Exploring decisions' influence on life-cycle performance to aid “design for Multi-X”

2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
JONATHAN C. BORG ◽  
XIU-TIAN YAN ◽  
NEAL P. JUSTER
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Design Solution ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Solution Synthesis ◽  
Knowledge Modelling ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Component Design ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

The problem addressed in this paper is that design decisions can have a propagation effect spanning multiple life-phases influencing life-cycle metrics such as cost, time, and quality. It introduces a computational framework of a “Knowledge of life-cycle Consequences (KC) approach” aimed at allowing designers to foresee and explore effectively unintended, solution specific life-cycle consequences (LCCs) during solution synthesis. The paper presents a phenomena model describing how LCCs are generated from two fundamentally different conditions: noninteracting and interacting synthesis decision commitments. Based on this understanding, the KC approach framework has been developed and implemented as a Knowledge-Intensive CAD (KICAD) tool named FORESEE. The framework consists of three frames: an artefact life modelling frame, an operational frame, and an LCC knowledge modelling frame. This paper focuses on the knowledge modelling frame, composed basically of synthesis elements, consequence inference knowledge, and consequence action knowledge. To evaluate the influence of design decision consequences on artefact life-phases, cost, time and quality performance measures are used within the frame. Using these metrics, the life-cycle implications of a decision can be instantly updated and fully appreciated. An evaluation of the approach was carried out by applying FORESEE to thermoplastic component design. The results provide a degree of evidence that the approach integrates the activity of component design synthesis with the activity of foreseeing artefact life issues including fluctuations in life-cycle metrics. This makes the approach fundamentally different from the conventional approach in which first a candidate design solution is generated and then, at a penalty of extra time, an analysis of the solution for conflicts with artefact life issues is carried out. The framework thus provides a significant step towards the realization of a “Design Synthesis for Multi-X” approach to component design, although further work is required to exploit practically its utilization.

Guiding component form design using decision consequence knowledge support

1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 387-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
JONATHAN C. BORG ◽  
XIU-TIAN YAN ◽  
NEAL P. JUSTER
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Design Solution ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Knowledge Model ◽  
Component Design ◽  
Component Form ◽  
Feature Based ◽  
The Impact

This paper describes a generic approach to guiding designers when making decisions during the early stages of design. The objective of the research is to enable designers to foresee unintended life-cycle consequences during mechanical component design. Engineering design is a process of evolving solutions to a design problem through the commitment of decisions. As a designer commits a new design decision, a more concrete design solution is generated. Decisions made can have intended and unintended consequences on the performance of the life phase activities that follow, such as manufacturing, assembly, and disposal. Many existing tools only consider the impact of the design solution on later life-cycle phases when the solution is almost complete. This makes changes expensive and difficult. This paper presents a novel approach to how consequences encountered in down stream life-cycle phases can be brought to the designer's attention early in generation of component form. For this purpose, a knowledge model has been derived from a phenomena model. The phenomena model describes how life-cycle consequences are generated during component synthesis. An insight into the representation of the resultant knowledge model is discussed through examples. The implementation of a prototype Knowledge Intensive CAD tool, entitled FORESEE, aimed at supporting life-oriented, feature-based component synthesis and exploration, is also described. The results of the evaluation of FORESEE with a range of designers show that by using the system designers are motivated to explore alternative design solutions and are able to make more informed design decisions. This highlights that the knowledge structure provides a base for extending feature-based component design to a ‘Design Synthesis for Multi-X’ approach.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Performance Assessment Tool Development and Application with a Focus on Maintenance Aspects

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Gualeni ◽  
Giordano Flore ◽  
Matteo Maggioncalda ◽  
Giorgia Marsano
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Performance Assessment ◽  
Integrated Design ◽  
Selection Criterion ◽  
Design Approach ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Design Solution ◽  
Technical Solution ◽  
Design Solutions

Ships are among the most complex systems in the world. The always increasing interest in environmental aspects, the evolution of technologies and the introduction of new rule constraints in the maritime field have compelled the innovation of the ship design approach. At an early design stage, there is the need to compare different design solutions, also in terms of environmental performance, building and operative costs over the whole ship life cycle. In this context, the Life Cycle Performance Assessment (LCPA) tool allows an integrated design approach merging the evaluation of both costs and environmental performances on a comparative basis, among different design solutions. Starting from the first tool release, this work aims to focus on the maintenance of the propulsion system, developing a flexible calculation method for maintenance costs prediction, based on the ship operational profiles and the selected technical solution. After the improvement, the whole LCPA tool has been applied on a research vessel to evaluate, among different propulsion layout solutions, the one with the more advantageous performance in terms of costs during the whole vessel operating life. The identification of the best design solution is strictly dependent on the selection criterion and the point of view of the interested parties using the LCPA tool, e.g., the shipbuilder or the ship-owner.

