Knowledge Based Engineering Tool Research Articles

An Ontology-Based Cost Estimation for Offsite Construction

Design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) has been widely applied to support the decision-making process in offsite construction. With a DfMA approach, cost estimation requires taking product design and production processes into consideration. Current studies conduct cost estimation built upon quantity take-offs. However, they do not provide a vocabulary to relate cost estimates to offsite construction processes. This paper presents a new domain ontology, Offsite Housing Ontology (OHO) using the NeOn methodology framework to support cost estimation considering products, resources, and production processes. OHO semantically defines offsite construction domain terminology and relationships. This supports a unified model, required for efficient collaborative design management. The efficiency and effectiveness of the OHO approach are demonstrated in a real-world DfMA scenario through the development of a Knowledge-Based Engineering tool to automate cost estimation. The approach can be adapted and extended to accommodate a very wide range of offsite housing, delivering important optimization and automation benefit from DfMA solutions.

Autofix – Automated Design of Fixtures

AbstractThis paper presents a framework to develop the automated design of fixtures using the combination of design automation (DA), multidisciplinary optimization and robotic simulation. MDO necessitates the use of concurrent and parametric designs which are created by DA and knowledge-based engineering tools. This approach is designed to decrease the time and cost of the fixture design process by increasing the degree of automation. AutoFix provides methods and tools for automatically optimizing resource-intensive fixture design utilizing digital tools from different disciplines.

A KBE tool for solving the mechanisms kinematics

Knowledge-Based-Engineering (KBE) is a research field in which the methodologies and technologies for capturing and re-using the engineering knowledge are studied. Nowadays, the mechanisms design is accomplished by using various CAD software. Since, every CAD system includes KBE tools, those can be used to reduce time and simplify the mechanism's design process.One step in the design of the mechanisms with more than one degree of freedom is the direct and inverse kinematic analysis. This step can be difficult, because many calculations are involved and usually more than one solution exists. The geometrical constraints defined in the CAD system for the mechanism linkage's assembling, offer a simple solution for the kinematics analysis.This paper presents a KBE tool useful for kinematics analysis.The automation of repetitive tasks is implemented in an external application written in C# that it is also presented.

General KBE model with inheritance and multi CAD support

Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) is a research field that studies methodologies and technologies for capture and re-use engineering knowledge. The primary objective of KBE is to reduce time and cost of product research processes and/or product development, which is primarily achieved through automation of repetitive design tasks while capturing, retaining and re-using engineering knowledge. Every CAD System includes KBE Tools. The power of these tools is incremented by the use of external high level programming language. The model presented in this paper has the aim to reduce times and costs of particular KBE Models development, by programming inheritance concepts and also the multi CAD Support. The model is implemented through a C# application that is also presented.

Evaluation of Lung IMRT Plans Quality Using a Knowledge-Based Engineering Tool

Evaluation of Lung IMRT Plans Quality Using a Knowledge-Based Engineering Tool

Transforming expertise into Knowledge-Based Engineering tools: A survey of knowledge sourcing in the context of engineering design

Research on Engineering Knowledge Management (EKM) has identified challenges with the systematic source of engineering knowledge for the design process optimisation. In this context, Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) is acknowledged as a key area within the EKM field and designated by the research community as a potential solution to carry out the effective capture and reuse of expert knowledge. However, papers on KBE for knowledge sourcing are not abundant in the literature and they are also dispersed. From this perspective, this research is an effort to further consolidate the learning gained on industrial practice on how engineering knowledge can be effectively sourced. This is achieved by realising a research survey, where using the resulting insights KBE practice reaching aerospace engineering offices shall be more efficiently delivered through fast and accurate knowledge extraction and encoding into usable methods and tools. The research findings provided by literature survey confirmed the existence of a research gap on knowledge sourcing; and more precisely they underlined the need for an extended KBE development process which integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and expert intervention to systematically manage the knowledge (using the KM methods and tools) efficiently captured and modelled (employing AI algorithms and expert involvement). Therefore, this paper concludes that there is a need for further research on the knowledge sourcing KBE aspect and presents the integration of KBE systems and AI implementations as a potential solution to develop the extended KBE development process requested by the industry.

