Algorithm (Workflow)

This algorithm is a MATLAB function named PLinbus that generates a closed polygon list representing a wrench shape, similar to a circle but with a specified number of faces. It is part of the SolidGeometry library.

Input Parameters

• D: Diameter of the wrench, not the radius. The default value is 1/4 inch (approximately 6.35 mm).
• n: Number of faces for the polygon. The default value is 6.

Output Results

• PL: A list of points representing the polygon.
• Rm: The radius of the circle that would circumscribe the polygon.

Algorithm Steps

1. Retrieve the diameter D and the number of faces n from the input parameters, using default values if not provided.
2. If D is zero, return an empty point list and a radius of zero.
3. Check if the number of faces n is less than 4. If so, raise an error because a polygon requires at least 4 edges.
4. Calculate the radius R as half of the diameter D.
5. Calculate the modified radius Rm using a function dofn(n), which adjusts the radius based on the number of faces.
6. Generate the point list PL using the PLcircle function, which creates a polygon with the specified radius and number of faces.
7. If no output arguments are specified, plot the polygon using SGfigure and PLplot functions, and annotate the plot with the diameter and radius.

Example Usage

To create a polygon with a diameter of 10 mm and the default number of faces (6), use the following command:

PLinbus(10)