CAREER: Generative Designer Assistance Tools

该CAREER奖为原型生成设计师辅助工具的创建提供资金，该工具将基于功能的生成策略与当今计算机辅助设计系统的几何建模功能相结合。 原型工具将把现有的边界实体建模器与基于图形的功能建模系统结合起来，提供一个平台，将设计的功能描述转换为构成潜在设计解决方案的组件的实体模型。 功能驱动的，分层设计算法与优化模式，将开发转换到一个功能可行的和物理有效的设计的整个空间的设计的初始功能描述。 将提出并测试识别紧急功能和功能共享机会的支持算法。 该奖项还资助了目前研究生水平课程的扩展，机械设计形式主义，新的模块研究创造性的设计方法，以回答这个问题，“一种设计方法比另一种更具创造性？”。 形式主义课程的本科版本将在该奖项的第二年提供。 除了课程外，该奖项还资助了一个本科生研究项目的继续，以开发一个机械设计学习工具，目标是三年级到六年级的学生。 通过一个可视化的界面，学生将操纵代表简单的机械部件的图标，以解决像“创建一个滚动的车”的问题。 该工具将以动画序列为特色，说明通过正确的图标操作发现的机械概念。 成功的生成式设计工具将帮助设计人员完成日常工作，或者在更具交互性的基础上完成具有挑战性的设计任务。 他们的设计解释技术可用于保存公司的设计知识，这对于以地理上分散的设计团队和无纸化设计数据库为特征的设计环境来说是一个重要目标。生成式设计工具的影响将超出有经验的设计师的使用范围。 它们是新手设计师的培训工具和工程专业学生在设计课上的工具。 生成式设计工具还体现了必要的基本原则，适合小学生学习机械工程概念的设计学习工具的建设。 拟议的工作的影响将进入大学课堂，最终为所有年龄段的学生提供设计学习工具，让他们在大学预科和大学年龄段从事工程研究。

This CAREER award provides funding for the creation of a prototype generative designer assistance tool that combines a function-based generation strategy with the geometric modeling capabilities of today's computer-aided design systems. The prototype tool will integrate an existing boundary solid modeler with a graph-based function modeling system, providing a platform for the transformation of a functional description of a design into a solid model of the components that comprise a potential design solution. Function-driven, hierarchical design algorithms with optimization modes, will be developed to transform an initial functional description of a design into an entire space of functionally feasible and physically valid designs. A supporting algorithm to recognizing emergent functions and function sharing opportunities will be proposed and tested. This award also funds the expansion of a current graduate-level course, Mechanical Design Formalisms, with new modules examining creative design methods to answer the question, `Is one design method more creative than another?`. An undergraduate version of the Formalisms course will be offered in Year Two of the award. In addition to coursework, this award fund the continuation of an undergraduate research project to develop a Mechanical Design Learning Tool, targeting students in grades three through six. Through a visual interface, students will manipulate icons representing simple mechanical components in order to solve problems like `create a rolling cart`. The tool will feature animation sequences that illustrate the mechanical concept discovered by correct icon manipulation. Successful generative design tools will assist designers in completing routine or, on a more interactive basis, challenging design tasks. Their design interpretation techniques can be used to preserve a company's design knowledge, a significant goal for a design environment characterized by geographically dispersed design teams and paperless design databases. Generative design tools will have impact beyond use by experienced designers. They are training tools for novice designers and tools for engineering students in design classes. Generative design tools also embody the foundational principles necessary for building design learning tools suitable to engage elementary students in learning mechanical engineering concepts. The proposed work's impact will reach into the university classroom, eventually providing design learning tools to students of all ages, engaging them in engineering pursuits at pre-college and college ages.