Algorithmic Foundations for Consistency-checking of Interaction-states of Mechatronic Systems

1 Corresponding Author ABSTRACT In order to reduce product development time, we need software tools that can perform automated validation of the proposed design concepts. These tools will ensure that only valid design concepts are transferred to the detailed design stage for further development. This paper provides a step towards the automated validation of proposed design concepts. We define the problem of consistency-checking of interactionstates as a key step in the design concept validation. We present a polynomial time algorithm for solving the interaction consistency-checking problem. We also present an algorithm for analyzing inconsistent interaction-states and identifying the inconsistent interactions. We believe that the framework described in this paper will provide the underlying foundations for constructing the next generation software tools for conceptual design of complex mechatronic systems.