A Study on the Design Optimization System Using Knowledge Engineering Method

工程设计被认为是一个结构不良的问题；它不仅缺乏明确的解决算法，而且还缺乏要达到的目标。在这一点上，知识工程有望将设计优化方法扩展到结构不良的设计问题。对在工程设计中引入知识工程进行了研究。1.从知识工程应用的角度，对工程设计过程的特点进行了概括性的探讨。研究发现，设计过程可以分为几个步骤。即1)识别设计需求；2)搜索满足设计需求的设计候选者；3)在设计候选者中评价可接受的设计方案；4)设计优化以确定最优设计方案。基于上述认识，本文采用了知识工程技术与数值优化方法相结合的新设计方法来克服上述不良结构工程设计问题。该概念基于知识工程技术支持设计过程中依赖于设计者经验的解的不明确域，即设计知识，并用数学优化方法解决设计过程中定义明确的域。为验证上述建议的正确性和有效性，开发了船舶动力装置设计的计算机系统。开发的系统不仅作为设计工具，而且作为指导经验不足的设计人员的工具也是有效的。

Engineering design is considered to be an ill-structured problem; it lacks not only well-defined solving algolisums but also goals to be reached. In this point, the knowledge engineering is expected to expand the design optimization method to the ill-structured design problems. An investigation was done to introduce the knowledge engineering to engineering design. The results obtained are summeried as follows:1. Firstly the characteristic of engineering design process is discussed generally from the view point of the application of the knowledge engineering. It is found that the design process can be devided into several steps. Namely, 1) recognition of design needs; 2) search of the design candidates satisfying the design needs; 3) evaluation of the acceptable design solutions among the design candidates; 4) design optimization to determine the optimal design solution.2. Based on the above understanding, the new design method coupling the knowledge engineering technique and the numerical optimization method is adopted to overcome the ill-structured engineering design problem as mentioned above. This concept is based on the idea that the ill-defined domain of design process whose solutions depended on the designer's experiences, i.e., the design knowledge, is supported by the knowledge engineering technique, and the well-defined domain of them is solved by the mathematical optimization method.3. A computer system for the design of marine power plants was developed in order to ascertain validity and effectiveness of the above proposal.4. The developed system was found to be effective not only for the tool of the design but also as the tool of instructing inexperienced designers.