Form synthesis at early embodiment design stage: A computer-aided method to model preliminary embodiment designs

参数3DCAD软件的使用的不同方面，例如“限定思维”或WIMP用户界面，限制了产品开发者的创造力，并因此限制了初步实施例设计的范围。因此，该软件不代表在早期实施例设计阶段用于形式合成的最佳工具。同时，初步实施例设计的早期计算机辅助创建包含了提高产品质量的巨大潜力。在前置方面，如果几何信息--与手绘草图相反--能够以计算形式获得，那么产品及其功能和质量就可以在设计过程的早期得到保证。基于这种考虑，本项目的研究问题出现了：在产品外观设计的早期阶段，一个计算方法必须看起来像是如何支持产品开发人员的创造性形态设计？一个常用的方法是利用虚拟现实中自然的交互形式。尽管已有旨在集成CAD和VR的研究--特别是在自由形式创作的背景下--但没有注意到通过自然的、基于默示知识的用户界面的交互以及从有效区域和有效实体开始的初步实施设计的形式设计。因此，为期两年的研究项目的中心目标是提供一种通用方法，该方法允许产品开发人员更早地通过VDI 2221步骤5的功能程序在创造性地准备表格设计研究和初步实施例设计时获得计算机支持。该方法包含带有表格设计元素的模块化工具包。这些元素用作创建初步实施例设计的基本构件。对于与虚拟模型的交互，使用用于自然手指交互的现有用户界面。这在弗里德里希-亚历山大-纽伦堡大学机械工程系的研究演示系统“i 3 VR”中得到了应用。为了实现中心目标，有四个分目标是必要的。其中，导出了四个工作包的内容。工作方案和工作包的结构遵循来自Bless和Chakrabarti.的设计研究方法论(DRM)。这项研究项目产生的预期科学发现是计算机辅助方法适用于使用自然交互形式和立体可视化的初步实施设计的形式合成的证据。

Different aspects of the use of parametric 3D CAD software, e. g. "circumscribed thinking" or the WIMP user interface, limit the creativity of the product developer and consequently the scope of the preliminary embodiment designs. Thus the software does not represent an optimal tool for form synthesis at early embodiment design stage. Simultaneously the early, computer-aided creation of preliminary embodiment designs incorporates enormous potential to improve the product quality. In terms of frontloading, the product as well as its functionality and quality could be ensured earlier in the design process, if the geometry information - in contrast to hand-drawn sketches - would be available in a computational form. Based on this consideration the research question of this project emerges: How must a computational method look like to support the product developer in creative form design at early embodiment design stage?A frequently used approach is the utilisation of natural forms of interaction in Virtual Reality. Although research with the objective to integrate CAD and VR – especially in context of freeform creation – exists, no attention is paid to the interaction through natural, tacit knowledge based user interfaces as well as to form design of preliminary embodiment designs starting with effective areas and effective bodies. Therefore the central objective of the two-year research project is to provide a universal method that allows an earlier computer support of the product developer in the creative preparation of form design studies and preliminary embodiment designs through a functional procedure in terms of VDI 2221 Step 5. The method contains a modular kit with form design elements. These elements serve as basic building blocks for the creation of preliminary embodiment designs. For the interaction with virtual models, an existing user interface for natural finger interaction is used. This was implemented in the research demonstration system "i 3 VR" at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. In order to achieve the central objective, four sub-objectives are necessary. Thereof the content of the four work packages is derived. The structure of the work programme and work packages follows the Design Research Methodology (DRM) from Blessing and Chakrabarti.The expected scientific finding resulting from this research project is evidence about the suitability of a computer-aided method for form synthesis of preliminary embodiment designs using natural forms of interaction and stereoscopic visualisation.