An attempt is made, in this paper, to apply knowledge engineering technology to machine design. CAD systems currently in use can help man in very limited extent. It is because these systems are developed on the bases of traditional computing technology which is hardly to treat effectively such knowledge as concepts, ideas, and experience in the very dynamic environment. We try to develop new generation CAD systems based on knowledge base technology which deals with the knowledge so that computers can cooperate more effectively with man in design process than computers of traditional computing technology. We discuss first the manner and problems of introducing knowledge base technology in design process, and establish modeling concept in achieving the goal of man-machine cooperative design. Then we present a knowledge based system named KAUS(Knowledge Acquisition and Utilization System) used for the purpose. We implemented an experimental design system along this line of thought and applied it to the internal combustion engine design. The system contains various knowledge sources including very general knowledge, such as mathematical knowledge, geometrical knowledge, drawing knowledge and displaying knowledge, and object specific knowledge, that is, knowledge of internal combustion engine design. Man and computer cooperate to build the object model comprising different kind of information on design object, such as shape, structure and attributes. We show, by an example, the manner of designing the piston of internal combustion engine using this system.
抄録全体を表示