Design Process Of Complex Products Research Articles

The Research of Complex Product Design Process Model under the Concept of Self-Recovery

The working environment of contemporary mechanical products is becoming more complex, and the working conditions are becoming more extreme. This has led to a significant increase in the frequency of problems in mechanical products. In order to reduce the frequency of human repair after problems, the application of the self-recovery concept has become a hot research topic in the area of smart design. However, the current application of the self-recovery concept is mostly limited to the structural and parametric levels, with less research at the functional level, which may lead to a waste of resources within products. To solve this problem, this research combines the functional-level product research method with the self-recovery concept and establishes a design process model of complex products under functional self-recovery. This model extends the application scope of the self-recovery concept and improves the efficiency of resource utilization in the product. The design process model has six steps. First, according to the user requirements and the existing product, the initial function solving is carried out, and the initial function model of the product is established. Next, the main functions of the product are determined based on the initial function model of the product. Then, according to the determined main functions of the product, combined with the parameters marked in the function structure, the self-diagnosis function is designed. After that, the LT matrix and effect library are used to design the self-regulation function corresponding to the main functions, and the parameters are used to screen the self-regulation function design scheme. Finally, according to the design scheme of the self-diagnosis function and self-regulation function, the functional period oriented to self-recovery is constructed to ensure the realization of the main functions of the product. The effectiveness of the design process model is proved through the design process of an intelligent photovoltaic power generation system at the end of the paper.

Key Approaches, Risks, and Product Performance in Managing the Development Process of Complex Products Sustainably

In the Industry 4.0 environment, being sustainably competitive is essential in global markets. In an endeavor to optimize the added value in the design process of complex products such as robots, managing the development process of such products is studied. The present study identifies the level of product performance that yields maximum return on product development in Industry 4.0. The study also identifies and reviews the key approaches to understanding and managing the design process of such complex products. It has been found that the hybrid approach is the most efficient approach. The study proposes an approach to effectively manage risk in the product design process that hybridizes attributes of both the lean and agile design paradigms. The proposed approach has been validated using five case studies with 99% level of statistical confidence. The results of this study enable efficient development of complex products such as robotic systems towards realizing sustainable competitiveness.

Identifying Cross-Domain Linkage Types to Support Engineering Change Management and Requirements Engineering

Suitable product models are essential to support development of complex products like today’s vehicles. Using these models, different views upon the product are represented, product evolution over different lifecycle phases can be documented and communication on and exchange of product information is performed. However, to derive an adequate representation of a complex product is challenging, since on the one hand elements of the product designed by different engineering domains (mechanics, electric/electronics, software) need to be considered. On the other hand, linkages between domain specific models and their elements have to be captured, for instance, to handle changes and derive or test requirements across domain borders. As a basis for adequate models in product design, this paper describes the concept of system views in particular focusing on linkages between elements within the technical perspective. Therefore, linkage types (e.g. spatial relation, material transfer) between product elements are analyzed by a literature review and their relevance for engineering domains involved in the product design process is discussed. In order to trigger and guide cross-domain engineering activities in particular regarding engineering change management and requirements engineering in the vehicle design process, a set of domain-specific and cross-domain linkage types is derived and applied using the vehicle as example. Finally, criteria and a procedure to indicate the cross-domain nature of a linkage type and therefore the need for cross-domain interaction in the design process of complex products are presented.

A Multi-Objective Task Reallocating Method in Complex Product Design Process Considering Design Changes

In the highly dynamic design environments, task allocation is subject to considerable design changes. The task reallocating to cope with various unexpected design changes becomes an increasingly important issue in the complex product design (CPD). In this paper, we propose a task reallocating model based on an adaptive multi-objective genetic algorithm and Tabu search (AMOGATS) method to study the dynamic task allocating procedure considering design changes, which integrates the advantages of adaptive genetic algorithm and Tabu search algorithm. Three objectives, i.e. completion time, robustness and stability, are considered simultaneously to measure the task allocation performance. A real example is employed to test and evaluate the performance of proposed method. The computational results imply that the proposed AMOGATS performs better than the heuristic algorithms available in the literature, which has more advantages on the convergence rate and running efficiency than the other algorithms, along with a better solution. This work provides a useful decision support to carry out the task reallocating with high levels of flexibility and efficiency during the process of CPD.

Task Reallocating for Responding to Design Change in Complex Product Design

Abstract In the real-world complex product design (CPD) process, task allocating is an ongoing reactive process where the presence of unexpected design change is usually inevitable. Therefore, reallocating is necessary to respond to design change positively as a procedure to repair the affected task plan. General reallocating literature addressed the reallocating versions with fixed executing time. In this paper, a multi-objective reallocation model is developed with a feasible assumption that the task executing time is controllable. To illustrate this idea, a compressing executing time strategy (CETS) is proposed in CPD process, where the executing time can be controlled with a non-linear compression cost. When design change occurs during the executing, task-resource reallocating is required to absorb the interference effects. Reallocating implies an increase in design cost and system instability; the proposed method CETS can address this issue effectively. CETS considers three objectives: completing time, stability, and change-adaptation cost. An adaptive multi-objective hybrid genetic algorithm and tabu search (AMOGATS) is developed to solve this mathematical method. The computational results of specific simulation examples verify the superiority. It shows that CETS is sensitive to design change, and the proposed algorithm AMOGATS can be effective to achieve the allocating by coordinating the objective consistency.

