An Internet-based integrated product design environment. Part I: a hybrid agent and network architecture

During the past two decades, concurrent or collaborative engineering (CE) has presented new possibilities for successful product development. In addition, the advances in computer networks and information technology have brought engineering design context into a new era. As a promising approach to accommodate the radical pace of changes in the context of engineering design, agent technologies have been attracting public attention and are being used in an increasingly wide variety of applications. However, little attention has been paid to multi-agent system (MAS) frameworks for CE environments that enable systematic and timely design integrations in both hierarchical and heterarchical design topology. This is the first of a two-part paper proposing a MAS framework for integrated product design in a computer network-oriented CE environment. Part I first proposes a hybrid agent network architecture to develop lightweight, dynamic and large-scale distributed systems, and then proposes a hybrid agent architecture based on our finite state automata (FSA) formalism that can exhibit both hybrid behaviours and hybrid interactions. Finally, some ideas for building an integrated product design environment are presented using the proposed agent and network architecture. Part II discusses the applications of the proposed MAS framework to concurrent engineering design.     

面向并行工程的产品设计生命系统模型探讨

本文探讨了并行工程和生命系统理论与产品设计的联系以及它们是如何提高设计效率的，在此基础上，本文提出产品设计过程模型。该模型从产品需求分析出发，结合生命系统理论，为设计人员有层次、并行地展开设计工作提供了一个概念框架。模型具有开放性，设计人员可以运用多种学科理论和技术进行工作，并多方位地采纳各部门的意见。本文还初步构造了一个用于产品设计建模工具软件的图形系统。     

A morphological approach to product design in a concurrent engineering environment

The development of product design in a concurrent engineering environment requires the consideration and inclusion of life cycle factors early in the design process. This paper proposes a product design framework where these factors are considered. The phases of product design in a concurrent engineering environment include: design requirements, design functions, design alternatives, design attributes, and design environments. A five-step algorithm is proposed by which the optimal design alternative, among all the feasible alternatives, is selected. In order to illustrate the proposed framework, the design of a braking system is presented in each phase. A morphological approach to product design is proposed that consists of two related morphologies. Morphology 1 addresses the innovative aspect of product design. Morphology 2 considers the computational and optimisation aspect of product design. In conclusion, an integrated approach which reconciles both morphologies is suggested.     

CE环境下面向产品竞争力设计与经营决策集成系统研究

从提升产品市场竞争力的角度,提出了面向产品竞争力设计和经营决策的理念,建立了有关的结构模型和框架模型。在此基础上,进一步提出了并行工程环境下实现基于产品开发周期的面向产品竞争力设计与经营决策一体化的设想;研究了面向产品竞争力设计与经营决策集成系统的特征、结构和功能。最后以汽车车身为例对并行工程环境下的车身设计与经营决策集成系统进行了应用研究。     

A comparison of approaches to concurrent engineering

In this paper, various approaches to the successful implementation of concurrent engineering are presented. Approach 1 addresses the information and software requirements of an integrated manufacturing information system. Two sets of data requirements for the design of mechanical products are discussed. Approach 2 uses feature based design as the impetus behind CAD/CAM integration. A conceptual framework leading to the development of a knowledge-based management system (KBMS) is proposed. KBMS is capable of representing multiple and concurrent views of features. Approach 3 considers product design concerns from inception to disposal in a unified life cycle engineering (ULCE) environment. Approach 4 focuses on assembly as an integrative function of all manufacturing activities. Approach 5 emphasises organisational and cultural issues and proposes that effective dialogue between design and manufacturing engineers is essential for abandoning the over-the-wall design concept. In conclusion, a critique of various approaches to concurrent engineering is provided.     

A web-based advisory system for process and material selection in concurrent product design for a manufacturing environment

This paper reports the work of selecting suitable manufacturing processes and materials in concurrent design for manufacturing environment. In the paper, a fuzzy knowledge-based decision support method is proposed for multi-criteria decision-making in evaluating and selecting possible manufacturing process/material combinations in terms of the total production cost. Based on the proposed method, a prototype Web-based knowledge-intensive manufacturing consulting service system (WebMCSS) with the client-knowledge server architecture is developed to help designers/users find good processes and materials while still at the conceptual level of design. The system, as one of the important parts of an advanced design for manufacturing tool, is a concept level process and material selection tool that can be used as both a standalone application and a Java applet freely available via the Web. Interlinked with Web pages of tutorials, and reference pages explaining the facets, fabrication processes and material choices, the system performs reasoning and calculations using the process capability and material property data from the remote Web-based database and knowledge base that can be maintained and updated via the Internet. The use of the system is illustrated with an example.