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Engineering material selection intensively depends on domain knowledge. In the face of the large number and wide variety of engineering materials, it is very necessary to research and develop an open, shared, and scalable knowledge framework for implementing domain-oriented and knowledge-based material selection. In this paper, the fundamental concepts and relationships involved in all aspects of material selection are analyzed in detail. A novel ontology-based knowledge framework is presented. The ontology-based Semantic Web technology is introduced into the semantic representation of material selection knowledge. The implicit material selection knowledge is represented as a set of labeled instances and RDF instance graphs in terms of the concept model, which provides a formal approach to organizing the captured material selection knowledge. A knowledge retrieval and reasoning approach integrating ontology concepts, instances, knowledge rules, and semantic queries encoded with Query-enhanced Web Rule Language (SQWRL) is proposed. The presented knowledge framework can provide powerful knowledge services for material selection. Finally, based on this knowledge framework, a case study on constructing a mold material selection knowledge system is provided. This work is a new attempt to build an open and shared knowledge framework for engineering material selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to complete a life cycle assessment (LCA) study of the product, each activity interacting with the environment during the product life cycle should be given an explicit description, namely an LCA-oriented representation for the product life cycle should be constructed. A complex functional product usually consists of many parts made of different materials and its LCA-oriented life cycle modeling involves many complex semantic relationships. In this paper, a new LCA-oriented and ontology-based semantic representation model and methodology for the product life cycle are proposed. First, the concepts of processes and flows, and the semantic relationships among processes, and between processes and flows are analyzed in detail. The ontology classes of processes and flows are defined using the Web Ontology Language (OWL). Then, an LCA-oriented semantic concept model for the product life cycle is presented. Based on the proposed semantic representation model, all processes, flows, and the relationships among them can be represented as a Resource Description Framework (RDF) graph in which each node is an instance tagged by an ontology class. A formalization of lifecycle processes on flows is provided, which can be encoded with Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) and formed into a knowledge rule base. In addition, a semantic query method for the life cycle inventory of a product is proposed. Finally, an implementation framework and an example of the semantic representation for a ball bearing's life cycle are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Design rationale (DR) is crucial information in product design decision support, design analysis and design reuse. In this paper, based on the Issue-based Information System (IBIS) model, a new ontology-based semantic representation model for DR information; the integrated issue, solution, artifact and argument (ISAA) model; is proposed. The ISAA model introduces the ontology-based semantic representation mode to the DR representation and expands the concept elements of IBIS. The class of concept elements and the semantic relationships among them are defined by Web Ontology Language (OWL). The axioms and rules which are used to reason and analyze DR are defined and encoded with Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL), which enrich the semantic relations defined by OWL. The ISAA model represents the directed graph of IBIS to the Resource Description Framework (RDF) graph and serializes to an RDF/XML document which lays the foundation for retrieving and reasoning semantic information of DR. A semantic annotator integrating with the visual product design model was developed, by which the discrete information of thinking is captured and abstracted to a conceptual representation of the ISAA model. Finally, an example of DR representation for the spring operating mechanism of a high-voltage circuit breaker product is given. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]