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International Conference on Mathematical Modeling and Scientific Computing
April 2-6, 2001
Middle East Technical University and Selcuk University
Ankara and Konya, Turkey

Organizers
F. Bornemann (Munich University of Tecnology, Germany), H. Bulgak (Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey), V. Ganzha (Munich University of Technology, Germany), B. Karasozen (METU, Ankara, Turkey), A. Sinan (Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey), C. Zenger (Munich University of Technology, Germany)

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Mechatronic Design Artifact Modeling
by
Meltem Korkmazel
Mechanical Engineering Department, METU, Ankara, Turkey
Coauthors: Zuhal Erden (Industrial Engineering Department, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey), Abdulkadir Erden (Mechanical Engineering Department, METU, Ankara, Turkey)

Mechatronic systems are composed of various interrelated components, which are operating on different physical principles and are integrated into a single system to satisfy a design need. The physical components of a mechatronic system must be selected and integrated such that they can communicate with each other to perform these functions properly. The present study introduces a design inference network model based on the Petri-Net theory, namely PNDN, and the underlying mathematical formulation of this model. The first step in functional representation of engineering systems is the creation of a functional design tree. Functional design tree is a functional decomposition hierarchy involving sub functions of engineering systems at various levels of resolution. Sub functions of an engineering system interact with each other through the flow of energy, material and information. In the conceptual phase of design, the flow of information within the system is dominant. The developed model, PNDN, represents this information flow and function execution by means of Petri Net theory. Environmental Information Mediums (EIMs) are environmental state spaces (modeled environments) representing what kind of environmental information should be collected and processed during the operation of the engineering system to be designed and they are represented by Places of the PNDN. Transitions of the PNDN are defined as the Functional Cells (FCs) at the first decomposition level because FCs have certain functionality through manipulating the information existing in Places. Availability of information in the Places of the PNDN is represented by Tokens. Token flow in the PNDN represents states of the system in terms of its functions. When tokens are deposited in Places, which illustrate the initial conditions, the network represents the initial functional state of the system. As token flow proceeds, successive states of the system can be observed. Token flow is accomplished through the following rules: 1. If there is a token in every input Place of a Functional Cell Transition, this Transition fires which means that the sub function represented by the Transition is executed. 2. When a Functional Cell Transition fires, one token is consumed from every input Place and one token is added to every output Place of that Transition. 3. If the Transition to be fired is a PF, then one token is consumed from every input Place and one token is added to one of its output Places that are the environmental information medium alternatives. 4. If there are tokens in some environmental information medium alternatives when a Functional Cell Transition fires, these tokens are no more valid. The functional mechatronic design inference model is developed using network architecture as it has the advantage of representing all the functions and their interrelationships in a decentralized fashion. The modeling layout of the design inference network approach is based on the Petri Net theory. Petri Net architecture has been selected because it provides the representation of functions as transitions, information mediums as places and information flow as token flow. Petri Nets can represent causal dependencies and independencies explicitly. Through macro nodes, systems may be represented at different levels of abstraction without having to change the description language.

http://design.me.metu.edu.tr/korkmazel/

Date received: February 23, 2001

Copyright © 2001 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # cagk-82.