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Qualitative Reasoning

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Intelligent Systems for Engineering

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Abstract

In Chapter 1, Section 1.4, we outlined the various stages involved in engineering product development. We can view the design stage as the following iterative process:

  1. 1.

    Problem Identification. The problem (at an abstract level), resource limitations, target technology, etc., are identified.

  2. 2.

    Specification Generation. Design requirements and performance specifications are listed; constraints and objectives are specified.

  3. 3.

    Concept Generation. The selection or synthesis of preliminary design solutions satisfying a few key constraints is performed; several alternative designs may be generated. This stage may subdivided into: 1) generate functional components, 2) obtain structures for these components, and 3) optimize structural combinations.

  4. 4.

    Analysis. The response of the system to external effects, such as loads in the case of a structure, is determined by using an appropriate model for the system. The primary purpose of this stage is to obtain the responses — preliminary and detailed — needed to check the feasibility of a design.

  5. 5.

    Evaluation. Solutions generated during the Concept Generation stage are evaluated for consistency with respect to the specifications. If several designs are feasible then (normally) an appropriate evaluation function is used to determine the best possible design to refine further. In the evaluation stage the relative optimality of several designs is determined.

  6. 6.

    Detailed Design. Various components of the system are refined so that all applicable constraints or specifications are satisfied.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manufacturing Systems Integration Division Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899-0001, USA

    Dr. Ram D. Sriram

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  1. Dr. Ram D. Sriram
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© 1997 Springer-Verlag London

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Sriram, R.D. (1997). Qualitative Reasoning. In: Intelligent Systems for Engineering. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0631-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0631-9_7

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-1167-2

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