A framework for distributed agent-based engineering design support

Concurrent engineering draws together team working and cooperation, with the aim of reducing the need for costly design modifications in the later stages of design and product development. However, the complexities arising in the process of design, in general, defy formal analysis and computational support is required. In providing intelligent computational support for concurrent engineering, a combination of various problem-solving strategies may be required for complex design situations. It is proposed that an appropriate model for such provision is in the form of a set of interacting autonomous intelligent agents, possessing different problem-solving capabilities and differing degrees of intelligence. The requirements for such agent-based design support are discussed and possibilities for its realisation, with the aid of Web technology, in a distributed design environment are explored. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.