Patent ID: 6844877

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of mirroring a component of a three-dimensional object modeled in a computer-simulated three-dimensional modeling space, the method comprising: receiving data to select a first component of the three-dimensional object; applying a plurality of transformations to the first component to determine a plurality of candidate orientations; automatically analyzing the plurality of candidate orientations to select a preferred orientation for creation of a reproduction of the first component; selecting one of a plurality of procedures for constructing a new component, the plurality of procedures comprising a truly mirrored copy procedure and a copy procedure, the copy procedure utilizing one of the plurality of transformations; and creating the new component of the three-dimensional object that is the reproduction of the first component in the preferred orientation, the new component being created using the selected procedure and being created based on a position of the first component with respect to a surface said surface comprising a plane of symmetry positioned in the three-dimensional modeling space and wherein said surface is not a component of the three-dimensional object.