Computation and conceptual design

✍ Scribed by Karl Ulrich; Warren Seering

• Book ID: 103913375
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 536 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0736-5845
• DOI: 10.1016/0736-5845(88)90002-6

✦ Synopsis

Design is the transformation between a functional and a structural description of a device. Conceptual design is the initial stage of this transformation. We hypothesize that most new designs are derived from knowledge of existing designs. We identify a special case of this process and call it novel combination. By describing an implemented program which designs novel mechanical fasteners, we explain how knowledge of existing devices can be represented and used. We highlight the issues arising from this implementation and propose four areas of future research. This work is important for establishing a fundamental understanding of conceptual design, leading to enhanced design teaching and better design tools.