> Modeling a box or cylinder with SDF isn't the right application IMO. Optimized topology for a given PDE is.
Like anything in engineering and design, IMO, it depends on who you are what you are doing.
> SDF and mesh extraction are one of my favorite areas of research.
Why convert a SDF to a mesh to do visualization and engineering analysis? Even with FDM, which can be thought of a 2D filling problem like scan conversion once you have a SDF, meshless may be the way forward with additive manufacturing as well. One can think of reasons you would have to do mesh extraction, but for niche areas of manufacturing.
Like anything in engineering and design, IMO, it depends on who you are what you are doing.
> SDF and mesh extraction are one of my favorite areas of research.
Why convert a SDF to a mesh to do visualization and engineering analysis? Even with FDM, which can be thought of a 2D filling problem like scan conversion once you have a SDF, meshless may be the way forward with additive manufacturing as well. One can think of reasons you would have to do mesh extraction, but for niche areas of manufacturing.