Newsgroups: comp.ai
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!cornellcs!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!portc01.blue.aol.com!newsxfer3.itd.umich.edu!agate!nntpfeed.doc.ic.ac.uk!sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk!nntp0.brunel.ac.uk!strath-cs!dcl-cs!usenet
From: Jonny Carlos da Silva <jonny@comp.lancs.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Research on Training Knowledge Engineers
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
To: CARLOS.HERBANE@Sunderland.Ac.UK
Message-ID: <33007BAF.63BE@comp.lancs.ac.uk>
Sender: usenet@comp.lancs.ac.uk
Nntp-Posting-Host: engc45.comp.lancs.ac.uk
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Organization: EDC- Lancaster University
References: <5df1m4$iom@orac.sunderland.ac.uk>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 14:01:19 GMT
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0 (Win95; I)
Lines: 369

Hi Carlos,

Presently, I am working at the Engineering Design Centre- Lancaster
University, as a Visiting Scholar from the Federal University of Santa
Catarina, Brazil, in which I am also lecturer at Mech. Eng.
Department. =


This work corresponds to my doctorate degree thesis, which consits of
the development of an Expert System for Fluid Power Systems Design
focusing on the Concurrent Engineering Aspects.

The system is being developed in CLIPS, it has several modules (see
readme file below), and it is running in Windows (CLIPS 6.0, standard
interface) and UNIX (through a MetaCard Interface).

The greatest issues to be decided now are pointed in the summary
below. Among them the process of knowledge elicitation is, surely, one
of the key issues. Mainly, considering that I will interact with
industrial experts, who not always have the knowledge engineering
background.

I can see a close relation between our areas. Therefore, for your
appreciation, it follows the summary of my proposal presented to the
British Fluid Power Association, on 4th, Feb. as well as the readme file
with a brief explanation of the modules in development.

If you think that it is useful for your research, fell free to contact
me.

Cheers,

Jonny

Engineering Desing Centre- Lancaster University- Lancaster LA1 4YR- UK

Homepage http://www.grante.ufsc.br/jonny/jonny.html

**********************************************************************
Summary of the project objectives presented to British Fluid Power =

Association (BFPA), Technical Commitee, Feb. 04.97

Application of Schemebuilder Environment for
Hydraulic Systems Design Focusing on =

Concurrent Engineering Aspects

Note for BFPA. Main Headings

Introduction
 Schemebuilder is a software tool under development at Lancaster
 University aimed at getting better concept designs faster. In this
 Concurrent Engineering scenario, individuals from different areas in
 the industrial environment (such as, design, manufacturing,
 suppliers, quality control, etc.) interact during the product
 development from the early stages (Conceptual and Preliminary
 Design). =

Those stages are characterised by two important aspects. Firstly, as
stated by practitioners of concurrent or simultaneous engineering, the
decisions taken during these early stages have the greatest impact on
the product life-cycle. Secondly, these stages have the highest level
of information abstraction, since the design evolves from the user
needs and requirements to the system specification.
 Therefore, the main purpose of Concurrent Engineering is to shorten
 the product development time, including design, keeping a better
 quality and avoiding rework in the later stages. The above mentioned
 aspects support the application of computer-based tools, such as
 expert system, to facilitate the interaction among the individuals
 participating in a product design environment.

What is an Expert System?
An Expert System is a computer system which emulates the
decision-making ability of a human expert. The term emulates means
that an expert system is ideally intended to act in all respects like
a human expert. Together with other areas in Artificial Intelligence
(Robotics, Natural Language Processing, Pattern Recognition, Neural
Nets, etc.), expert systems have already proved to be of great value
for research and for industry, with systems such as MYCIN for medical
diagnosis  and PROSPECTOR for mining exploration achieving successful
outcomes among their respective user communities. Despite this
success, not all areas are suited to expert system development. Thus,
the knowledge domain definition is one of the key issues in the early
stages of the development. The following questions help to clarify and
systematise the process of identifying whether there are likely to be
benefits from undertaking the expert system approach.
=B7 When is it Possible?
 There are reliable experts in the chosen domain.
 The experts must be able to explain the task to a beginner
 (non-specialist). The task should be well understood. =


