Hybrid performance quantification model using state space and fuzzy logic for design and manufacturing integratio

Participants within the design and manufacturing process generate and utilize information. Successful management of this information, activities, and participants requires an integrated modeling approach. Although the need for such integration models has been well documented in the literature, previous attempts have not been able to quantify the effects of actions taken during product development. Such quantification assumes the awareness of the state of the product at each point in its development, and thus implies the presence of factors of interest. To increase the likelihood of making the most optimal decisions at each stage in the process, a model which can characterize uncertainties, account for dynamics, and integrate design and manufacturing information is needed. Development of the necessary performance quantification model which captures these qualities is the focus of this research.;The research methodology begins by considering how the activities involved in the creation of manufactured products can be viewed as a series of transformations. From this approach, the connection between the factors of interest and process actions is established. Next, the required mathematical representation for the performance metric is presented. This representation models both types of design and manufacturing uncertainties, possibilistic and probabilistic, and accounts for the dynamic aspect of the system. Having this dynamic representation enables the use of the state space approach, where the factors of interest constitute the state variables. The state space model provides a viable means for the aggregation of process information associated with all participant actions, as well as operator tuning. Finally, a hybrid strategy module, an Enhanced Quality Function Deployment model (EQFD), and revised conceptual design techniques which have been developed are also presented. These components serve as supporting mechanisms which facilitate the analysis and synthesis approach. Results of application of the model to design and manufacturing environment is illustrated.