Representation on tacit knowledge in production design support systems

How to improve intellectual productivity of design business is a pressing problem need to solve in manufacturing as one of onsite items. Experts who have design knowledge, job experience and knowhow play important role to continuing enterprises in design business of manufacturing. The legend problem about design knowledge, technology and skill attracts attention recently, especially in a background of the mass retirement of baby boom generation. As an attempt of solving the problem, we proposed the concept of design space and assembly structure for design knowledge representation and design problem modeling. In this paper, the knowledge representation on assembling sequence and butt-joint operation is our focus of discussion which aims to construct the related knowledge based design support systems.