Automated Mapping of Physical Effects to Functions Using Abstraction Ports Based on Bond Graphs

Abstract

Innovation processes are highly susceptible to cyclic influences, such as evolving knowledge due to new technologies. In order to better meet these challenges, improved computational design support is required. Paper-based design methods have vast amounts of knowledge at their disposal in the form of their design catalogs. However, they lack a corresponding computational implementation that could lead to increased use in design. The method presented is targeted at making the physical effects contained in design catalogs available for use within computational design synthesis approaches. This paper introduces the notion of abstraction ports that are used to represent the valid mapping between functional operators and physical effects. For the automated assignment of abstraction ports, a method is presented that analyzes the equation structure of physical effects. This approach is derived from the modeling technique of bond graphs and is independent of any selection process proposed by design catalogs. Moreover, it allows for the uniform formalization of evolving knowledge in new physical effects that are not yet contained in design catalogs. The assignment of abstraction ports is successfully validated through the formalization of the physical effects of two design catalogs. Furthermore, a software prototype is developed that implements a search process for suitable physical effects for a given function. Future work includes the integration of quantitative characteristics of physical effects and the integration of the approach within the object-oriented graph grammar implementation booggie (project web site: http://booggie.org) for computational design synthesis.