Using behavioral modeling technology to capture designer's intent

Ever since the introduction of geometric modeling technology in computer-aided design (CAD) systems, engineering designers have been able to speed up the design process and improve the design quality as well as collaborate on a design project with co-designers seated in different parts of the world. One of the recent emergences in the field of CAD tools is that of behavioral modeling (BM). It extends the capabilities of existing solid modeling applications by capturing the designer's knowledge in the computer model(s) of a design. It also assists the designer by iteratively checking model variances against designer specified constraints and goals so as to arrive at an optimum design during a reasonably short span of time. This article discusses the characteristics of its applications in a number of CAD systems. Some of the common characteristics include working within, or in conjunction with, 3D models and using behavioral features to embed design knowledge in a model. In the case of some high-end solid modelers, BM functionality has been combined with knowledge based engineering techniques.