Breaking Down 3D models up to lines and curves

Question

I'm working on a project to breakdown 3D models but I'm quite lost. I hope you can help me.

I'm getting a 3D model from Autodesk BIM and the format could be native or generic CAD formats (.stp, .igs, .x_t, .stl). Then, I need to "measure" somehow the maximum dimensions to model a raw material body, it will always have the shape of a huge panel. Once I get both bodies, I will get the difference to extract the solids I need to analyze; and, on each of these bodies, I need to extract the faces, and then the lines or curves of each face.

This sounds something really easy to do on a CAD software, but the idea is to automate this process. I was looking into openSCAD, but seems that works only to model geometry and it doesn't handle well imported solids. I'm leaving a picture with the idea of what I need to do in the link below.

So, Any idea how can I do this? which langue and library can help in this project?

Answer 1

I can see this automation possible with a few in between steps:

1. OpenSCAD can handle differences well, so your "Extract Bodies" seems plausible

1.5 Before going further, you'll have to explain how you "filtered out" the cylinder. Will you do this manually? If you don't, you will have it considered for analysis and have a lot of faces as a result.

2. I don't think openSCAD provides you a vertex array. However, it can save to .STL, which is kinda easy to parse with the programming language of your choice, you'll have to study .stl file structure a bit (this sounds much more frightening than it is - if you open an stl with an editor you will probably immediately realize what's happening).

Since you've parsed the file, you can now calculate lines with high school math.

This is not an easy, GUI way to do what you ask, but if you have a few skills you'll have your automation, and depending on the amount of your projects it may be worth it.