=B7 When is it Justifiable?
 The solution must be valuable.
 The human expert is becoming rare.
 The expert knowledge is needed in different locations or in adverse
conditions.
=B7 When is it Appropriate?
 Symbolic manipulation through rules from experience can be applied.
 Sufficiently difficult to compensate the investment; restricted to be
 manageable; comprehensive to embrace a practical interest.

What would an Expert System look like in this field?
In the design area, an expert system should provide, among other
aspects: =

-Inputs definition according to user needs, including several =

features, such as functional, economical and environmental aspects. =

-Capacity to generate and evaluate alternative solutions to
the same problem. Establishing a methodological framework for the
design process. =

-Links to other computer based systems, such as, simulation and =

database applications, providing a wider range of analysis for the =

designer. =

-In the Concurrent Engineering context, an expert system should have =

an comprehensive knowledge base, with rules from different areas =

involved in the design, such as, cost, maintainability, availability =

and so on. =


All these aspects are being taken into account in the present
development. This explains why the industrial expertise is one of
paramount issues in this project. Further, the design engineer as end
user of the expert system must contribute to its creation from the
earliest stage. In this way the quality of the design provided by the
system assistance will be enhanced.

What is Schemebuilder?
The Lancaster Engineering Design Centre (EDC) primary focus is a
knowledge-based design environment called Schemebuilder, which is a
comprehensive suite of software tools aimed at supporting the designer
in the rapid development of conceptual product designs.

Why are Expert Systems relevant to the Conceptual Design and first
stage simulation of Fluid Power Systems?

=B7 The hydraulic systems design area has a well established theoretical
foundation. This aspect is important for a pilot-project focusing on
Concurrent Engineering, as well as for Expert System Development. Both
are closely related to the Schemebuilder Project.

=B7 The hydraulic systems are composed of circuits, each having a
specific function, this facilitates the building of functional blocks
and also the application of Object-Oriented Methodology (definition of
Classes-&-Objects, Attributes and Methods).

=B7 Hydraulics is a very broad area covering many fields, including
mobile, machine tools, marine and avionics. Therefore this application
will show the Schemebuilder potential without restricting it.

What is needed to build this Expert System (information, how it is
obtained, how generalised) ?

Due to the complexity involved in developing an Expert System, it is
necessary to establish a very specific knowledge scope application.
For example in the present context, this means to define a relevant
field in hydraulics, e.g.: fork lift machines or excavators, according
to the closest (the nearest and the most interested) companies to be
involved in this process. In this project, the Concurrent Engineering
Focus of which Schemebuilder is a part must demonstrate attractive
tangible benefits to gain the interest of the companies. This project
aims to establish the product functional structure as well as the
design process flow.

Background Questions to Industrial Experts

=B7 What are the time scales in introducing new products, particularly
at the design concept stage and how could they be shortened? =


=B7 What use is made of formal techniques such as DFM, FMEA, QFD and =

how relevant/beneficial are they? =


=B7 In general terms, how is the cost structure of a product determined =

at early stages of design? =


=B7 How and at what stage of design is maintainability considered?

Assessment of Potential Interest
=B7 As an aid to implementing Concurrent Engineering and shortening
time-to-market. =

=B7 As a rapid means of raising and assessing design alternatives. =

=B7 As a means of assisting customers with their decision making =

processes, by making appropriate parts of the system available to =

them.
 =B7 "Technology Credit" in the market place, by being known to
be using Expert System and Artificial Intelligence Systems.

