Selection of Knowledge-based Engineering Design Applications

The adoption of knowledge-based systems (KBS) technology into engineering design presents a massive opportunity to companies in search of new ways to improve their product introduction process (PIP). However, past experience has shown that such promise has not been realized in the adoption of expert systems technology. The failure of the introduction of KBS technology under the banner of expert systems can frequently be attributed to the inappropriate selection of suitable applications. Despite these past experiences, history seems poised to repeat itself with the adoption of knowledge-based engineering (KBE) technology within the product development process. Therefore, the ability to identify ‘winner’ applications would be of considerable benefit. This paper outlines the consolidation of past experience relating to KBS development and outlines a method for the selection of suitable KBE design applications.