Expert Assisted Design of
Composite Sandwich Panels

Conceptual design is regarded as an innovative reasoning process for configuration and parametric design. This reasoning process is initiated by specification of objectives, requirements and preferences, and ends at a preliminary design. Primary objectives in conceptual design are to optimise design functionality and to generate the best concept for preliminary design.

Conceptual design is regarded as an iterative process in which qualitative reasoning proceeds quantitative reasoning and in which the level of abstraction is incrementally refined. Specifications are refined and solved at each level, resulting in one or more alternative solutions. A solution reduces the design space and serves as a starting point for local search at a next level. Design configuration is primarily a qualitative reasoning process for selection and composition of prototype (abstract) solutions. Quantification of prototype designs into conceptual designs enable structural and parameteric adaptation and optimisation. This process is supported by a hybrid knowledge based systems performing three tasks:

1. Prototype selection is based on a qualitative interpretation of constraints for successful application of a component, either for a specified function or for integration with other components. Prototype selection is performed by constraint-based reasoning.
2. Concept selection is the quantification of prototypes by reusing example designs and design parts. Concept selection is performed by case-based reasoning.
3. Concept modification is necessary to repair or improve concept behaviour by heuristics and numerical optimisation. Heuristic modification is performed by rule-based reasoning.

The EADOCS framework will be applied for conceptual design of an aircraft wing in the AIDA project.

For more detailed descriptions, see the list of publications