Knowledge-based system development for assisting structural design

The development of software systems that really assist engineering design requires an important modelling effort. Computational treatment of these problems is carried out through the application of software engineering and knowledge engineering techniques. Both fields have significantly evolved during the last few years, and now advanced methodologies for the development of conventional software systems and knowledge-based systems, emphasizing different modelling principles, are available. In particular, both object-oriented modelling and knowledge modelling present useful individual characteristics that are complementary. The article analyses the need for integration of those useful modelling aspects, and presents an integrated scheme for the development of knowledge-based design systems (KBDS’s). By way of illustration, the modelling scheme proposed is applied to the development of a KBDS in a specific domain of structural design.     

Knowledge-based hand tool selection in concurrent design of mechanical systems

Selection of hand tools for cost-effective assembly and maintenance of a mechanical system has a significant impact on its life-cycle cost. A knowledge-based automated procedure for the selection of hand tools needed to efficiently carry out fastening operations in a mechanical assembly is presented. The objective is to select a tool that is applicable to a particular fastening operation, minimizes time and cost of the fastening operation, and satisfies accessibility requirements, and to provide design assistance to the design engineer. The role of the tool selection procedure in the concurrent design of mechanical systems is described.     

Knowledge-based system for the computer aided design of ingot casting processes

The complexity of the design in thermal manufacturing processes stems from the need to simulate complicated heat transfer, fluid flow and phase change phenomena and couple the results with the design rules and knowledge available of these processes to obtain satisfactory designs. In this regard, the ability of expert systems to use heuristic reasoning has proved to be a powerful tool in the computer-aided-design of thermal manufacturing systems.In this paper, the salient features of a knowledge-based system developed for the design of the ingot casting process has been outlined. A Prolog-based decision-making front-end is interfaced with a Fortran-based computational engine for rapid design. The results from the heat transfer analysis, obtained from the computational module, are coupled to the evaluation module, which checks for satisfaction of the design critera and violation of the design constraints. The decision-making module uses a set of design rules to manipulate the variables until the design specifications are satisfied. Modularity and flexibility are maintained using an object-oriented format. Several interesting design acceleration features like design inheritance from simpler models and design extraction from previous designs are illustrated. The main features of this knowledge-based tool and the savings in time resulting from using these special features are discussed in detail.     

Knowledge-based approach and system for assembly-oriented design,Part II: the system implementation

Assembly is one of the most important stages for product development. Assembly-oriented design (AOD) is a new approach to designing assemblies, which uses a number of design and analysis tools to help the designer plan out and analyze candidate assembly schemes prior to having detailed knowledge of the geometry of the parts. Using this approach, many assembly schemes can be inexpensively evaluated for their ability to deliver the important characteristics of the final product. This research proposes a knowledge-based approach and develops an expert design system to support top-down design for assembled products. The presentation of research report is divided into two parts: the knowledge-based approach (Part I) and the knowledge-based expert design system (Part II). This paper is the second part of the report (Part II). It will focus on the development of knowledge-based expert design system for assembly oriented design. The knowledge-based assembly oriented design system, i.e., the assembly oriented design expert system (AODES) is constructed to integrate assembly modeling and design, assembly planning, assemblability analysis and evaluation within a concurrent engineering environment. This intelligent system is implemented by integrating object-oriented representation, constraint-based modeling, rule-based reasoning, truth maintenance, and interfacing to database management system and CAD module, in which fuzzy logic based knowledge representation and inference technique are also applied to deal with uncertain data and knowledge in the design process. The developed system differs from the existing systems adopting part-first bottom-up modeling technique, in which a comprehensive intelligent framework is used for assembly modeling and design in a top-down manner from the conceptual level to the detailed level. It is able to help obtain better design ideas, provide users with suggestions so as to create and improve a design, and therefore give users the possibility to assess and reduce the total production cost at an early stage during the design process. Through the use of the system, the concurrent engineering knowledge can be effectively incorporated into the assembly design process in an integrated manner. A case assembly design shows that the intelligent modeling and design system is feasible.     

