A space layout design model for concept generation using Function-based spatial planning and structure dynamic deployment

Concept design plays a critical role in product design, aiming to create conceptual schemes that satisfy various constraints. Among them, configuring the functions and structures that meet the user requirements and determining their spatial relationship is a necessary part of generating schemes. While existing methodologies of function and structure solution have been advanced recently, how to avoid overlap and interference in the space of functions and structures when generating schemes so as to maximize the use of the workspace and achieve the functionality of the product remains challenging. To address this issue, a space layout design model for concept generation using function-based spatial planning and structure dynamic deployment is proposed in this study. In the functional analysis phase, a function-based spatial zoning model is created for the functions, and establishing mappings for the spatial relationships and the zones in the space to generate the layout solution by extending and integrating zoned space. After generating conceptual structure, coordinate transformation based position deployment and trajectory analysis based motion space deployment methods are used to deploy spatial layout of the structures. A case study of a machine for electrical insulator detection that includes the integration and interaction of multiple components in space is introduced to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model and method.