Large-scale, high-quality data sets are central to the development of advanced machine learning techniques that increase the effectiveness of existing optimization methods or even inspire novel ones. Especially in the engineering domain, such high-quality data sets are rare due to confidentiality concerns and generation costs, be it computational or manual efforts. We, therefore, introduce the OSU-Honda Automobile Hood Dataset (CarHoods10k), an industry-grade 3-D vehicle hood data set of over 10 000 shapes along with mechanical performance data that were validated against real-world hood designs by industry experts. CarHoods10k offers researchers and practitioners the unique opportunity to develop novel methods on realistic data with relevance to real-world vehicle design. To illustrate central use cases, we first apply methods from geometric deep learning to learn a compact latent representation for design space exploration. Second, we use machine learning models to predict mechanical hood performance from the learned latent representation. We thus demonstrate the effectiveness of machine learning for building metamodels, which are used in design optimization whenever possible to replace costly engineering simulations. Third, we integrate CarHoods10k in a topology optimization approach based on evolutionary algorithms to demonstrate its capability to search for high-performing structures, while maintaining manufacturability constraints.

The recent emergence of object-relational technology into the commercial database market has caused new challenges for the implementation of conceptual database designs. This paper presents our experience with using the Oracle 8 object-relational data model in the implementation of an engineering application described using the EXPRESS conceptual modeling language. EXPRESS is part of the engineering community's Standard for the Exchange of Product Data and can be characterized as a structurally object-oriented modeling language, supporting the notion of entities, entity hierarchies, complex constraints on entity hierarchies, relationships and inverse relationships between entities, and user-defined types. As a result, EXPRESS provides an excellent framework for studying the mapping of conceptual modeling concepts into an object-relational model. In this paper, we describe the way in which the features of EXPRESS can be mapped into object-relational features such as object tables, object references, and nested tables. We also describe the manner in which features such as member functions on object types, triggers, and stored procedures can be used to support the implementation of constraints associated with a conceptual schema. Although the mappings presented are specific to EXPRESS and Oracle 8, the mappings are generalizable to conceptual modeling languages and object-relational models with similar features. Our work defines how traditional mapping concepts must be revised in order to make adequate use of the features now found in object-relational models. As part of this paper, we also compare our mapping approach using Oracle 8 to mapping issues for the PostgreSQL object-relational model and the Objectivity/DB object-oriented data model. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Many computer applications today require some form of distributed computing to allow different software components to communicate. Several different commercial products now exist based on the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) of the Object Management Group. The use of such tools, however, often requires the modification of existing systems, rather than the development of new applications. The objective of this research has been to integrate the use of a CORBA tool into an existing engineering design application for the purpose of (1) evaluating the amount of re-engineering that is involved to effectively integrate distributed object computing into an existing application, and (2) evaluating the use and performance of distributed object computing in an engineering domain, which often requires the transfer of large amounts of information. The results of this work demonstrate that CORBA technology can be easily integrated into existing applications. The ease of the integration as well as the efficiency of the resulting system, however, depends upon the degree of modification that developers are willing to consider in the re-engineering process. The most transparent approach to the use of CORBA requires less modification and generally produces less efficient performance. The less transparent approach to the use of CORBA can potentially require significant system modification but produce greater performance gains. This work outlines issues that must be considered for the partitioning of functionality between the client and the server, development of an IDL interface, development of client and server-side wrappers, and support for concurrent, multi-user access. In addition, this work also provides performance and implementation comparisons of different techniques for the use of wrappers and for the transfer of large data files between the client and the server. Performance comparisons for the incorporation of concurrent access are also presented. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This paper describes the communications component of a multidatabase environment for engineering design. The environment uses the STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Data) product model as a global conceptual view of data that exists within CAD tools. The meta data component stores information about the global view of the design and serves as an interface description repository. The communications component then uses the interface description repository to dynamically build operation calls. Interface and operation descriptions can easily be modified and new descriptions can be added to the environment at any time. The flexibility provided by this approach enhances interoperability among the tools of the environment and makes it easy to configure different sets of design tools.>