Applications of the Theory of Technical Systems: Experiences from the ‘Copenhagen School’

This paper uses the development and applications of Hubka’s Theory of Technical Systems (TTS) at DTU as an example of the power of the theory, the necessity of detailing and fitting the theory, and the role of a theory as a basis for research.At the same time the paper is a balance of the influence of Vladimir Hubka and a short historical sketch of the incidental nature of our group’s introduction to Vladimir Hubka, which led to life long cooperation and academic development.

Results have been obtained in the areas of DFX, workbench-based design, mechatronics, product development, and multi-product development. Across all these areas we have created a version of TTS with substantial applicability and coherence. This article does not show details on all of the research projects (which may be found in the literature), but it shows directions taken from Hubka’s TTS and the contributions made in academia and through industrially applied research.