EIS Lab homeResearch Snapshots, Accolades, ...Faculty, Staff, Students, and AlumniPapers, Reports, Theses, ...Analysis Theory & Methodology, X-Analysis Integration (XAI), Change Management, Engineering Information Technology, ... Projects, Sponsors, Toolkits, ...Conferences, Workshops, Thesis Presentations, ... Georgia Tech search engineCourses, Tools, Related Organizations, Directions & Locale Guides, ...


    Update in progress ...

XaiTools™ - An X-Analysis Integration Toolkit

XaiTools™ is a second-generation Java-based prototype toolkit for X-analysis integration based on the multi-representation architecture (MRA). It is particularly aimed at design-analysis integration in environments with high diversity (e.g., diversity of parts, analysis discipline, analysis idealization fidelity, design tools, and analysis tools) and for cases where explicit design-analysis associativity is important.

Constrained objects (COBs) are supported in XaiTools™ to address the specific needs of engineering analysis integration. The capabilities of this language include:

  • Various information modeling forms: computable lexical forms, graphical forms, etc. (including STEP EXPRESS)
  • Object constructs: sub/supertypes, inheritance, basic aggregates, multifidelity objects
  • Multidirectionality (I/O change)
  • Wrapping external programs as black box relations

Analysis integration applications of these capabilities include:

  • Implementation of MRA representations as COBs:
    • Analysis building blocks (ABBs)
      • Represents analysis concepts as reusable, modular, adaptable objects
    • Analyzable product models (APMs)
      • Includes multifidelity idealizations & multiple data sources
    • Context-based analysis models (CBAMs - a.k.a. analysis modules and analysis problems)
      • Contains explicit associativity relations with design models & other analyses
    • Solution method modules (SMMs)
      • Supports black box reuse of existing tools (e.g., FEA, IAS functions)
  • Support for synthesis (sizing) and verification (analysis)

The current tool architecture supports:

  • Integration with representative analysis tools: FEA (Ansys), general math (Mathematica)
  • Integration with representative design tools: geometric CAD (CATIA), libraries (materials, fasteners)
  • COB editing and navigation/browsing tools
  • COB-based analysis template libraries
  • Usage of Mathematica as a constraint solver

See EIS Lab Projects for example industrial applications including electronics thermomechanical analysis and aerospace structural analysis.

Contact Information

For further information or assistance, contact one of the following:

  • Miyako Wilson 404-894-0092
  • Andrew Scholand 404-894-8498
  • Russell Peak 404-894-7572
XaiTools™ is a trademark of the Georgia Institute of Technology