1. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan1 USING KNOWLEDGE-BASED INTELLIGENT REASONING TO SUPPORT DYNAMIC COLLABORATIVE DESIGN Allen T.A. Chiang*, Amy J.C. Trappey*, and C.C. Ku** * Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, National Tsing Hua University 101, Sec. 2 Kuang Fu Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, R.O.C.; trappey@ie.nthu.edu.tw **Industrial Technology Research Institute, Center for Aerospace and Systems Technology Rm.212, Bldg.52, 195 Sec.4, Chung Hsing Rd. Chutung, Hsinchu, Taiwan 310, R.O.C.; ccku@itri.org.tw

2. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan2 Outline Introduction Conceptual Architecture of IRCDP Case Study Conclusion

3. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan3 Introduction Present a framework of an intelligent reasoning collaborative design platform (IRCDP) to facilitate collaboration. Design engineers can implement product development and design verification through the web-based IRCDP. Design problems can be discovered via design verification mechanism. Product designers can obtain valuable and consistent suggestions. Designers can eliminate design errors and avoid design conflicts.

4. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan4 Conceptual Architecture of IRCDP

5. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan5 Knowledge base (1) The knowledge base includes five knowledge elements: Template knowledge Formula knowledge Knowledge rule modules Design parameters Product data

6. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan6 Knowledge base (2) Knowledge template is a frame-based knowledge representation. Each frame is a data structure that includes all slots describing a particular design knowledge object. A formula describes the relationship between a dependent variable and a set of input variables. Each variable represents a slot of the knowledge frame.

7. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan7 Knowledge base (3) Product design parameters are defined and stored in knowledge objects according to knowledge templates. Designers execute design inference by reviewing design drawings and parameter tables. Each knowledge rule module is made up of several knowledge rules to form a complete inference chaining.

8. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan8 Rule management interface Develop an Internet-based rule management interface. Knowledge engineers can use the natural language and GUI to manage design rules and respond design requirements. The paper applies the concept of knowledge rule modularization. Each module forms an entire inference tree and provides a schematic view by using the tree structure to manage and maintain rules.

9. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan9 The framework of rule management functions

10. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan10 Collaborative design project IDCDP provides project managers to create a collaborative design project. According to requirements of each project, project managers select knowledge modules and set the necessary parameters of product design. The designers can execute design validations to detect the potential conflicts of design parameters and find ideal design parameters.

11. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan11 Functions of managing collaborative design projects

12. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan12 Design reasoning The inference engine matches design parameters with knowledge rules. The inference mechanism of IRCDP uses a Java Expert System Shell JESS is well suited to develop an integrated knowledge representation and to support dynamic collaborative design inference via Internet.

13. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan13 Administration and authorization management System administrators has the most authority and is in charge of the system administration. The project manager can create a new product development project, select knowledge rule modules, decide the members of collaborative team and monitor the given project. Knowledge engineers are responsible for managing and maintaining the knowledge content of IRCDP. Design engineers use the design inferences to find feasible design parameters and detect design conflicts.

14. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan14 Case Study A V type belt design applying to the air compressor development is introduced. The V type belt design is decomposed into two parts: (1) Design the dimensions of V type belt, (2) Design the power driven system of V type belt. There are four parties, participating collaboratively in product design.

15. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan15 The collaborative team structure

16. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan16 The design inference procedure

17. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan17 The 3-D illustration of a V type belt design for air compressor

18. 2004/12/13 National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan18 Conclusion The platform provides an integrated collaborative design environment. Design engineers can efficiently conduct and evaluate their designs. Designers can avoid design errors and design conflicts. Design expertise and experiences can be accumulated. Knowledge rules are reusable by different projects.