Towards the development of a desktop virtual reality-based system for modular fixture configuration design

Purpose - Modular fixture configuration design is a complicated task requiring both intensive knowledge and experience. Automated or semiautomated computer-aided modular fixture systems based on computer-aided design packages do not appear to have made a significant impact within the manufacturing industry. Modular fixture designers still prefer traditional systems such as paper or physical model; as such models provide a more intuitive interaction and immediate feedback. The objective of the paper is to present an application of the desktop virtual reality (VR) to develop an interactive modular fixture assembly design system. Design/methodology/approach - Desktop-based friendly interface is designed and the low-system requirement key techniques, namely assembly modeling and collision detection approach, to make proposed system run smoothly on a desktop PC, are presented. Findings - The paper finds that the proposed system is an efficient tool for modular fixture configuration design. Practical implications - The proposed system is a portable and affordable solution for modular fixture design. Originality/value - A low-cost VR application for modular fixture configuration design is presented.