Historically, commercial solid modeling programs have generally fallen into two categories: Boundary Representation (BREP) or Constructive

Solid Geometry (CSG). BREP modelers store the results of operations (i.e., what exists after creation and manipulations), and CSG modelers store a history of the parts and operations required to construct the part. Solid modelers using the BREP method store the boundary topology as defined above. Older systems (including early versions of I-DEAS) used a faceted approximation instead of precise equations. The CSG method was slower, but had the advantage of greater flexibility of making changes to the part. I-DEAS uses a hybrid data structure to store parts. Both BREP and CSG history information is stored. A "history" is stored for each part, which allows CSG type editing of the part history. This history contains the parts and the construction steps in creating the final part, plus the rules defining the design intent at each construction operation. For example, a hole drilled through a part could be located a fixed distance from an edge or a percentage distance along an edge. When the overall dimensions of the part are changed, the hole is relocated by the same rule. Parts in I-DEAS are flexible or "rubberbandable," because the history of the part contains the design rules and relations defining how cutting features were oriented for the cut. The history of a part also contains parameters of features that were used to define them. The database also includes variational constraints such as parallel, perpendicular, or tangency constraints on profiles used as construction tools. Don't let these concepts scare you. All of this storage and calculation happens automatically as you create and manipulate parts. At this point, it is important to understand that all of this information is retained, so that you can make modifications based on the same input. Part geometry can be modified by changing its dimensions or by changing the features, primitives, or sections which were used to create each feature of the part. A key concept is that the software remembers the "history" of a part containing the rules that were used to create it, so that changes can be made to any operation that was performed to create the final part.