Integrating engineering design and analysis using a multi-representation approach

With the present gap between CAD and CAE, designers are often hindered in their efforts to explore design alternatives and ensure product robustness. This paper describes the multi-representation architecture (MRA) - a design-analysis integration strategy that views CAD-CAE integration as an information-intensive mapping between design models and analysis models. The MRA divides this mapping into subproblems using four information representations: solution method models (SMMs), analysis building blocks (ABBs), product models (PMs), and product model-based analysis models (PBAMs). A key distinction is the explicit representation of design-analysis associativity as PM-ABB idealization linkages that are contained in PBAMs. The MRA achieves flexibility by supporting different solution tools and design tools, and by accommodating analysis models of diverse discipline, complexity and solution method. Object and constraint graph techniques provide modularity and rich semantics. Priority has been given to the class of problems termed routine analysis - the regular use of established analysis models in product design. Representative solder joint fatigue case studies demonstrate that the MRA enables highly automated routine analysis for mixed formula-based and finite element-based models. Accordingly, one can employ the MRA and associated methodology to create specialized CAE tools that utilize both design information and general purpose solution tools.