Theoretical Foundations for Knowledge-Based Conceptual Design of Complex Systems

The theoretical foundations that were developed and validated in a research work in order to the conceptual design systematizing of complex systems or processes, are presented in this paper. From the earliest design stages, two approaches of concurrent engineering, the Initial Specification and Conceptual Design, were integrated, the design for functionality (DFF) and design for environment (DFE). The obtained results are significant and novelty, because they determined the formal and heuristic required knowledge to the conceptual design systematizing. On the other hand, this work defined the nature and architecture of the required prototype software. The proposed foundations were validated on the conceptual design cases of the bulk solids handling and primary processing continuous system due to the obtained solutions with prescribed methodology were satisfactory, it was verified that the development foundations are rights.