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This documentation relates to version = 3.1
If you are using an earlier version, please view the previous versions of QUAESTOR doc= umentation and select the relevant version.
This is the home of the QUAESTOR Documentation.
On the top level documentation can be found on:
Streamlining your design & engineering proces
Quaestor is a software environment to develop and use knowledge bases co= ntaining computational methods and data. The combination of a knowledge bas= e and Quaestor makes a knowledge-based system. With these systems, you are = able to streamline analysis, design and engineering processes.
Knowledge-based systems in Quaestor enable research, engineering and des= ign departments to simplify the tasks of:
Apart from the above features, Quaestor provides a flexible computationa= l environment that allows:
This makes Quaestor one of the most powerful environments currently avai= lable for the development and use of knowledge-based computational models, = applications and configurators.
Examples of knowledge based systems developed in this way:
DeSIS is a conceptual ship design configurator of the Royal Netherlands = Navy managing the ship design workflow, using propriety knowledge in additi= on to third party tools and knowledge such as Rhinoceros for geometry infor= mation and MARIN=E2=80=99s DESP for speed-power predictions. It supports th= e design process by creating and analysing concepts and the generation of d= esign documents.
Figure 1: Screenshot of DeSIS 3 together with a created concept show= n in Rhinoceros
The propeller design tool at Van Voorden Gieterij (VVG) offers an integr= ated route from quotation, propeller design to production preparations base= d on existing knowledge and tools. The KOASknowledge system has reduced tim= e-to-market in design and engineering by about 60 percent. Moreover, the nu= mber of propeller corrections after production has been reduced by half.
This is a pipe/module transport configurator for Heerema Marine Contract= ors. It streamlines their engineering process, including analysis with thei= r in-house rules, spreadsheets and analysis software, generation of 3D sket= ches in MicroStation and creation of documents for in-house quality assuran= ce and communication with other departments and their clients.
Figure 2: Screenshot of QTRANS together with one of the spreadsheets= used during the process
Quaestor is used in three ways, depending on your personal requirements = and user license:
A Knowledge Engineer (KE) can store computational model fragments in a k=
nowledge base. These fragments consist of relationships, formulas or tools =
with their validity, static data, descriptions, optional illustrations, pro=
perties and parameters. Since the output of one model fragment can be input=
for another, all components together form an undirected
network of 'rules'. This network controls the data and calculation manageme=
nt capabilities of the system. In addition, a KE can create a Taxonomy of a=
process or product. This is the blue print (or DNA) of the
process or product. In this way, the KE is able to use the workflow capa=
bilities of the system. It enables the KE to fully define the steps and wor=
kflow of an analysis, design or engineering process without losing the powe=
r of the Quaestor model assembly capabilities. All parameters, relations, c=
onnections to other programs etc. can be fully described in
text, illustrations and hyperlinks to further background information. In th=
is way by developing knowledge bases, you can manage all your knowledge abo=
ut methods and processes used in your environment. Quaestor applies an adva=
nced bi-directional reasoning strategy, computer algebra as well as network=
and relational database concepts. It offers a rich knowledge management en=
vironment and is able to invoke external executable programs, spreadsheets =
and databases.
Figure 3: System architecture
A Domain Expert (DE) and KE can use knowledge bases (network of model fr= agments). They are able to determine or optimise any parameter used in any = of the available formulas or model components (knowledge). This process is = called Model Assembling, it is the =E2=80=9Cclassical=E2=80=9D use of the k= nowledge-based system and will result in a Solution. Model assembly starts = with the selection of one or more parameters as top goal(s). The user provi= des the input data and makes the choices required to solve a problem in a d= ialogue session.
Formulas or methods are suggested and the user is prompted for input val= ues of parameters applied in the proposed relations. Quaestor will attempt = to compute any value that is required and not provided as input by searchin= g for suitable model fragments available in the knowledge base. By either a= ccepting or rejecting suggestions, the user selects rules and thus fully co= ntrols the way the top goal(s) is (are) achieved and a model is assembled. = Note that the knowledge and relations in the knowledge base determine the p= rocess order. Although a very powerful asset of Quaestor, it might sometime= s request unexpected information. For this reason the Taxonomy/Entity (T/E)= concept is introduced. In addition to the above classical use, users can s= tart a configuration process based on this structure. The structure uses th= e same characteristics as described above. The difference is that you can e= ither follow the order as defined in the taxonomy or go through the tree in= any sequence you want. Quaestor will manage and communicate about parts of= the process that require information or should be (re)calculated to finali= se your process or product. The result is called a Taxonomy Solution. Power= ful document generation and browser facilities are available to present res= ults, to get information on intermediate calculations, on the state of the = reasoning process and knowledge used in the solution.
Any modelling process results in a solution. This solution can be viewed=
in every detail defined by the KE and can also be restarted using new inpu=
t. Users can always select the =E2=80=98standard=E2=80=99 solutions created=
during the model development that will act very much like normal applicati=
ons. End Users can only restart Taxonomy Solutions as long as nothing is
changed in the structure of the solution. Please note that in addition to p=
roviding single values for parameters, the user can provide ranges of value=
s for several parameters. This makes it possible to compute matrices of par=
ameter variations to perform trade-off studies or to check the robustness o=
f solutions.
The software is purchased with an annual, non-exclusive, nontransferable= , user license. A demo version of Quaestor is available for free. This vers= ion provides full user rights up to 100 frames per
knowledge base (i.e. 100 parameters, relations and constraints in all). = The fee for an annual user license will depend on the user mode of the soft= ware (A) (stand-alone or concurrent use) and the user level (B) (End-User, = Domain Expert, Knowledge Engineer).
A. The user mode:
B. For each user modus you have three user levels:
Please visit our website for examples, news and downloads.
Also feel free to visit the Quaestor user community: www.quaestor.org<= /a> for any technical information.
For more information please contact the department Maritime
Simulation & Software Group;
T +31 317 493 237
E =
msg@marin.nl