Formal Engineering Design Synthesis

In the early 1960s systematic techniques were introduced to guide engineers in producing high-quality designs. By the mid-1980s, these methods evolved from their informal guideline-like origins to more formal computable methods. Recently, highly automated design synthesis techniques have emerged. This timely work reviews the state of the art in formal design synthesis methods. It also provides an in-depth exploration of several representative projects in formal design synthesis and examines future directions in computational design synthesis research. The chapters are written by internationally renowned experts in engineering and architectural design.

The development of a new design is often thought of as a fundamentally human, creative act. However, emerging research has demonstrated that aspects of design synthesis can be formalized. First steps in this direction were taken in the early 1960s when systematic techniques were introduced to guide engineers in producing high-quality designs. By the mid-1980s these methods had evolved from their informal (guideline-like) origins to more formal (computable) methods. In recent years, highly automated design synthesis techniques have emerged. This intriguing book reviews formal design synthesis methods. It also provides an in-depth exploration of several representative projects in formal design synthesis and examines future directions in computational design synthesis research. Written by internationally renowned experts in engineering and architectural design, it covers essential topics in engineering design, and will appeal to designers, researchers and engineering graduate students.

Foreword Lionel March; Preface; Introduction; 1. Vitruvius redux William J. Mitchell; 2. How to calculate with shapes George Stiny; 3. Engineering shape grammars Jonathan Cagan; 4. Creating structural configurations Panos Y. Papalambros and Kristina Shea; 5. Microsystem design synthesis Erik K. Antonsson; 6. Function-based synthesis methods in engineering design Kristin L. Wood and James L. Greer; 7. Artificial intelligence for design Thomas F. Stahovich; 8. Evolutionary and adaptive synthesis methods Cin-Young Lee, Lin Ma and Erik K. Antonsson; 9. Kinematic synthesis J. Michael McCarthy and Leo Joskowicz; 10. Systematic chemical process synthesis Scott D. Barnicki and Jeffrey J. Siirola; 11. Synthesis of analog and mixed-signal integrated electronic circuits Georges G. E. Gierlen and Rob A. Rutenbar; 12. Mechanical design compilers Allen C. Ward; 13. Scientific discovery and inventive engineering design Jonathan Cagan, Kenneth Kotovsky and Herbert A. Simon; Index.

In recent years highly automated design synthesis techniques have emerged demonstrating that aspects of design can be formalized. This intriguing book, with chapters by internationally renowned experts, reviews formal design synthesis methods, explores formal design synthesis, and examines future directions in computational design synthesis research.