Demonstration of a prototype design synthesis capability for space access vehicle design

2020 ◽  
Vol 124 (1281) ◽  
pp. 1761-1788
Author(s):  
L. Rana ◽  
B. Chudoba
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Conceptual Design ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Vehicle Design ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Design Life ◽  
Synthesis Methodology

ABSTRACTThe early conceptual design (CD) phase of space access vehicles (SAVs) is the most abstract, innovative and technologically challenging phase of the entire aerospace design life cycle. Although the design decision-making during this phase influences around 80 percent of the overall life cycle cost, it is the most abstract and thus least understood phase of the entire design life cycle. The history of SAV design provides numerous examples of project failures that could have been avoided if the decision-maker had had the capability to forecast the potential risks and threats correctly ahead of time during the conceptual design phase. The present study addresses this crucial phase and demonstrates a best-practice synthesis methodology prototype to advance the current state of the art of CD as applied to SAV design. Developed by the Aerospace Vehicle Design (AVD) Laboratory at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), the Aerospace Vehicle Design Synthesis process and software (AVDS) is a prototype solution for a flight vehicle configuration–flexible (generic) design synthesis capability that can be applied to the primary categories of SAVs. This study focusses on introducing AVDS, followed by the demonstration and verification of the system’s capability through a sizing case study based on the data-rich Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar spaceplane.

A Proactive Approach to Integrated Synthesis of Components and Realization Systems

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiu-Tian Yan ◽  
Jonathan C. Borg ◽  
Neal P. Juster
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing System ◽  
Virtual Manufacturing ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
Prototype Tool ◽  
Component Design ◽  
Important Approach ◽  
System Requirements ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Abstract Product designers are under increasing pressure to reduce lead time, improve quality and reduce cost of a product. An important approach is to generate not only design solutions of a component, but also manufacturing models for the component at the same time so that a designer can make design decisions whilst having access to evolving “virtual” manufacturing system models. This paper presents such an approach that proactively supports designers to make informed design decisions, by revealing knowledge of component related manufacturing and assembly processes. Knowing the manufacturing and assembly implications of design decisions during design, designers are aided to avoid negative implications and promote positive ones. Based on the approach a Knowledge Intensive CAD (KICAD) prototype tool, named FORESEE has been developed. FORESEE allows designers to foresee and explore manufacturing and assembly consequences caused by design decisions, co-evolving during mechanical component design decision making. The paper presents an outline of the KICAD’s approach, its architecture, system requirements of such a system and its implementation. The application of the prototype is also demonstrated through a thermoplastic component design session.

scholarly journals Life Cycle GHG Emissions of Residential Buildings in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Climates: Systematic Review and Analysis

Buildings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Daniel Satola ◽  
Martin Röck ◽  
Aoife Houlihan-Wiberg ◽  
Arild Gustavsen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Tropical Climates ◽  
Building Life Cycle ◽  
Total Life

Improving the environmental life cycle performance of buildings by focusing on the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along the building life cycle is considered a crucial step in achieving global climate targets. This paper provides a systematic review and analysis of 75 residential case studies in humid subtropical and tropical climates. The study investigates GHG emissions across the building life cycle, i.e., it analyses both embodied and operational GHG emissions. Furthermore, the influence of various parameters, such as building location, typology, construction materials and energy performance, as well as methodological aspects are investigated. Through comparative analysis, the study identifies promising design strategies for reducing life cycle-related GHG emissions of buildings operating in subtropical and tropical climate zones. The results show that life cycle GHG emissions in the analysed studies are mostly dominated by operational emissions and are the highest for energy-intensive multi-family buildings. Buildings following low or net-zero energy performance targets show potential reductions of 50–80% for total life cycle GHG emissions, compared to buildings with conventional energy performance. Implementation of on-site photovoltaic (PV) systems provides the highest reduction potential for both operational and total life cycle GHG emissions, with potential reductions of 92% to 100% and 48% to 66%, respectively. Strategies related to increased use of timber and other bio-based materials present the highest potential for reduction of embodied GHG emissions, with reductions of 9% to 73%.

A Study on the Green Design of Ceramic Products in the Era of Information

2014 ◽  
Vol 633-634 ◽  
pp. 347-350
Author(s):  
Hui Huang ◽  
Jun Jian Liu
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Green Manufacturing ◽  
Green Design ◽  
Function Structure ◽  
Package Design ◽  
Component Design ◽  
Material Component ◽  
Product Function ◽  
And Function

The green design of ceramic products in the era of information should pay attention to quality, lifetime and function of products, and should consider green design of product function, structure and material, component design as well as life cycle. This paper studied the green manufacturing during molding and firing, the green decorative and package design of ceramic products to improve the reclamation rate of production, disassembly and recycle in the life cycle for the decrease of environmental pollution due to wastes.

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