Engineering Design with Decision Support: An Application of Goal Decomposition
Abstract
Mathematical modeling is becoming a vital tool in engineering design. These models have been used to provide decision support to designers of systems characterized by many design choices. However, for the design of complex systems, these models become too large and cumbersome to be of significant value. As a result, research has progressed in the decomposition of the design problem. A decision support system, serving as a computer-based aid for engineers designing weapon systems, must integrate procedures dealing with designing for producibility and designing for supportability with those dealing with designing for performance cost and schedule (ULCE Implementation Plan, 1987). One of the characteristics of large weapon system development that causes difficulties in achieving this integration is the hierarchical nature of the design process. Typically, a system is designed in terms of subsystems which are required to meet certain specifications. Problems begin to arise when these specifications cannot be met. Consequently, these design processes may be enhanced by a computer-based system that supports the hierarchical nature of design. This research examines the application of mathematical modeling and knowledge-based system techniques to the development of decision support systems to support engineering design.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA226730
Entities
People
- Charles E. Wells
Organizations
- Universal Energy Systems