Feature-based product engineering: A critique

The paper reviews the developments in feature based product engineering (FBPE) and highlights their strong points and deficiencies with respect to previous methods as well as against the set targets. Topics discussed include: volumetric, surface and wireframe features, order of entering features and constraints, feature integrity, the need for feature recognition, user-friendly feature definition, fuzzy and free-form surface features, implicit and explicit feature interactions, shape and process related feature catalogues, under-development of FBPE in areas other than machining shape and document links to non-feature based systems.