scholarly journals The Combinator – a computer-based tool for creative idea generation based on a simulation approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Han ◽  
Feng Shi ◽  
Liuqing Chen ◽  
Peter R. N. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Design Space Exploration ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Text And Image ◽  
Creative Idea ◽  
Current Formulation ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Computer Based

Idea generation is significant in design, but coming up with creative ideas is often challenging. This paper presents a computer-based tool, called the Combinator, for assisting designers to produce creative ideas. The tool is developed based on an approach simulating aspects of human cognition in achieving combinational creativity. It can generate combinational prompts in text and image forms through combining unrelated ideas. A case study has been conducted to evaluate the Combinator. The study results indicate that the Combinator, in its current formulation, has assisted the tool users involved in the case study in improving the fluency of idea generation, as well as increasing the originality, usefulness, and flexibility of the ideas generated. The results also indicate that the tool could benefit its users in generating high-novelty and high-quality ideas effectively. The Combinator is considered to be beneficial in expanding the design space, increasing better idea occurrence, improving design space exploration, and enhancing the design success rate.

Preliminary Design and Performance of Counter Rotating Turbines for Open Rotors: Part II — 0-D Methodology and Case Study for a 160 PAX Aircraft

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Bellocq ◽  
Inaki Garmendia ◽  
Jordane Legrand ◽  
Vishal Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Design Space Exploration ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Regulatory Constraints ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Direct Drive Open Rotors (DDORs) have the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions relative to conventional turbofans. However, this engine architecture presents many design and operational challenges both at engine and aircraft level. At preliminary design stages, a broad design space exploration is required to identify potential optimum design regions and to understand the main trade offs of this novel engine architecture. These assessments may also aid the development process when compromises need to be performed as a consequence of design, operational or regulatory constraints. Design space exploration assessments are done with 0-D or 1-D models for computational purposes. These simplified 0-D and 1-D models have to capture the impact of the independent variation of the main design and control variables of the engine. Historically, it appears that for preliminary design studies of DDORs, Counter Rotating Turbines (CRTs) have been modelled as conventional turbines and therefore it was not possible to assess the impact of the variation of the number of stages (Nb) of the CRT and rotational speed of the propellers. Additionally, no preliminary design methodology for CRTs was found in the public domain. Part I of this two-part publication proposes a 1-D preliminary design methodology for DDOR CRTs which allows an independent definition of both parts of the CRT. A method for calculating the off-design performance of a known CRT design is also described. In Part II, a 0-D design point efficiency calculation for CRTs is proposed and verified with the 1-D methods. The 1-D and 0-D CRT models were used in an engine control and design space exploration case study of a DDOR with a 4.26m diameter an 10% clipped propeller for a 160 PAX aircraft. For this application: • the design and performance of a 20 stage CRT rotating at 860 rpm (both drums) obtained with the 1-D methods is presented. • differently from geared open rotors, negligible cruise fuel savings can be achieved by an advanced propeller control. • for rotational speeds between 750 and 880 rpm (relatively low speeds for reduced noise), 22 and 20 stages CRTs are required. • engine weight can be kept constant for different design rotational speeds by using the minimum required Nb. • for any target engine weight, TOC and cruise SFC are reduced by reducing the rotational speeds and increasing Nb (also favourable for reducing CRP noise). However additional CRT stages increase engine drag, mechanical complexity and cost.

Three driven approaches to combinational creativity: Problem-, similarity- and inspiration-driven

2017 ◽  
Vol 233 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Han ◽  
Dongmyung Park ◽  
Feng Shi ◽  
Liuqing Chen ◽  
Min Hua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Creative Design ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Crucial Element ◽  
Creative Idea ◽  
Process Strategy ◽  
Design Ideas

Creativity is a crucial element of design. The aim of this study is to investigate the driving forces behind combinational creativity. We propose three driven approaches to combinational creativity, problem-, similarity- and inspiration-driven, based on previous research projects on design process, strategy and cognition. A case study involving hundreds of practical products selected from winners of international design competitions has been conducted to evaluate the three approaches proposed. The results support the three driven approaches and indicate that they can be used independently as well as complementarily. The three approaches proposed in this study have provided an understanding of how combinational creativity functions in design. The approaches could be used as a set of creative idea generation methods for supporting designers in producing creative design ideas.

