A Component Taxonomy as a Framework for Computational Design Synthesis

In this paper we present our findings on the development of a taxonomy for electromechanical components. In building this taxonomy, we have two main objectives: First, we strive to establish a framework for future computational tools that archive, search, or reuse component knowledge during the conceptual phase of design. Second, we aim to define a standard vocabulary that derives uniformity and consistency in the representation of electromechanical component space. Through both empirically dissecting existing products and defining categories based on functional analysis, we defined 135 generic component types. The use and necessity of the resulting taxonomy by a suite of computational design tools are illustrated in two applications of conceptual design. [DOI:10.1115/1.3086032]