Function Aggregation of New Heavy Load High Voltage Circuit Breaker Based on Axiomatic Design

To unify the design process of complex products to meet higher function and performance demands, a practical implementation for a new heavy load high voltage circuit breaker is presented. This paper analyzes the function and performance of a new heavy load high voltage circuit breaker, and addressed needs of being quick, accurate and stable. The superiority of the physical functional basis description method over the traditional functional basis model was demonstrated. The axiomatic design theory is described systematically and in detail using the function decomposition of the high voltage circuit breaker as an example. The concept of functional aggregation unit as the extension and expansion of axiomatic design theory is presented. This aggregation unit extracts essential characteristics of function and performance separately from their concrete structures, avoiding limits of the spring operating mechanism structure caused by reliance on a conventional structure. This function aggregation design method is presented for the design of a transmission unit. These results are of great theoretical significance to guide product innovation based on functional aggregation in axiomatic design theory.

Conceptual Design of Customized Lower Limb Exoskeleton Rehabilitation Robot Based on Axiomatic Design

In order to standardize the design process of complex products and improve customer satisfaction and intelligence of specific design scheme, a design case of Lower Limb Exoskeleton Rehabilitation Robot (LLERR) is presented in this paper. Under the precondition that walk assistance and rehabilitation training functions are achieved, higher demands for LLERR from psychological and physiological needs of users are proposed. Based on the research status and market demands of rehabilitation robots, a conceptual design of LLERR with the character of customized gait and customized exoskeleton is presented. The mapping process from functional requirement (FR) domain to design parameter (DP) domain of customized design scheme is analyzed according to Axiomatic Design (AD) theory. Then, an overall design matrix of 11×11, a triangular matrix, is obtained, revealing that the customized design scheme of LLERR is a decoupled design with great reliability. Lastly, the design scheme is optimized through constrains analysis. The correctness and practicality of this design scheme are verified. The paper's work can provide guidance for the design of the same type products.

Process Control Method of Complex Product Multidisciplinary Collaborative Design System

In order to realize information sharing and interchange of complex product multidisciplinary collaborative design (MCD) design process and resources. The Process integrated system control of product multidisciplinary collaborative design was analyzed firstly in this paper, then design process of complex product for supporting multidisciplinary collaborative was introduced, a detailed description is given of the organization structure and modeling process of MCD-oriented Integration of Product Design Meta-model ; and concrete implement process of process integrated system control method was introduced to effectively realize information sharing and interchange between product design process and resources.

Multidisciplinary Integrated Knowledge Modeling of Complex Product Design

Based on analysis of application characteristics of product design knowledge, the design process of complex product was presented. A framework structure of product integrated design knowledge model for supporting multi-disciplinary design was proposed, the fusion method of product integrated design knowledge was also explored, and design knowledge acquisition of multidisciplinary design along with evaluating satisfaction degree in process and method of objection were analyzed. Associated with the methodology of multidisciplinary design optimization, a prototype system supporting multidisciplinary design was developed based on ideal framework of product integrated design knowledge model with the software development tool Genexus.

Study on Architecture of Missile Design Service Platform Based on Virtual Design Unit

To solve the problems which refer to share of design resources, and realize reasonable matching of design ability in the collaborative design process of complex product, a new Missile Design Service Platform based on Virtual Design Unit (MDSP-VDU) is proposed. Firstly, main function modules and characteristics of MDS-VDU are described. Secondly, key technologies including design resource virtualization, Virtual Design Unit construction, service description rules design services separation and combination,design process customization, VDUs scheduling are introduced. Thirdly, prototype system of MDS-VDU is built and displayed. Some theories about MDS-VDU have been applied in the implementation of missile design service platform and virtual resource management system in the Group-oriented enterprise CMfg Platform. Finally, application results show that MDSP-VDU is feasible.

A New Dynamic Version Control Method Oriented the Complex Product

There are a lot of dynamic changing problems for design version in the complex product design process. We have study a dynamic version control technology for result it. Firstly, we have researched the three level version control model, including the complex product structure layer, the node version tree layer and the version structure layer. Secondly, we have researched the version control model operations, including the version structure operations and the version operations, and analyzed the implementation of the version generation function and the version mergence function. Finally, the method has been applied and verified in the development of an aircraft flight loads integrated design platform.

