14: Everything except base (new)

Test Blade Geometry

Use a U-channel blade with compound angle for comprehensive testing. Key faces to verify:

• Interior left walls
• Interior right walls
• Pocket floor (multiple levels if stepped)
• Fillets between walls and floor
• Exterior left/right walls
• Base face (upward-facing)
• Top faces (downward-facing at blade top)
• Thickness faces (front/back)

11. Clamp Apparatus Edge Features (Side Plates & Bend-Tab T-Plates)

Feature Type Registry

11.1 Variant A: Side Plate with Gusset (Clip-Together)

2019 Prototype — Side Plate Clamp Stations (SolidCut CAD)

Top-down isometric: Blade with side plate clamp stations at both ends. Triangular gusset braces, flat shelves with bolt holes, vertical through-slots in blade walls.

Front isometric: Four clamp stations along front face plus end gussets. Shelves mount flush to blade inside walls. Note compound S-curve profile transitions between heights.

11.2 Variant B: Bend-Tab T-Plate (3-Bend Self-Locking Clamp)

Concept Drawing (Rev G)

Assembled ZX Profile (the “7” Shape) — ASCII Reference

      BACK            │BLADE│         FRONT
                      │     │
 stop ════════════════╪═════╪═╗
 (wide)               │ mor │ ║ BEND 1 (+10° shown, could be -10°)
                      │ tise│  ╲
                      │     │   ╲═══════════╗ ← shelf (~15mm span)
                      │     │               ║   clamp on top
                      │     │               ║
                      │     │               ║ BEND 2 (−135°)
                      │     │              ╱
                      │     │            ╱
                      │     │          ╱   leg
                      │     │        ╱
                      │     │      ╱
                      │     │    ╱
          pin ○───────╪─■■■─╪══╝ BEND 3 → tab thru this slot
                      │─────│
                      │─────│  ← more ratchet slots
                      │─────│    (pick higher = shelf higher)
                      │─────│    (pick lower = shelf lower)
                      │     │

Material Path Through Blade

1. Back stop sits against back face (wider than mortise, prevents pull-through)
2. Through top mortise — passes through blade
3. Exits front face — BEND 1 tilts shelf up or down (±10-15°)
4. Shelf extends ~15mm out from front face — clamp mounts here
5. BEND 2 at shelf tip — the big −135° kick, leg angles back toward blade
6. Leg runs back toward blade at ~45° from vertical
7. BEND 3 at leg bottom — tab goes horizontal, through chosen ratchet slot
8. Tab exits back side — secured with pin through hole in tab

Three Bends

Four Degrees of Adjustability

Blade Modifications Required

1. Top mortise slot — horizontal through-slot for shelf to pass through
2. Ratchet slot column — multiple through-slots below mortise for height adjustment
3. Pin hole — for locking tab on back side

Bend-Tab Clamp — CAD Model

Isometric View: Bend-tab clamp inserted through blade. The shelf portion (white) angles upward at ~45° from the blade face to create the clamping surface. Pin hole visible at top for securing. Pink back stop plate sits behind blade, wider than the through-slot to prevent pull-through. The small radii at the blade intersection mark the bend line position.

Front Elevation: Clamp passes through blade (grey). The inner slot and small corner radii at the blade face are where the bend occurs — material folds upward here to form the angled shelf. Pin hole at top center. Corner reliefs (semicircular cutouts) at the slot/blade intersections prevent stress concentration. Back stop plate visible below blade.

Bend-Tab Clamp — CAD Model

Isometric View: Bend-tab clamp inserted through blade. The shelf portion (white) angles upward at ~45° from the blade face to create the clamping surface. Pin hole visible at top for securing. Pink back stop plate sits behind blade, wider than the through-slot to prevent pull-through. The small radii at the blade intersection mark the bend line position.

Front Elevation: Clamp passes through blade (grey). The inner slot and small corner radii at the blade face are where the bend occurs — material folds upward here to form the angled shelf. Pin hole at top center. Corner reliefs (semicircular cutouts) at the slot/blade intersections prevent stress concentration. Back stop plate visible below blade.

Material Gauge Limits

Bend Allowance (Shared with Zigzag Blades)

BA = π × (R + K × T) × (θ / 180)

Where:
  R = inside bend radius (mm)
  K = K-factor (0.33 air bend, 0.50 bottoming)
  T = material thickness (mm)
  θ = bend angle (degrees)

Example: 14ga steel (2mm), R=1.5mm, K=0.4
  Bend 1 (10°):  BA = π × 2.1 × 0.056 = 0.37mm
  Bend 2 (135°): BA = π × 2.1 × 0.750 = 4.95mm
  Bend 3 (~45°): BA = π × 2.1 × 0.250 = 1.65mm

Ratchet Slot Reachability

Z_tab = Z_mortise - shelfSpan × sin(tilt) - legLength × cos(kick_effective)
Valid slot = closest ratchet slot to Z_tab within ± (spacing / 2)

11.3 Comparison Table

11.4 JSON Configuration

11.5 Macro Architecture

fxParallelBend.ovm               ← SHARED ENGINE (clamps + zigzag blades)
  ├── fxPB_Build3D                 N segments → BLO + rotate + UNI → solid
  ├── fxPB_BuildFlat               BA-deducted flat pattern → figure/kurve
  └── fxPB_ExportDXF               Layers: outline, scores, holes

fxEdgeFeat_Dispatch              ← Main edge feature dispatcher
  ├── type 1-6                   ← Existing features (grippers, plungers, etc.)
  ├── type 7 → fxSidePlate       ← Variant A (clip-together gusset)
  │   ├── fxSP_BuildLocalCS
  │   ├── fxSP_PlateProfile
  │   ├── fxSP_GussetProfile
  │   ├── fxSP_Slots + Fasteners
  │   └── fxSP_Transform + Boolean
  └── type 8 → fxBendTab         ← Variant B (3-bend T-plate)
      ├── fxBT_PrepSegments        4 segments, 3 angles → arrays
      ├── call fxPB_Build3D        → i_clampBody (3D solid)
      ├── call fxPB_BuildFlat      → k(n) flat pattern figure
      ├── fxBT_AddShelfHoles       Drill into 3D + mark on flat
      ├── fxBT_BuildMortiseSlot    (subtract from blade)
      ├── fxBT_BuildRatchetSlots   (column of height-adjust slots)
      └── fxBT_TransformToWorld

fxZigzagBlade.ovm (future)       ← Same shared engine, different inputs
  ├── fxZZ_PrepSegments            N segments, N-1 angles → arrays
  ├── call fxPB_Build3D            → i_zigzagBody (3D solid)
  └── call fxPB_BuildFlat          → k(n) flat pattern figure