An Interdisciplinary Framework for the Design and Life Prediction of Engineering Systems

This paper is constructed on the assumption that innovation in systems of the future would depend on how the synergies among various disciplines can be exploited and implemented in design strategies. A framework that can serve this purpose is presented; it is based on the concept that an “end-user” system can be partitioned into subsystems and linking variables. The subsystems generally lie along traditional disciplines, e.g., materials science, mechanical engineering, manufacturing etc. The linking variables serve as the vehicle for multidimensional coupling among the subsystems. System level design and life prediction is carried out in the linking variable space (LVS). The potential for this framework is illustrated by applying it to the design and life prediction of the light bulb. This example serves to illustrate how the design regime is created in LVS by overlaying the results from engineering design and materials science subsystems. The linking variables also define the pathway for assessing the influence of the critical parameters residing within each subsystem, on the overall variability in the life of the light bulb. In this way it becomes possible to understand how much the uncertainties from each of the subfields contribute to the overall uncertainty of the system. [S0094-4289(00)01803-X]