Decomposition and Representation Methods in Mechanical Design

The broad interest in concurrent engineering has inspired research in the area of decomposition in mechanical design. Much of the research reported in the literature falls into one of three categories: (1) product decomposition, (2) problem decomposition, or (3) process decomposition. This paper provides a detailed discussion of the typology of decomposition in mechanical design. Related work is described and examples are provided to illustrate the need for decomposition of products, problems, and processes in design. Representation techniques and methodologies for decomposition are outlined. Finally, future research issues in decomposition in mechanical design are identified.