Pattern Matching Synthesis As an Automated Approach to Mechanism Design

A new knowledge-based approach for the synthesis of mechanisms, referred to as Pattern Matching Synthesis, has been developed based on committee machine and Hopfield neural network models of pattern matching applied to coupler curves. Computational tests performed on a dimensionally parameterized four bar mechanism have yielded 15 distinct coupler curve groups (patterns) from a total of 356 generated coupler curves. This innovative approach represents a first step toward the automation of mapping structure-to-function in mechanism design based on the application of artificial intelligence programming techniques.