Human-centric Product Conceptual Design Model and Its Feedback-based Co-evolution Method

Abstract In the context of Industry 5.0, more emphasis is placed on human-centric smart manufacturing patterns. Product design is a vital phase of smart manufacturing, involving user engagement is an essential factor in enhancing design quality and fostering innovation. With user involvement in-depth, dynamically changing user requirements and feedback bring new problems to the design process, and the traditional linear solving process cannot perceive such variations timely, which causes hysteresis in the solution. The design solution's hysteresis affects the consensus achievement process between the designer and user, further prolonging the iteration cycle. To address this issue, a human-centric product conceptual design model is proposed for the timely translation of such variations into design solutions. In this model, design problems are formed by centering on user requirements, designer and user collaboratively solve the problems to form design solutions. Through a cycle of problem-driven, knowledge-supported, and solution evaluation, new problems are solved promptly to achieve progressive solution convergence, which clarifies the iterative evolution process and improves iterative efficiency. To verify the effectiveness of the model, a natural gas well foaming agent automatic filling device design is presented.