3D CAD data has become the currency of the modern engineering enterprise. As the industry has matured, CAD models have become ubiquitous artifacts that provide highfidelity descriptions of engineered objects as well as capture vital intellectual property and institutional memory. Researchers have been developing automated tools for model classification, indexing and analysis for over 30 years and this work spans many research areas (CAD/CAM, engineering design, knowledge representation, case-based reasoning, computer vision, pattern recognition, computational geometry, solid modeling, shape modeling, and computer graphics). However, recent developments in shape analysis indicate that it may be a suitable basis to integrate across disciplines and create new technologies for harvesting vast quantities of geometry-centric engineering data into knowledge that can significantly improve product realization.
This special issue of Computer-Aided Design is dedicated to providing a critical evaluation of shape search technology and its applicability to different engineering applications. The Guest Editors are soliciting original manuscripts that highlight recent successes and define major research challenges. We would particularly like to receive papers that contribute to understanding of: