A Method About the Component Convergence Design For Functional Adaptability
Year: 2015
Editor: Amaresh Chakrabarti, Toshiharu Taura and Yukari Nagai
Author: Yu, Y.-W.; Deng, Y.-M.
Institution: 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
Section: Brief Podium Papers
Page(s): 295-302
ISBN: 978-1-904670-60-5
Abstract
Adaptable-function mechanical systems are versatile in functionalities by replacing some of their structural components, hence are compact and has wider application. Current work on supporting these products design is primarily based on a modular design approach. In this paper, we propose a novel method by exploiting a combination-based design synthesis strategy, by which the existing products can be redesigned into adaptable-function products. Firstly, the similarities of structural components delivering different functions are investigated, from which the applicable component families can be determined. After that, a method called convergence design is proposed to get the sharing components from the component families. Based on these results, the component associated diagram of all relevant individual products are subsequently reconfigured to generate the concept scheme of the desired adaptablefunction system. At last, an innovative design of a brush with two functions is taken as a design case to illustrate the feasibility of the above concepts and methods.
Keywords: Adaptable-function mechanical system, similarity, component family, convergence design