An intelligent system based on concurrent engineering for innovative product design at the conceptual design stage

This paper describes the development of an intelligent system based on concurrent engineering for generating design alternatives at the conceptual design stage. The proposed systemencompasses a design analysismodule, a design evaluation module, a knowledge acquisition and storing module, a user interface and databases. It is also integrated with a spreadsheet application for storing data and numerical analysis and works in combination with a material selection software Cambridge engineering selector (CES) to facilitate the material selection process. The tangible advantage of implementing this system is that it enables the designer to explore and experimentwith alternative ideas in the early design stage, and it results in design solutions that are functionally soundand cost-effective. It also has the capability for design alternatives evaluation, material selection and modelling the product detailed design on the computer-aided design system. Therefore, an efficient product development process is generated. Three case studies are demonstrated and discussed to validate the proposed system.