Title: A driver for selection of functionally inequivalent concepts at varying levels of abstraction

Authors: Sudhakar Teegavarapu, Mark Snider, Joshua D. Summers, Lonny L. Thompson, Mica Grujicic

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0921, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0921, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0921, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0921, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0921, USA

Abstract: Concept selection is a critical step in design, as evidenced by the number of concept selection methods that have been developed to choose between design alternatives. Each of these methods has various limitations as identified by different design researchers. However, limitations that have not yet been identified in the literature are those of abstraction and functionality. A fundamental assumption made with these tools is that the solutions being compared are at the same level of abstraction and are developed to satisfy the same functionality. This paper brings out the need for developing a tool for selecting concepts that are at varying levels of abstraction. A preliminary method is proposed and compared with other industry|s best practice tools, using an automotive design case study.

Keywords: concept selection; functional inequivalence; abstraction levels; process criteria; automotive design; vehicle design; design process; early design stages; design research; conceptual design.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2007.015571

Journal of Design Research, 2007 Vol.6 No.1/2, pp.239 - 259

Published online: 29 Oct 2007 *

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