Artifact System (AS) framework: a study of the coevolution of technological artifacts

Rahul Rai; Venkat Allada

doi:10.1117/12.417269

Abstract

The paper attempts to lay a foundation to understand and address the system level issues of sustainable product development. It is often emphasized that creating products on the basis of function/need and redefining product systems are the most important aspects of sustainable product development; however, no systematic approaches exist to adequately address these issues. We hypothesize that it is the epigenetic effect of artifact (interactions with other artifacts, environment, etc.) that produces a web structure among artifacts. This web structure (known as artifact system (AS)) has its own laws and rules of evolution. Appropriate design and realization of AS (i.e., constructive intervention of AS’s laws) will significantly promote sustainable product development. Specifically this paper addresses two issues: (1) The development of AS and discussion about how it is related to sustainable product development, and (2) A simulation model to study the distribution of artifact in AS and its implications on sustainable product development. The simulation methodology is elaborated through an example to emphasize the importance of AS framework to study sustainable product development. Finally, our preliminary results of simulation indicate that in every AS only few artifacts are dominant. This result points out that controlling the behavior of these dominant artifacts should be the prime focus of the sustainable product development efforts.

Citation Download Citation

Rahul Rai, Rahul Rai, Venkat Allada, Venkat Allada, } "Artifact System (AS) framework: a study of the coevolution of technological artifacts", Proc. SPIE 4193, Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing, (9 February 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.417269; https://doi.org/10.1117/12.417269

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