The IDS model of intelligent design system

Abstract

Existing models of intelligent design system nowadays are generally logic-based, which solve only simple and small-scale design problems. In the author's opinion, these models which concentrate only on far-fetched use of logical inference and abstract knowledge deviate from designer's thinking and decision process; the crux of the deviation is the lack of imitating thinking with mental imagery ability. Considering the nature of design problems and imitating rational thinking with alternate use of pattern association and symbolic operation, a new intelligent design system (IDS) model and its implementation techniques are presented. Imitation of thinking with mental imagery which is also called pattern association in the IDS model is considered by applying artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. The pattern association in the IDS model imitates the rule of human thinking, “comprehending by analogy”, to some extent. Because of the robustness of the pattern-type knowledge used in pattern association, IDS provides a practical way in producing a design scheme using incomplete and/or undeterminate input data, which is very difficult to achieve in general expert design systems. According to the IDS model, an intelligent structural layout design system of wing (ISDW) is developed. ISDW realizes mapping from key parameters of design requirements and the environment of the wing to the layout design of wing structure in not only graphic form, but also in readable data form. After getting a layout of wing structure, the user will modify it interactively by Auto-CAD, and then return to the ISDW environment to produce FEM meshes by an intelligent meshing interface in order to do the preliminary static and dynamic structural analysis. The design schemes created by the system proved to be proper and usable, and this concludes that IDS model is practicable and practical.