Virtual genes of manufacturing products and their reforms for product innovative design

Abstract

Since the development of manufacturing products is very similar to the evolution of living beings, genetic engineering techniques have been applied by the present authors to develop a bionic design theory and methodology for product innovation. This design method is totally different from the conventional method and innovates products via the reform of virtual genes of products. It provides a logically structured method, which can reduce blindness to innovation and can even clone a product with the aid of advanced computer aided design/computer aided manufacture technology. Since products have no physical chromosomes and genes, their virtual chromosomes must be disclosed, and their virtual genes must be identified from their virtual chromosomes so that the related genes can be reformed for product innovation. The method for deducing the virtual chromosomes has been initiated by the authors. This paper defines virtual genes, develops the methods for identifying virtual genes from their virtual chromosome, creating virtual genome maps and deriving mapping networks between the virtual genes and the performances of a product, and develops the method for reforming virtual genes for product innovation using genetic engineering techniques. As an example, the virtual genes of an engine lathe and their reform are introduced according to the theory and methodology developed in the paper. © IMechE 2004.