Management of product design complexity due to epistemic uncertainty via energy flow modelling based on CPM

Integrated product design and development in today's highly competitive and economically challenging world is a complex process depending upon client requirements. One of the main factors contributing to the complexity of process is uncertainty due to lack of system knowledge, known as epistemic uncertainty. This paper proposes a systematic approach to reduce epistemic uncertainty in design process in early stages of design. The approach is based on “CTOC” and “CPM” to decompose the system behaviour and determine the relationships between function and structure of a system. An application of the approach is demonstrated through an industrial case study.