Formal Engineering Design Synthesis

This book reviews developments in formal design synthesis methods, illustrated with several representative design projects.

Erik K. Antonsson (Edited by), Jonathan Cagan (Edited by)

9780521017756, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 29 September 2005

500 pages, 188 b/w illus. 18 tables
25.4 x 17.8 x 2.6 cm, 0.866 kg

'Formal Engineering Design Synthesis celebrates the sheer intellectual pleasure of design. Through rigour in theory and daring in application the articles in this book present an inspiring guide to state-of-the-art research.' Environment and Planning B: Planning and 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.

Subject Areas: Computer-aided design [CAD UGC], Mechanical engineering & materials [TG], Technical design [TBD]