Objectives  Aiming at problems such as low accuracy, low efficiency and even a lack of algorithms in the calculation of moving spaces in existing virtual assembly and maintenance, and combined with the actual needs of the virtual assembly and maintenance of the ship, this paper puts forward a method for quickly and accurately calculating parts in a moving space for the purpose of spatial collision verification.

  Methods  Based on the intersection detection algorithm of a hierarchical bounding box and triangular patches, we improve the transformation method of the box and triangular patches in a moving space, then obtain the interference distance according to the method of dichotomy and increment, thus proposing an algorithm for spatial collision verification and distance verification. Finally, CATIA secondary development technology is used to design and develop a rapid space verification module that can verify the rationality and accuracy of the algorithm.

  Results   The examples show that in models of different levels of complexity with more than 2 000 parts, the calculation time of spatial collision is less than 100 ms and that of spatial distance is about 0.5 s.

  Conclusions  This algorithm can have a significant auxiliary effect on the design of ships when designers consider assembly and maintenance space, thus effectively reducing the ship design cycle, production cycle and maintenance cycle.