Research on Technologies of Process Integrated Control for Multidisciplinary Collaborative Design

For realizing information sharing and interchange between product design process and resources to solve the problems about design complicated and collaborative difficult in design process of complex product. The Process integrated control of product multidisciplinary collaborative design (MCD) was analyzed firstly in this paper, a detailed description is given of the organization structure and modeling process of MCD-oriented Integration of Product Design Meta-model ;then the process integrated control method based on MCD-oriented Integration of Product Design Meta-model was proposed, and concrete implement process of process integrated control method was introduced to effectively realize information sharing and interchange between product design process and resources, to improve quality and efficiency of product design.

Research on Coupled Tasks’ Sequence Optimization Based on Qualitative and Quantitative Partial Order

The different sequences of the coupled tasks set lead to different development cycles, so optimizing sequences is a key for reconstructing complex product development process. As there are overall iterations stemming from activities’ coupling in complex product design process, this paper first proves two propositions of ordering coupled tasks by stochastic process theory: 1) more shorter the development cycle of a coupled activities subset is , more shorter the development cycle of the entire coupled activities set is. 2) If the execution sequence of the coupled activities set is changed, the development cycle of the coupled tasks set will also change. When execution order of two activities is converted into partial order of two elements, this paper presents a sequence optimization algorithm based on qualitative and quantitative partial order (SOQQ) from these two propositions. Simulation has been used to confirm SOQQ algorithm’ validity and high efficiency.

Design Process Control and Knowledge Service of Complex Product

The research of Service science, engineering and management （SSME） is depended on knowledge resources, and related to the process of serving. The research objective of this paper is oriented on a complex product design service which with the characteristics of disciplinary fusion, integration and coordination of knowledge, and the hypothesis oriented on knowledge flow was proposed for research this special service object. The content of this hypothesis is an experiential view, that is, modern complex product design process is driven by design task, and it is a knowledge flow process, whose core is new knowledge acquisition. Based on this experiential view, this study proposed a design process control and knowledge service research frame of complex product. Moreover, to promote the understanding and realization of the hypethesis mentioned above, the modeling and control of the design process of modern complex product through the process of knowledge flow, original knowledge acquisition of disciplinary subjects supporting for the construction of knowledge resources, and the construction and formal organization of resource unit based on knowledge base were conducted in this study. The knowledge flow-oriented hypothesis, experiential view and relevant prospective research results, are supposed to provide knowledge base and theory reference for the formation of SSME relevant axiom and theorem

Research on Knowledge Navigation Supporting Rapid Design of Complex Product

In the multi-disciplinary design process of complex product, it is hard for designers to obtain designing knowledge timely and accurately which causes the low efficiency of product design. With consideration of the above problem, knowledge navigation method is proposed based on context navigation model (CNM) and knowledge model (KM). CNM describes the matching relationship between designing activity context (AC) and knowledge context (KC), and composes of AC, KC and knowledge context network (KCN). KM describes designing knowledge element (KE), and the matching relationship between KC and KE. Based on these models, procedure of multi-disciplinary knowledge navigation is introduced. Taking the design process of industrial steam turbine rotor flow division section as an instance, the result shows that this procedure, based on CNM and KM, is able to supply designers with proper product knowledge timely and promote the designing efficiency of complex product.

Process template based flexible resource integration for product innovative reuse design

The innovative design process of complex products is characteristic of top-down decomposition, dynamic change and circular iteration. Different design resources including tools, knowledge and available product objects are needed to assist designers in solving various design problems. In this paper, a process template based flexible design resource integration framework is proposed. The framework is divided into two levels, namely the process modelling level and the project running level. At the process modelling level, modelling of system objects such as design parameter, design task, design resource, design activity, etc. are described in detail, and sequential, projective, referential and hierarchical relationships among system objects are put forward to adapt to the characteristics of the innovative reuse design process. At the project running level, this article proposes three kinds of design task activating patterns such as the task-input pattern, the task-decomposition pattern and the task-output pattern and raises a first-diverge-then-converge based automatic integration algorithm for matching design resources to design tasks, and a customisation mechanism for design resource integration, all of which are used to drive the flexible integration of resources. Finally an innovative reuse design case is taken to demonstrate the flexibilities of the framework.

Application of axiomatic design and design structure matrix to the decomposition of engineering systems

A design decomposition-integration model, named COPE, is proposed in which Axiomatic Design Matrices (DM) map Functional Requirements to Design Parameters while Design Structure Matrices (DSM) provide structured representation of the system development context. In COPE, the DM and the DSM co-evolve. Traversing between the two types of matrices allows for some control in the application of the system knowledge which surrounds the decision making process and the definition of the system architecture. It is argued that this approach describes better the design process of complex products which is constrained by the need to utilise existing manufacturing processes, to apply discrete technological innovations and to accommodate work-share and supply chain agreements. Presented is an industrial case study which demonstrated the feasibility of the model. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 8: 29–40, 2005