Jae H. Lee

A Semantic Product Modeling Framework and Its Application to Behavior Evaluation

Supporting different stakeholder viewpoints across the product lifecycle requires semantic richness to represent product-related information and enable multiview engineering simulations. This paper proposes a multilevel product modeling framework enabling stakeholders to define product models and relate them to physical or simulated instances. The framework is defined within the Model-Driven Architecture using the multilevel (data, model, metamodel) approach. The data level represents real-world products, the model level describes models (product models) of real-world products, and the metamodel level describes models of the product models. The metamodel defined in this paper is specialized from a web ontology language enabling product designers to express the semantics of product models in an engineering-friendly way. The interactions between these three levels are described to show how each level in the framework is used in a product engineering context. A product design scenario and user interface for the product metamodel is provided for further understanding of the framework.

Summary of the NIST workshop on sustainable manufacturing: metrics, standards, and infrastructure

This report summarises the presentations, discussions, and recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Workshop ‘Sustainable Manufacturing: Metrics, Standards, and Infrastructure’ held at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, October 13th through October 15th, 2009. The primary objective of this workshop was to bring together experts and various stakeholders to identify and discuss measurement and standards enablers that positively affect the social, economic, environmental, and technological aspects of designing sustainable production processes and products. The workshop was well attended and consisted of thirty presentations organised under five sessions: Two breakout sessions and an industry panel provided a set of recommendations for addressing critical issues in sustainable manufacturing.

Towards a Methodology for Analyzing Sustainability Standards using the Zachman Framework

There exists a multitude of standards and regulations related to sustainability. It is critical to enable users to identify applicable standards across entire lifecycles of products, processes, and services. To synthesize this variety of standards, it is important to analyze them from the information modeling point of view, while incorporating the requirements of various stakeholders. Here, we propose such a multi-perspective approach based on the Zachman framework. Using this approach it is possible to identify gaps and overlaps, harmonize, and develop implementation strategies for sustainability standards. We then introduce our case study results as part of the Sustainability Standards Portal.

Product modeling framework and language for behavior evaluation

Supporting different stakeholder viewpoints across the products entire lifecycle requires semantic richness for representing product related information. This paper proposes a multi-layered product-modeling framework that enables stakeholders to define their product-specific models and relate product-specific models to physical or simulated instances. The framework is defined within the Model-driven Architecture and adapted to the multi-layer approach of the architecture. The data layer represents real world products, the model layer includes models of those products, and the meta-model layer defines the product modeling language. The semantic-based product modeling language described in this paper is specialized from a web ontology language enabling product designers to express the semantics of their product models explicitly and logically in an engineering-friendly way. The interactions between these three layers are described to illustrate how each layer in the framework is used in a product engineering context.

IDENTIFYING THE MATERIAL INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE DECISION MAKING

Materials play a central role in product manufacturing, contributing to each phase of product development in the form of either a component or process material. As the product revolves around materials, so does much of the product information. Material information plays a significant role in the decision making process at any stage of the product life cycle, especially with respect to the sustainability of a product. Material information in the manufacturing stages of a product’s life cycle will relate to the processes used in manufacturing and assembling individual components. The material properties may determine what processes can be used and how these processes should be controlled. To support sustainable manufacturing, the impacts of material choice should be considered during design, when resources are being committed. When comparing material alternatives at design time, it is not as simple as saying one material is “more sustainable” than another. Many different factors determine the sustainability of a product, and each of these factors may be influenced by multiple material properties represented through various information requirements. In order to develop a material information model that can satisfy these information requirements, we need to carefully study the requirements from an information modeling perspective. In this paper, we use activity models to describe design and manufacturing scenarios that rely on the availability of proper material information for sustainability decision making. We will use these models to first define specific scenarios and then to identify the types of material information that is typically required in these scenarios, and collect and categorize key concepts. Based on this study, we will make recommendations that will aid the development of a useful material information model for sustainable decision making.