Modular Design of Complex Product Based on the Triple Fusion of Function/Feature/Knowledge

• Published in: Shanghai jiao tong da xue xue bao Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 563 - 570
• Main Author: 李宝童 洪军 李婷 邱志惠 陈玉宝
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Shanghai Jiaotong University Press 01.10.2010
• Subjects: Architecture; Computer Science; Electrical Engineering; Engineering; Life Sciences; Materials Science; functional feature partition; TP 391; knowledge model; modular design; comprehensive design matrix
• ISSN: 1007-1172; 1995-8188
• DOI: 10.1007/s12204-010-1049-4

The modular design technology is of importance increasingly, as product structure is more and more complex. Modular design systems face challenging problems as the design information tends to be dynamic, redundant, and very large. This paper describes a novel approach for handling them. In this approach, a partition is firstly performed for the complex structural components by mapping functions to the structures layer by layer. Based on this partition, a comprehensive design matrix is then developed to identify the key design mode which is driven by a special function. The design process is also programmed by analyzing the coupled information on both the functional and structural hierarchies. Then, the integrated knowledge model based on object-oriented method and hybrid inference method is constructed. In this model, knowledge can be organized at hierarchical classification and expressed with different forms. Finally, the methodology developed has been applied to a real application in automobile cylinder block design and the results are presented.