Advances in computing have resulted in many engineering processes being automated or otherwise computer-aided. Engineering design is one such process. The area of computer-aided design (CAD) emerged to support the design process. Conventional CAD systems are "non-intelligent" systems used to assist the later stages of engineering design, such as analysis and drafting within the detailed design phase. The conceptual design phase is of a different nature. It is qualitative and requires experience and creativity and is therefore not supported by conventional CAD systems. Techniques from the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may however be applied to the conceptual design phase. Using Al methods, Intelligent Computer Aided Design (ICAD) and Design Automation (DA) represent a departure from the routine number processing of design analysis and drafting. ICAD and DA involve the adoption of symbolic representation and reasoning for creative and innovative design conceptualisation. The aim of this work was to develop computer-based techniques to aid the conceptual design process, using the Al approach of Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS). To provide a concrete focus for the research, the developed techniques were applied to the problem of robot gripper design although they could equally be used for other design tasks. Conceptual design was considered from three perspectives. First, it was viewed as a configuration problem. A KBS has been developed to automate the configuring of new design concepts from existing sub-solutions. Second, design was seen as an adaptation problem. Another KBS has been created to achieve automatic retrieval and adaptation of previous design solutions to address new design requirements. Finally, design was regarded as an optimisation problem. A further system was developed to automate the generation of optimum gripping systems that can manipulate different components during assembly tasks.