Sets of lines and cutting out polyhedral objects (Q1873156)

The authors study algorithmic problems related to manufacturing applications of hot wire cutters. Such cutters are popular manufacturing tools for cutting expanding polystyrene (styrofoam) with a thin moving heated wire. In particular the question of polyhedral-wise continuity is studied: Can a given object be cut out without disconnecting and then reataching the wire? In an abstract setting this question translates to properties of sets of lines and segments and therefore becomes suitable for computational geometry techniques. On the combinatorial and algorithmic levels the results and methods are related to two problems: (1) Given a set \(F= \{f_1, f_2,\dots, f_k\}\) of polygons and a polygon \(f\) decide if there is a subset of lines in the set of lines not stability \(F\) that cover \(f\). (2) Construct the connectivity graph for free movements of lines that maintain contact with the polyhedral shape.