Abstract
This paper presents a multi-agent architecture and a supporting data structure suited for the verification of constraints in a mechanical engineering design context. The data structure is composed of three levels, namely an environment level, providing a link to existing mechanical engineering software, an expert level, capturing product requirements and trade knowledge through constraints formulation and finally a product level, dealing with specific products under development. Constraints and models are assigned distinctive attributes, which are then exploited by the agents in their verification strategies, which are rightly termed as constraint or model driven. Multi-agent task planning provides an additional level of optimization for the operation of agents in their mission to check the product against the various constraints throughout the design process.