Proposal and evaluation of a KBE‐RM selection system

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose and evaluate a novel tool for the assessment and selection of rapid prototyping (RP)/manufacturing (RM) systems as alternative processes for low‐volume production in the machinery and equipment design sector. By analysing previous RP/RM selectors, this research addresses the necessary factors that a knowledge‐based engineering (KBE) system must include for the analysis, comparison and ranking of candidate technologies.Design/methodology/approachThis research starts with the analysis of previous KBE solutions for RP/RM process selection, then a new KBE tool is proposed through the integration of artificial intelligence tools such as fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks (ANNs) and relational databases. Three case studies, provided by a Spanish machinery design centre, are used in order to measure the suitability of the proposed system for the assessment of real designs of special purpose mechanical parts.FindingsThe paper reports several improvements based on case studies which include a more suitable logic for process selection according to the designer's criteria and improvements in the overall parts cost estimation when compared to conventional parametric methods.Practical implicationsThe newly proposed KBE system has proven useful especially in cases where non‐experts or students need to select a RP/RM process according to an initial product design specification. The cost estimation module based on ANNs provides a practical tool which may be used by academics but also practitioners who wish to automate product costing calculations.Originality/valueUnlike previous solutions, the proposed system provides a straightforward means for RP/RM selection by an overall ranking of candidate processes, part cost estimation and materials selection. The main contribution is the modular design and logical planning, that overcomes the dilemma: material‐or‐process first.

Design support for metallic machined ribs using knowledge based engineering techniques

AbstractIn recent years increasingly pressure has been applied on aircraft component suppliers to reduce design lead-time and design cost of aircraft components. To achieve this reduction in lead-time and cost, advanced automation tools that automate part of the engineering process can be used. Knowledge based engineering (KBE) tools are one such automation tool type and automate part of the engineering process based on existing knowledge within a company. In this paper the development process and use of a KBE application to design machined ribs in an industrial setting is discussed. The development of the KBE tool has resulted in the standardisation of the design methodology. Furthermore it has reduced machined rib design lead-time in a project to develop a bussines jet empennage by 40%.

Enhancing product development through knowledge‐based engineering (KBE)

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show with figures the potentialities of knowledge‐based engineering (KBE) methods in new product development (NPD). It estimates the business value generated by a tool which integrates the handoff between engineering groups of a large aerospace company.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on three years of observation and interviews at a leading Italian firm. A process‐based approach is used for assessing business value.FindingsThe KBE application automated the preparation of data transferred to computer‐aided engineering engineers for analysis by computer‐aided design engineers and reduced the time required by more than 90 percent. This allowed time savings which contributed to enhance product quality.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is based on a single case, though its findings are consistent with prior studies. Future research will implement like applications in other contexts at the subject firm and other firms.Practical implicationsThe paper helps managers to understand the uses and potential value of KBE applications, enhancing the awareness of NPD practitioners in a field which is still partially untapped.Originality/valueThe paper combines discussion of the technical aspects of implementing a KBE tool with estimates of performance improvement achieved. It can be a useful illustration of a good practice and a proof‐of‐concept for further implementations in complex engineering settings.

Design engineering—a need to rethink the solution using knowledge based engineering

This paper discusses the current limitations of Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools and reports on the use of knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) in the creation of a concept development tool, to organise information flow and as an architecture for the effective implementation of rapid design solutions. The KBE tool along with supporting analytical solutions has been applied to the Body-In-White area of automotive design. The present methods of using CAD and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) systems do not use a unified product/process model representation and lead to the creation of separate non-relation data models that only capture the result of the engineering process. The KBE method unifies the engineering intent into a single model that allows for existing or novel design solutions to be assessed. These design solutions can then represent themselves in the correct form to the analysis systems. Automeshing is achieved using a rule-base that meshes the model with respect to the analysis solution required, materials and processes.

Influences of KBE on the aircraft brake industry

A general review has been conducted to describe the situation of the aircraft wheel and brake industry and to describe possible applications of knowledge based engineering (KBE). The latest books and publications available to the authors have been reviewed during the survey to identify the latest thinking on the topic. The paper investigates tools to increase productivity in general, explains the way a KBE tool works, and describes possible KBE applications in the wheel and brake industry as design tools and as diagnostic tools. The relationship of KBE to existing IT systems is considered and put into the context of restructuring process. A case study describes the formulation of rules and the code that can be used with the ICAD software. Possible pitfalls are described. An outlook into future trends is included.

Concurrent safety engineering in process design

Our objective was to find a way to link safety analyses to computer aided process plant design. To do this, we adopted an existing knowledge-based engineering tool and developed the knowledge bases needed for the safety analyses. Two prototypes of SafetyObjects were the result. The aim of the first prototype was to visualise how to identify the component specific causes and consequences of the selected undesired event. The second prototype was aimed at studying the use of P&I diagrams of a plant: The SafetyObjects model of the plant can be constructed automatically from the P&I model. An authentic P&I model of the feed water system of a power plant was used for testing the model construction and incident scenario production.