Comparative Analysis of Features of Task Based Conceptual Design Methods

Abstract

In well known conceptual design methods movement based working principles are considered to provide demanded key function of the future mechanism. Acceptable kinematical structures are searched within large number of topological diagrams generated on the base of original mechanism selected in accordance with functional demand. Further filtering of topological diagrams is leaving structures which are satisfactory for structural characteristics and additional functions. For many cases of mechanical design those concept design methods are not providing equal synthesis conditions for all functions, discriminating the rest of functions against the key function. The suggested novel concept design method [1] provides possibility of wide modifications of mechanism and function entities with mandatory dependence between sets of functions and mechanism’ various embodiments and implies application of identical design cycles for different stages of concept design. Some chapters of this method, as main idea, unified synthesis tools, modeling in concept design, graph and matrix based formalization of functions and mechanisms were presented in the earlier publications [2, 3]. Current study aims to formalize the concept design method itself, which facilitates presentation of the suggested design method and enables its formalized comparison with existing ones. Examples of product concept design are considered and resolved by existing methods and by the novel one, thus making obvious feature and performance efficiency evaluation.