scholarly journals A Further Exploration of the Three Driven Approaches to Combinational Creativity

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2735-2744
Author(s):  
Ji Han ◽  
Min Hua ◽  
Feng Shi ◽  
Peter R. N. Childs
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Design Support ◽  
Creative Idea ◽  
Significant Element ◽  
Support Tools ◽  
Practical Design ◽  
Ideation Methods ◽  
Early Phases

AbstractCombinational creativity is a significant element of design in supporting designers to generate creative ideas during the early phases of design. There exists three driven approaches to combinational creativity: problem-, similarity- and inspiration-driven. This study provides further insights into the three combinational creativity driven approaches, exploring which approach could lead to ideas that are more creative in the context of practical product design. The results from a case study reveal that the problem- driven approach could lead to more creative and novel ideas or products compared with the similarity- and inspiration-driven approach. Products originating from the similarity- and inspiration-driven approach are at comparable levels. This study provides better understanding of combinational creativity in practical design. It also delivers benefits to designers in improving creative idea generation, and supports design researchers in exploring future ideation methods and design support tools employing the concept of 'combination'.

Many-Attribute Decision Making Using Iterative Attribute Subsets

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Ziegler ◽  
Kemper Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Design Space Exploration ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Decision Problems ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Current Design ◽  
Multi Attribute Decision Making

A unique set of cognitive and computational challenges arise in large-scale decision making, in relation to trade-off processing and design space exploration. While several multi-attribute decision making methods exist in the current design literature, many are insufficient or not fully explored for many-attribute decision problems of six or more attributes. To address this scaling in complexity, the methodology presented in this paper strategically elicits preferences over iterative attribute subsets while leveraging principles of the Hypothetical Equivalents and Inequivalents Method (HEIM). A case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach in the construction of a systematic representation of preferences and the convergence to a single ‘best’ alternative.

Preliminary Design and Performance of Counter Rotating Turbines for Open Rotors: Part I — 1-D Methodology

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Bellocq ◽  
Inaki Garmendia ◽  
Jordane Legrand ◽  
Vishal Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Design Space Exploration ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Power Extraction ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Direct Drive Open Rotors (DDORs) have the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions relative to conventional turbofans. However, this engine architecture presents many design and operational challenges both at engine and aircraft level. At preliminary design stages, a broad design space exploration is required to identify potential optimum design regions and to understand the main trade offs of this novel engine architecture. These assessments may also aid the development process when compromises need to be performed as a consequence of design, operational or regulatory constraints. Design space exploration assessments are done with 0-D or 1-D models for computational purposes. These simplified 0-D and 1-D models have to capture the impact of the independent variation of the main design and control variables of the engine. Historically, it appears that for preliminary design studies of DDORS, Counter Rotating Turbines (CRTs) have been modeled as conventional turbines and therefore it was not possible to assess the impact of the variation of the number of stages (Nb) and rotational speed of the propellers. Additionally, no preliminary design methodology for CRTs was found in the public domain. Part I of this two-part publication proposes a 1-D preliminary design methodology for DDOR CRTs. It allows an independent definition of the Nb, rotational speeds of both parts of the CRT, inlet flow conditions, inlet and outlet annulus geometry as well as power extraction. It includes criteria and procedures to calculate: power extraction in each stage, gas path geometry, blade metal angles, flow conditions at each turbine plane and overall CRT efficiency. The feasible torque ratios of a CRT are discussed in this paper. A form factor for the CRT velocity triangles is defined (similar to stage reaction on conventional turbines) and its impact on performance and blade design is discussed. A method for calculating the off-design performance of a CRT is also described in Part I. In Part II, a 0-D design point (DP) efficiency calculation for CRTs is proposed as well as a case study of a DDOR for a 160 PAX aircraft. In the case study, three main aspects are investigated: A) the design and performance of a 20 stage CRT for the DDOR application; B) the impact of the control of the propellers on cruise specific fuel consumption, C) the impact of the design rotational speeds and Nb of the CRT on its DP efficiency, engine fuel consumption and engine weight.

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