The relative significance of conceptual design to basic design or detail design is widely recognized, due to its influential roles in determining the product's fundamental features and development costs. Although there are some general methodologies dealing with functions in design, virtually no commercial CAD systems can support functional design, in particular so-called synthetic phase of design. Supporting the synthetic phase of conceptual design is one of the crucial issues of CAD systems with function modeling capabilities. In this paper, we propose a computer tool called a Function-Behavior-State (FBS) Modeler to support functional design not only in the analytical phase but also in the synthetic phase. To do so, the functional decomposition knowledge and physical features in the knowledge base of the modeler, and a subsystem Qualitative Process Abduction System (QPAS) play crucial roles. Modeling scheme of function in relation with behavior and structure and design process for conceptual design in the FBS Modeler are described. The advantages of the FBS Modeler are demonstrated by presenting two examples; namely, an experiment in which designers used this tool and the design of functionally redundant machines, which is a new design methodology for highly reliable machines, as its application.

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Supporting conceptual design based on the function-behavior-state modeler

This work is aimed at establishing a common frame and understanding of function modeling (FM) for our ongoing research activities. A comparative review of the literature is performed to grasp the various FM approaches with their commonalities and differences. The relations of FM with the research fields of artificial intelligence, design theory, and maintenance are discussed. In this discussion the goals are to highlight the features of various classical approaches in relation to FM, to delineate what FM introduces to these fields, and to discuss the applicability of various FM approaches in these fields. Finally, the basic ideas underlying our projects are introduced with reference to the general framework of FM.

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A review of function modeling: Approaches and applications

Modular design of mechatronic systems with function modeling

Knowledge-based support of system analysis for the analysis of Failure modes and effects

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a theory of representation of causal processes and uses the representational framework for problem solving of various sorts. It presents a framework for thinking about human reasoning about the physical world, and describes the role played by causal process packages in this framework. The chapter gives an informal overview of functional representation (FR) and mentions that FR for a device has three parts: a description of intended function, a description of the structure of the device, and a description of the way the device achieves the function. It lists the component names and their functions and indicates the way the components are put together to make the device. The basic idea in describing the way a device achieves its function is that of a causal process description (CPD). Various applications of FR are reviewed. The organization of a functional representation gives both forward and backward reasoning capability. The chapter describes an algorithm that demonstrates the forward simulation potential.

Robert A. Adey

Papers

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Engineering V