Author(s)

M.I. Heard, D.G. Elliman, E.K. Burke & R. Brooks

Abstract

Constraint propagation in conceptual engineering design M.I. Heard, D.G. Elliman, E.K. Burke, R. Brooks Department of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 ABSTRACT Engineering problems tend to generate non-linear systems with multi-dimensional solution spaces. Constraint propagation is a technique which allows the designer to define that solution space and explore it. This paper describes a new constraint propagation algorithm. The algorithm has been implemented and works quickly and efficiently on many diverse engineering problems. A real, comparatively simple yet nontrivial problem is given as an example and the paper concludes with other applications of the algorithm. INTRODUCTION The design of any engineering product, from a bolt to a bridge, will generate a list of variables and equations relating the variables to one another. The ultimate values of the variables, which may represent attributes as varied as tensi

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