Knowledge-based Engineering
Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is an engineering in product development technology wherein the knowledge of the engineered product and its design process is captured and embedded into a software system (known as KBE system).
The KBE system includes the use of this software system in the design and development of similar new products.
It is the product-specific generic engineering knowledge that is captured and represented as the product model within the KBE system (suite of KBE applications).
These KBE applications are then used by the designers to generate a new but similar product design for a new set of input specifications.
In fact, these KBE applications can be re-used again and again to generate many new but similar product designs.
Engineering knowledge comprises of the product knowledge and the knowledge of the process of designing the product.
Irrespective of the input specification, the knowledge portion remains the same, and this knowledge is applied to generate specific product design data for a given input specification.
The input for any product development comprises of specific values of product specifications such as size, performance, cost, appearance, etc.
The output typically comprises of 3D part models, 3D assembly models, part drawings, assembly drawings, installation drawings, bills of material, etc; and these outputs depend on the values of the input specification.
The knowledge component comprises of the rules, constraints, guidelines, standards, design methodologies, etc.