Spatial grammar implementation: From theory to useable software

McKay, Alison; Chase, Scott C.; Shea, Kristina; Chau, Hau Hing

doi:10.1017/s0890060412000042

Cited by 40 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Descriptions of concrete applications are less common but do occur, for example, in the shape computation literature (Stiny 2008). However, methods to enable the robust implementation of embedding for use in real-world applications remains an open research issue (McKay et al 2012). The ultimate goal of the research reported in this paper is to explore the use of embedding as a way of allowing engineers to associate multiple design structures with a given design, so that they may be used as and when needed.…”

Section: Underlying Theory For Embeddingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sharing design definitions across product life cycles

et al. 2019

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The research reported in this paper explored the feasibility of embedding multiple design structures into design definitions with a view of sharing design definitions across product life cycles. Two separate case studies using (a) lattice theory and (b) a qualitative data analysis (QDA) software tool were used to illustrate the benefits of embedding. In the first case study, of a robotic arm assembly, lattices in the form of partially ordered sets are used to embed multiple design structures into a given design definition. A software prototype has been built that allows a design bill of materials (BoM) to be extracted from a STEP AP214 file and translated into a lattice that is visualized as a Hasse diagram. This lattice is a sub-lattice of a complete lattice that includes all possible BoM structures for the given collection of component parts in the assembly. New BoM design structures can be defined by selecting the required nodes in the complete lattice and alternative product definitions are then exported as new STEP files. The second case study introduces a collision avoidance robot with associated design structures. It is used to illustrate management of design information using a current technique, design structure matrix (DSM), and compared with how embedding using QDA has the potential to support the establishment of relationships between design structures. Results from these case studies demonstrate that it is feasible to use lattice theory as an underlying formalism and QDA as a means for sharing design definitions.

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Section: Underlying Theory For Embeddingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sharing design definitions across product life cycles

et al. 2019

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“…Computer implementation of shape grammars with shape emergence is challenging (Chase, 2010; McKay et al, 2012; Yue & Krishnamurti, 2013). Five shape grammar implementations that support shape emergence are considered here (Table 1).…”

Section: Background and Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting lattice structures in shape grammar implementations

Chau

McKay

Earl

et al. 2018

AIEDAM

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The ability to work with ambiguity and compute new designs based on both defined and emergent shapes are unique advantages of shape grammars. Realizing these benefits in design practice requires the implementation of general purpose shape grammar interpreters that support: (a) the detection of arbitrary subshapes in arbitrary shapes and (b) the application of shape rules that use these subshapes to create new shapes. The complexity of currently available interpreters results from their combination of shape computation (for subshape detection and the application of rules) with computational geometry (for the geometric operations need to generate new shapes). This paper proposes a shape grammar implementation method for three-dimensional circular arcs represented as rational quadratic Bézier curves based on lattice theory that reduces this complexity by separating steps in a shape computation process from the geometrical operations associated with specific grammars and shapes. The method is demonstrated through application to two well-known shape grammars: Stiny's triangles grammar and Jowers and Earl's trefoil grammar. A prototype computer implementation of an interpreter kernel has been built and its application to both grammars is presented. The use of Bézier curves in three dimensions opens the possibility to extend shape grammar implementations to cover the wider range of applications that are needed before practical implementations for use in real life product design and development processes become feasible.

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“…The first SG interpreter is the one of Gips (1975), and since then several interpreters have been developed to address particular features, namely: subshape recognition (Krishnamurti, 1980), 3D shapes (Earl, 1986), intuitive visual interface (Tapia, 1999), curves (Jowers & Earl, 2011), parametric rules (Grasl & Economou, 2013), and display of design alternatives (Strobbe et al, 2015). However, there is no SG interpreter that fully supports all the features, and some features are clearly underdeveloped, for example, the capability to express descriptions (McKay et al, 2012). These limitations make it difficult to implement a complex SG that requires large amounts of information for domain-specific design tasks (Li, 2002).…”

Section: Sg Implementationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shape grammars as design tools: an implementation of a multipurpose chair grammar

Garcia

Leitão

2018

AIEDAM

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This paper presents a multipurpose chair grammar and its implementation in the design tool ChairDNA. This tool is oriented for the exploration of design alternatives in the early concept phase of the chair design process. This work addresses two shortcomings within the research area of shape grammars (SGs), namely, the lack of implementation of SGs applied to design domains, and the lack of practical applications in real-life design scenarios. To address these problems, a methodology is proposed for the implementation of a SG (more specifically, a set grammar) into a tool, comprising the translation of the grammar into user-interface elements oriented for design practitioners. By using the proposed tool, the user can add/delete chair components and edit shape parameters, while visualizing the effects on a three-dimensional digital model presented in a variety of CAD applications. Compared with other SG implementations, ChairDNA uses an approach that keeps under control the combinatorial explosion of rule applications, which simplifies the use of the tool by designers that do not have experience in SGs. The generative potential of the tool is demonstrated by generating chairs of different types, and its usability and utility in aiding the designer are evaluated by design students and design practitioners.

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Spatial grammar implementation: From theory to useable software

Cited by 40 publications

References 16 publications

Sharing design definitions across product life cycles

Sharing design definitions across product life cycles

Exploiting lattice structures in shape grammar implementations

Shape grammars as design tools: an implementation of a multipurpose chair grammar

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