A computational approach for the optimal conceptual design synthesis based on the distributed resource environment

Optimal conceptual design synthesis is the very starting and key phase in the product design. Its result is the optimal alternative in the solution space, and will be further completed and improved into the final product design scheme in the next detailed design works. With the progress of the Internet technology, a large number of design resources actually construct an increasingly growing distributed resource environment. If these rich resources can be fully introduced into the optimal conceptual design synthesis, the design efficiency and product innovation will be promoted largely. Therefore, a computational approach was proposed for the optimal conceptual design synthesis based on the distributed resource environment. In this approach, the distributed resource environment is modelled as a set of numerous functional units (FUs), and the optimal conceptual design synthesis is concluded into a process of generating the optimal objective FU chain. Here, the main workload is completed by a proposed computer algorithm. To prove the feasibility of this approach, a computer programme called Optimal Conceptual Design Synthesis System (OCDSS) was established. A garbage-powered lighting system was designed with OCDSS as an illustration.