Behavioral Modeling with Node Matching Algorithm for Conceptual Design

Computer-aided conceptual design of mechatronic products is becoming more and more important since it offers much convenience in design scheme retrieval and enhances the utilization of existing designs. One of the key technologies for computer-aided conceptual design is an efficient search algorithm for retrieving existing designs. As such, it’s necessary to find a feasible way to select the most suitable design out of a number of candidates for further development. By applying behavioral modeling method for representation of conceptual design, this paper proposes a node matching algorithm for searching behavioral model, together with a model similarity evaluation method. Based on these methods, a framework for computer-aided conceptual design is subsequently proposed. Finally, a case study is presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed methodologies.