Knowledge modeling for design decisions

In this paper, we share our experience in modeling and representing design knowledge relevant for engineering design decisions. We define an object model where classes are used to capture design standards and requirements relevant to designed objects. The traditional object model is customized to the representation of design knowledge in two major ways: (1) Classes representing design objects are augmented with design validation information. (2) Associations between classes are made explicit and used to reduce the redundancy and maintain the consistency of the knowledge. We define the semantics of the resulting object model and formulate the axioms that define its consistency. The object model is defined in the context of stamping design knowledge.