Fuzzy agent-based approach for consensual design synthesis in product configuration

The agent paradigm can be quite straightforwardly applied to handle complex uncertain problems where global knowledge is inherently distributed and shared by a number of agents, aiming to achieve a consensual solution in a collaborative way. In this context, the use of fuzzy agents, which implement design activity by means of fuzzy logic, is highly recommended due to the uncertain nature of design activity and design problems. In this paper, fuzzy agents are proposed to seek consensus in product configuration. This research set out to take a holistic view of the design for configurations and to integrate the consensus seeking in product configuration. A formal model based on the fuzzy set theory is used to represent the consensus. To define measures for consensus evaluation the concepts of intra and inter consensus design coefficients are also used. Consensual configuration, defined as consensus nucleus of configurations, emerges as the part or the fragment of configurations which receives the maximum degree of consensus. In the world of agents, the proposed approach considers consensus as the overlapping of perspectives of fuzzy agents. Fuzzy agents, their interactions and organizations are formalized and modeled to support this holistic view of designs for configurations.