A Nonparametric Evaluation of SysML-based Mechatronic Conceptual Design

Abstract

Mechatronic technologies are used in a wide range of industries, from aerospace to automotive, man-ufacturing and even to personal devices, such as cd/dvd players. Although their multidisciplinary nature provides great functionalities, it is still one of the substantial challenges which frequently impede their design process. Apart from this problem, an early system design evaluation while adhering to adaptable design requirements is still missing. In this paper we propose a SysML-based method for an Intelli-gent Conceptual Design Evaluation of mechatronic systems, abbreviated as SysDICE. Particularly, we contribute by, firstly, making use of SysML as a common modeling language for the engineering team involved in the design process and secondly, by adopting a widely used, in artificial intelligence, pat-tern recognition tool, namely non-parametric regression, to support a multi-alternative design mechanism, with the aim of attaining the best combination of components ’ alternatives that suits a set of prioritized numerical requirements. To evaluate our framework, we have conducted two design experiments: (1) a two-wheel differential drive robot, and (2) a quad-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle. Results prove how our framework can assist system engineers and support the design process. 1