Managing constraints in design: Using an AI toolkit as a DBMS

Abstract

In recent years the need for integrated process plant design has been widely recognised. This has resulted in a body of research into the uses of database management systems within process engineering. Ultimately, the aim is to create a complete design environment that provides a database for all aspects of design, provides the tools necessary to advance the design and provides for the early identification and correction of design errors. This paper addresses the last of these problems by considering the management of constraints within a design project. In particular, it explores the use of an automated check list to prevent the future violation of designer's intention. It also introduces a new approach to hierarchical design and examines modelling issues concerned with the use of decomposition and refinement. The discussion is placed on a firm footing by considering the practical issues of an implementation based on the Knowledge Craft AI toolkit.