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An agent-based approach to concurrent cable harness design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2009

Hisup Park ,
Mark R. Cutkosky ,
Andrew B. Conru  and
Soo-Hong Lee
Hisup Park
Affiliation:
Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Advanced Technology Group, O/86–60 B/153, Sunnyvale, CA94089–3504
Mark R. Cutkosky
Affiliation:
Center for Design Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305–4026
Andrew B. Conru
Affiliation:
Center for Design Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305–4026
Soo-Hong Lee
Affiliation:
Center for Design Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305–4026
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Abstract

An approach to providing computational support for concurrent design is discussed in the context of an industrial cable harness design problem. Key issues include the development of an architecture that supports collaboration among specialists, the development of hierarchical representations that capture different characteristics of the design, and the decomposition of tasks to achieve a trade-off between efficiency and robustness. An architecture is presented in which the main design tasks are supported by agents – asynchronous and semiautonomous modules that automate routine design tasks and provide specialized interfaces for working on particular aspects of the design. The agent communication and coordination mechanisms permit members of an engineering team to work concurrently, at different levels of detail and on different versions of the design. The design is represented hierarchically, with detailed models maintained by the participating agents. Abstractions of the detailed models, called “agent model images,” are shared with other agents. In conjunction with the architecture and design representations, issues pertaining to the exchange of information among different views of the design, management of dependencies and constraints, and propagation of design changes are discussed.

Keywords

agentscable harness designconcurrent engineeringconfiguration designfeatures
Type
Research Article
Information
AI EDAM , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , Winter 1994 , pp. 45 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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