A DSM-Based Approach to Compare Kinematic Concepts Under Failure Risk: Application to RCBO Mechanism Design

This paper proposes a DSM-based approach to support the comparison of alternative kinematic concepts by explicitly accounting for potential failure-inducing interactions. The method is applied to the redesign of a Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCBO) integrating a Differential Trip Indicator (DTI), where three concept variants showed equivalent functional performance but uncertain robustness. A harmonized component mapping enables cross-concept comparability, after which kinematic joints are clustered and weighted according to their interaction type and associated failure likelihood. The resulting weighted DSMs provide aggregated indicators of interaction complexity, which are further integrated with a probability–severity risk model. Results highlight how differences in joint configuration and interaction density influence robustness, enabling the identification of the most reliable concept. The study demonstrates how DSM can effectively support early-stage concept selection in safety-critical mechanisms.