Welcome! This is the homepage for the Solid Modeling Association (SMA), serving research, development, and user communities in CAD/CAM and in the broader field of Solid Modeling and its applications.

Solid Modeling refers to theories and computations that define and manipulate representations of physical objects, of their properties, and of the associated abstractions, and that support a variety of processes. The representations and computations used in solid modeling are based on sound mathematical and physical principles, innovative and compact data structures, and efficient and reliable algorithms. They support the creation, exchange, visualization, animation, interrogation, and annotation of the digital models of the objects and their evolution.

Since its inception in 1991, the ACM Symposium on Solid Modeling and Applications has been the primary venue for disseminating research results in the design, representation, analysis, visualization, and use of digital models of real or planned solid objects and of their bounding surfaces. This initial period was primarily focused on the theoretical and algorithmic tools that produce and exploit unambiguous representations of the geometry of such objects.

We continue to seek research contributions that strive to advance the domain, accuracy, and effectiveness of such representations and algorithms. At the same time, modeling solids entails not only modeling their geometric shape, but also their physical properties and behaviors. To emphasize this broader mission, we have expanded the name of the Symposium to Solid and Physical Modeling (abbreviated SPM). To meet these goals, we encourage submissions dealing with the analysis, simulation, modeling, and animation of the behavior of objects and their properties as functions of space and time, possibly in response to interactions with a human user or the environment.

SMA was formed to develop and oversee the series of ACM Symposia on Solid Modeling and Applications and to provide the members of the Solid Modeling community with means to inform each other about their activities and progress and to track and influence the events, funding, and research opportunities in this field.