Some Questions to Industrial Experts that can be useful to implement
this Expert System
-How is the Cost-Structure of the products predicted from the early =

stages? =

-What maintainability metrics do you use for the products? And in =

which stage of the design process they are considered? =

-Are you using techniques such as DFM, FMEA, QFD in your current way =

of design? If yes, how are they being applied? If not, Why? =

-Usually, how long does it take to your company to conclude a typical =

design? Is it satisfactory? If not, what is your target, and how do =

you plan to achieve it?

What This Tool will be able to offer to Your Company?
- A marketing opportunity to divulge your products through a
widespread database. =

- Company profile as linked to a high-tech field, such as Artificial =

Intelligence. =

-The tool could be offered to your customers to ease their decision =

making process. =

- It can be used to start up the implementation of Concurrent =

Engineering Aspects in your design process, in case it has not been =

adopted, or to increment its application.

**********************************************************************
Readme File =

This file contains the files descriptions that are  necessary to run the
CLIPS applications.

Filter string	Definition		What do they have?
*.clp		CLIPS FILES	Functions, classes, variables, rules, etc. =

                                                         in clips
syntax.
*.bat		CLIPS BATCH FILES	A sequence of clips commands to run an
                                                                    =

application. =

*.dat		CLIPS FACT BASES	A list of fact that can be
                                                                   =

dynamically loaded
                                                         and updated in
an application.

File Descriptions:

1)h_interf.clp
It contains general purpose interface functions (such as,
ask_question, u_print, and so on), this file is presented in the
begining of each batch file. The aim of this file is to include all
clips interface functions in only ONE file, which can (should) be
developed for different interface systems or platforms (C++, MetaCard,
etc.).

2)h_fmea.clp
  This module allows some insights into the Failure Mode Effect
  Analysis.    It is a powerful analysis methodology, generally used
  for problem diagonis.   However, in a Concurrent Engineering
  Approach, the maintenance issues must be   considered in the
  earliest design stages.     This module deals with three concepts:  =

  Effect- the operation malfunction which describes the problem.  =

  Source- the hydraulic component or element which is related to the
  problem.   Cause - the process or reason that explains the problem. =

      =



3)h_oil.clp
 In this module, the idea is to present to the user two different
 approachs.    The first is a presentation module, in which different
 fluids, with the descriptions, are presented to the user, to a user
 guided selection.    The next option is to enter with some key words,
 like fire or wear, and the system will search for a more appropriate
 fluid.      =

        1- User guided selection.   =

        2- Key Words selection.   =


4)adviser.clp
 This module emulates the learning capacity.    =

 It allows to access a knowledge base of Design Concepts,   =

 which can be dynamically updated WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTION.     =

 It deals with the following terms:   =

         Concept- any idea, principle, or axiom related to the Design
         Process.   Area- this specifies the field or phase, to which
         one concept is related.   =

               For example: conceptual, manufacture, modelling, cost,
               etc..    =

         Name- how a concept is identified, i.e.: working principle,
         function, scheme, etc. Advice- how a concept can be applied
         in some design activity.   Description- the formal definition
         of a concept.   Reference- the bibliographical source or your
         registration of a concept.  =



5)h_scheme.bat
 This batch file has the sequence of commands to run the main system =

directly related to the SCHEMEBUILDER project. For while, this system =

does not integrate the previous files 2, 3 and 4, which run =

independently from the main system.

       The system has the following phases:    =

       1- Loads Specification.    =

       2- Circuits Generation.    =

       3- Alternatives Definition.    =

       4- Systems Configuration.    =

       5- Systems Presentation.     =

       6- Dymola Model Generation.    =



Execution Procedure:

 1-Create the directory: d:\clips
 2-Copy the fact base files (*.dat), the clips files (*.clp) and batch
 files (*.bat) into this directory. Although you can place the batch
 files in a different directory, this is not recommendable.
 3-Run CLIPS.
 4-Go to File, and select the option Load Batch. =

 5-Select a specific file to run.

If you have any problem with this procedure, comments about these
files or suggestions to improve, please email-me>
jonny@comp.lancs.ac.uk