Knowledge-based computer vision-integrated programming language anddata management system design

Properties that are needed in a language for programming computer vision tasks are described, and a new object-oriented programming language and data management system approach is suggested. An example from automatic pose estimation is used to illustrate the necessity for the properties in a language system, it is indicated where other languages and data management systems fail to provide these properties, and the type constructors used in the authors' system and features of the language semantics of their system are discussed     

Knowledge-based system for railway scheduling

In this paper, we describe a Knowledge-Based railway scheduling system (called RSS) for Taiwan Railway Administration's (TRA) railway scheduling operations. In our approach, the scheduling process is divided into two levels: global scheduling and local scheduling. In global scheduling, an initial train diagram is established by the Global Scheduler according to the master scheduling plan without considering conflicts. In local scheduling, scheduling conflicts are repaired by Local Scheduler. An embedded knowledge base provides advice for conflict resolution. Since cycles may exist among a sequence of repairs during the repair process, we also propose a cycle detection and resolution scheme in this paper. Through a graphic user interface, the user can interact with the Automatic Scheduler to solve the large-scale complex train scheduling problem in a cooperative and flexible fashion.     

内建自测试相移器设计算法的优化

在原相移器设计算法的基础上,通过增加一个伪随机数生成函数来选择异或节点的相移器设计算法。实验结果表明,此算法不仅克服了原算法设计的相移器造成LFSR扇出过大的缺点,而且提高了伪随机测试故障的覆盖率。     

Knowledge-based system for rapid prototyping

In recent years it has been noticed that rapid prototyping produces better software products. Research on combining Artificial Intelligence and software engineering has also been conducted for a number of years. A knowledge-based system for rapid prototyping is presented. In the system, the Frame-and-Rule Oriented Requirements Language and a methodology are developed to provide an integrated means of prototyping throughoyt the software life cycle. The particular application domain to be modelled is represented in terms of objects and activities. FRORL, which uses the concept of frames and production systems, describes the problem domain's objects and activities in a natural way. With the support of a knowledge base, a software prototype can be rapidly developed using FRORL. The system has been implemented using Prolog on a VAX-11/780 computer.     

Online and offline BIST in IP-core design

This article presents an online and offline built-in self-test architecture implemented as an SRAM intellectual-property core for telecommunication applications. The architecture combines fault-latency reduction, code-based fault detection, and architecture-based fault avoidance to meet reliability constraints     

Knowledge-based system for collaborative process specification

This paper presents an ontology-based approach for the design of a collaborative business process model (CBP). This CBP is considered as a specification of needs in order to build a collaboration information system (CIS) for a network of organizations. The study is a part of a model-driven engineering approach of the CIS in a specific enterprise interoperability framework that will be summarised. An adaptation of the Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) is used to represent the CBP model. We develop a knowledge-based system (KbS) which is composed of three main parts: knowledge gathering, knowledge representation and reasoning, and collaborative business process modelling. The first part starts from a high abstraction level where knowledge from business partners is captured. A collaboration ontology is defined in order to provide a structure to store and use the knowledge captured. In parallel, we try to reuse generic existing knowledge about business processes from the MIT Process Handbook repository. This results in a collaboration process ontology that is also described. A set of rules is defined in order to extract knowledge about fragments of the CBP model from the two previous ontologies. These fragments are finally assembled in the third part of the KbS. A prototype of the KbS has been developed in order to implement and support this approach. The prototype is a computer-aided design tool of the CBP. In this paper, we will present the theoretical aspects of each part of this KbS as well as the tools that we developed and used in order to support its functionalities.     

Knowledge-based tool for planning of enterprise resources in ASEAN SMEs

Manufacturing has been identified as a key pillar of growth in many Southeast Asian (ASEAN) economies. However, in the last decade many countries have become keen competitors for foreign direct investments. Many countries are trying to improve their total business capabilities by encouraging computerisation of small and medium sized enterprises (SME). Manufacturing SMEs (M-SMEs) are tasked to adopt technologically advanced programmes. With an improving public education system and more literate work force, more SMEs are better positioned to tap into the knowledge-based economy. There is tremendous amount of knowledge intensive activities within the multi-flows of the M-SMEs.Although the concept of ERP systems and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have been around for more than two decades, this has largely remained the domain of the larger companies. ASEAN M-SMEs have been slow to implement it. In this paper, the various strategic and operational requirements of regional M-SMEs are presented and a knowledge-based resources planning model making use of AI techniques is proposed. This improved AI model makes use of the large amount of accumulated knowledge typically found in the M-SMEs, especially those in the electronics and precision engineering sectors. This includes a case study of how an electronics precision engineering company adopted the proposed AI model.     

