An Expert System Application CombiningDisparate Software To Form An IntegratedPressure Vessel Design System

Over the past decade or so, the digital computer has enjoyed an ever increasing role in the field of engineering design. Software packages developed for the designer are now abundant and have succeeded in automating certain aspects of the design process. They range from draughting packages which are run on personal computers to finite element analysis suites which require more powerful workstations to be run realistically. These systems, however, do little to support conceptual design. They have been developed in isolation and hence seldom provide facilities to allow outside communication, and even then at a low level. This paper describes a knowledge based system for the design of pressure vessels. In particular, it reports on the incorporation of, additionally, a finite element analysis package, which is automatically driven by an expert system shell. The expert system provides communication between the "islands of automation" which exist as disparate design packages and in doing so creates a framework for concurrent design of pressure vessels.