Stefanie Hahmann

• Computer processing of free form surfaces forms the basis of a closed construction process starting with surface design and up to NC-production. Numerical simulation and visualization allow quality analysis before manufacture. A new aspect in surface analysis is described, the stability of surfaces versus infinitesimal bendings. The stability concept is derived from the kinetic meaning of a special vector field which is given by the deformation. Algorithms to calculate this vector field together with an appropriate visualization method give a tool able to analyze surface stability.