Knowledge-based approach and system for assembly oriented design,Part I: the approach

Assembly is one of the most important stages for product development. Assembly-oriented design (AOD) is a new approach to designing assemblies, which uses a number of design and analysis tools to help the designer plan out and analyze candidate assembly schemes prior to having detailed knowledge of the geometry of the parts. Using this approach, many assembly schemes can be inexpensively evaluated for their ability to deliver the important characteristics of the final product. This research proposes a knowledge-based approach and develops an expert design system to support top-down design for assembled products. The presentation of research report is divided into two parts: the knowledge-based approach (Part I) and the knowledge-based expert design system (Part II). This paper is the first part of the report (Part I), which mainly proposes a knowledge-based approach and framework for intelligent assembly oriented design. The proposed approach focuses on the integration of product design, assemblability analysis and evaluation, and design for assembly with economical analysis. It differs from the existing approaches adopting the part-first bottom-up modeling technique, in which a hybrid model related to design problem-solving including function–behavior–structure model, feature-based geometric model, and parametric constraint model is used as a comprehensive intelligent framework for assembly modeling and design in a top-down manner from the conceptual level to the detailed level. Through the use of intelligent approach and framework, concurrent engineering knowledge can be effectively incorporated into the assembly design process, and a knowledge-based expert design system can be implemented.     

Knowledge-based design environment for primary shaped micro parts

This contribution describes a prototypical knowledge-based design environment predominantly concentrating on the production-relevant design of micro parts. In this environment a computer-aided knowledge base is linked with a design system (CAD-system). In contrast to a complete knowledge-based design, i. e. modelling a part by the rule-based connection of distinct basic objects or features (which is a matter of structured combination rather than creative designing) the prototype presented promzotes conventional practical design. The designed part is subsequently checked on the basis of parameters derived from the geometry of said part.This paper was presented at the Fifth International Workshop on High Aspect Ratio Microstructure Technology HARMST 2003 in June 2003. The work is part of the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) funded collaborative research center 499 Development, production and quality assurance of primary shaped micro components from metallic and ceramic materials     

Knowledge-based automation of a design method for concurrentsystems

This paper describes a knowledge-based approach to automate a software design method for concurrent systems. The approach uses multiple paradigms to represent knowledge embedded in the design method. Semantic data modeling provides the means to represent concepts from a behavioral modeling technique, called Concurrent Object-Based Real-time Analysis (COBRA), which defines system behavior using data/control flow diagrams. Entity-relationship modeling is used to represent a design metamodel based on a design method, called COncurrent Design Approach for Real-Time Systems (CODARTS), which represents concurrent designs as software architecture diagrams, task behavior specifications and module specifications. Production rules provide the mechanism for codifying a set of CODARTS heuristics that can generate concurrent designs based on semantic concepts included in COBRA behavioral models and on entities and relationships included in CODARTS design metamodels. Together, the semantic data model, the entity-relationship model, and the production rules, when encoded using an expert system shell, compose CODA, an automated designer's assistant. CODA is applied to generate 10 concurrent designs for four real-time problems. The paper reports the degree of automation achieved by CODA. The paper also evaluates the quality of generated designs by comparing the similarity between designs produced by CODA and human designs reported in the literature for the same problems. In addition, it compares CODA with four other approaches used to automate software design methods     

Knowledge-based navigation system for building health diagnosis

Medical records are important diagnostic tools designed to assist doctors in the management of their patients’ health. Maintenance records are vital for on-site building managers in a comparable sense when planning the operational life cycle of the buildings housing health facilities. Unlike their medical counterparts though, these records are compromised by a lack of systematization and empirical verification. With a view to redressing these shortcomings, this paper introduces a knowledge extraction method that combines semantic indexing and clustering analysis, referred to as the Building Diagnosis Navigation System (BDN System).     

Knowledge-based system for supporting statistical database management

In the development of the expert system described here, knowledge-based information processing has been approached from the point of view of database technology. The outlines and processes of arranging an economic national balances system are provided, and the problems encountered in applying the variables involved in such a process to an expert system are identified. The structure and architecture of the expert system are defined, and the problems of knowledge acquisition are discussed.     

Defining and validating measures for object-based high-level design

The availability of significant measures in the early phases of the software development life-cycle allows for better management of the later phases, and more effective quality assessment when quality can be more easily affected by preventive or corrective actions. We introduce and compare various high-level design measures for object-based software systems. The measures are derived based on an experimental goal, identifying fault-prone software parts, and several experimental hypotheses arising from the development of Ada systems for Flight Dynamics Software at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC). Specifically, we define a set of measures for cohesion and coupling, which satisfy a previously published set of mathematical properties that are necessary for any such measures to be valid. We then investigate the measures' relationship to fault-proneness on three large scale projects, to provide empirical support for their practical significance and usefulness     

Knowledge-based system for three-way decision-making under uncertainty

Knowledge and Information Systems - Knowledge-based systems developed based on Dempster–Shafer theory and prospect theory enhances decision-making under uncertainty. But at times, the...