Hydraulic Circuit Synthesis based on Functional Structure : 1st Report, Adaptive Synthesis Method from Design Cases

• Published in: Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Series C Vol. 62; no. 593; pp. 375 - 382
• Main Authors: FUJITA, Kikuo, SASAKI, Makoto, AKAGI, Shinsuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 25.01.1996
• Subjects: Adaptive Synthesis; Artificial Intelligence; Case-Based Reasoning; Conceptual Design; Design Engineering; Functional Structure; Hydraulic Circuits
• ISSN: 0387-5024; 1884-8354
• DOI: 10.1299/kikaic.62.375

An adaptive synthesis method for hydraulic circuits is proposed using a case-based reasoning technique based on their functional structure. Since synthesis of hydraulic circuits is a typical problem of conceptual design and is expertise-oriented and combinatorial, it is difficult to declaratively represent useful design knowledge. In our design method, past design cases are stored in the case base, and then a circuit is generated by arranging suitable past cases which are retrieved from the case base in accordance with the required functional structure. In order to measure such functional structure, design specifications are represented by labels. Design cases are adaptively manipulated into a target design using three synthesis strategies, decomposition, series combination and parallel combination, based on surplus or deficit of labels. This synthesis method is applied to some design problems in order to show its effectiveness and validity. Moreover, it is integrated with a logical simulation method based on symbol manipulation, which will be presented in the second report, in order to verify arranged circuits.