Mechanical System Configuration via Dynamic Equation Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mechanism design in mechanical engineering often involves complex problems with conflicting goals, such as optimizing for weight and durability, and existing methods lack insight into the effectiveness of mechanical system configurations, requiring time-consuming trial and error.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method for determining a mechanical system configuration using dynamic equations, generating a system matrix, and performing parametric optimization to quantify the effectiveness of different configurations based on design objectives.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If trial and error approach is used to select mechanical system configuration, then designers can eventually find a working configuration, but the process is time-consuming and may overlook more effective configurations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of mechanical system configurationVSAvoidtime for mechanism design process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual trial-and-error mechanical design process with an automated computer-implemented system that uses dynamic equations and parametric optimization algorithms to evaluate and compare mechanical system configurations, thereby eliminating time-consuming manual iteration while maintaining design effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service optimization by automatically generating dynamic equations for each mechanical building block, assembling them into system-level equations, and performing parametric optimization without requiring manual intervention from designers, thus resolving the contradiction between thorough evaluation and time consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of manufacture

If kinematic building blocks are used to structure the conceptual phase, then designers can assemble mechanically compatible devices, but the approach provides no insight into the effectiveness of the assembled configuration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructured approach to mechanism designVSAvoidinsight into configuration effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces feedback by automatically generating and solving dynamic equations for each mechanical building block configuration, providing quantitative performance metrics that feed back to the designer for informed decision-making, thus maintaining the structured assembly approach while adding effectiveness evaluation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-generating dynamic equations for each mechanical building block and assembling them into system-level equations before final configuration selection, allowing designers to evaluate multiple configurations with quantitative insights before committing to a final design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If physical attributes of mechanical devices are varied through continuum of different values, then many different configurations can be created, but selection of the most effective configuration becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of possible configurationsVSAvoidcomplexity of configuration selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent systematically varies physical parameters of mechanical devices within continuous ranges and uses parametric optimization to evaluate performance across the configuration space, transforming the complex selection problem into a structured parameter optimization task that can be automatically solved

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual configuration selection with automated computer-based optimization algorithms that efficiently navigate the continuous parameter space, reducing the complexity of selecting from numerous possible configurations while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20250371213A1Techniques for synthesis and parametric optimization of mechanical systems

Publication Date: 2025.12.04 AUTODESK INC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for selecting a configuration of a mechanical system that includes a plurality of mechanical building blocks, the method comprising: determining a set of dynamic equations for the mechanical system, wherein each dynamic equation included in the set of dynamic equations corresponds to one mechanical building block included in the plurality of mechanical building blocks; generating a system matrix for the mechanical system based on the set of dynamic equations; and generating a set of parametric values for the set of dynamic equations via parametric optimization, wherein the set of parametric values is associated with a specific configuration of the mechanical system.