Managing system configuration through constraint propagation in function and value analyses of product families

Abstract

This paper deals with the possibility of using constraint propagation in function and value analyses. It proposes a method to automatically generate a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) from the functional structure (function or component hierarchy) of a product. The proposed method, by itself, has the advantage of assisting designers in selecting a compatible (technical) and preferable (economical) configuration of subsystems. To this end, an extension to the Functional Analysis System Technique (FAST) model, called Constraint FAST (CFAST), is introduced, enabling functional relations to support diversity within product families. This paper shows how a CFAST diagram can be translated into a formal model and a set of arithmetic constraints. The resulting CSP is eventually solved with a constraint programming library. The process, from conception to completion, is illustrated with the design of a thermo-electric food cooler and heater.