General Framework for Configuration Design: Part 1-Methodology

Configuration design is a type of conceptual design activity in which physical systems are synthesized from a set of predefined components that can be combined only in certain ways. A general framework for automated configuration of systems is presented in this paper. In this framework, design specifications are separated into functions, performance goals and constraints. Starting with design specifications, a skeletal design comprising essential functions is first configured. The process of mapping functions to physical devices is interleaved with the function decomposition process. The level at which a function is mapped to a physical device is directly related to the stringency of performance goals and constraints. Configuration design issues, such as function sharing, detail resolution of the building blocks and the possible explosion of the number of feasible permutations, are also discussed. This paper ( Part 1) describes organization of the design knowledge and the design methodology. Based on the framework presented in this paper, a prototype knowledge-based design tool called HYSYN ( hydraulics synthesizer) was developed, which automatically configures hydraulic systems. The implementation of this methodology in HYSYN is discusses in another paper ( Part 2). A design example of systematic configuration of hydraulic systems is also presented in this other paper.