Ontological Knowledge Capture for the Design of Ultra-Precision Hydrostatic Guideways Based on Imaginal Thinking

Aiming at the complex mechatronic design of ultra-precision grinding machine, especially its key component -- the ultra-precision hydrostatic guideways system, this paper proposed a design knowledge capture method based on ontology, which helps create a consensual knowledge model as well as the database of hydrostatic guideways. Based on the imaginal thinking theory, the search process and the results are attempted to be presented in the form of image in order to fit human's customary intuitive thinking frame, facilitating the decision making process. Moreover, the epistemological descriptions toward the design parameters of the hydrostatic guideways are provided to specify the corresponding design principles. Finally, our design of hydrostatic guideways in an ultra-precision grinding machine is used to exemplify the effectiveness of the method.