Michel Tollenaere

Product information systems engineering: an approach for building product models by reuse of patterns

Abstract This paper deals with an approach for Product Information Systems (PIS) engineering by reuse of patterns. Patterns form generic solutions to problems frequently occurring during PIS specification and implementation. The pattern approach provides an engineering guide to model data by organizing hierarchically and functionally modeling problems and the manner to resolve them. Their use would contribute to accelerate building and implementing product and process models during PIS specification and implementation. Two kind of patterns are distinguished: business patterns used for specification and providing solutions for application field problems and software patterns used for implementation and providing solutions for technical problems (software). A special interest is given to identify and specify different business patterns for product modeling during PIS specification. However, a pattern-based approach can be developed only for disciplines which acquired a certain maturity, i.e. those for which there is both a consensus around a finite set of problems and a variety of known solutions for solving these problems. There is no universal agreement on the knowledge needed in product information systems, let alone on the representation of this knowledge and we therefore find it impossible to discuss product information systems without reference to what kind of knowledge is being managed. The first step consisted thus of constructing a general reference framework based on PIS concepts, providing a common terminology and a semantic of the principal concepts managed in PIS and proposing various models to fix these concepts. It forms a basis for exploring the problems frequently occurring during PIS specification. A pattern language is thus defined to resolve the identified problems, basing partially on existing design pattern catalogues.

An MDA Approach for PLM System Design

Design and reconfiguration of industrial information systems is an important issue for SME/SMI. In this context, these small enterprises need tools and methods that allow them to adapt their system to their business while ensuring its consistency. The aim of this paper is to provide an approach for both the design method and the control method. This approach for PLM (Product lifecycle management) system is based on MDE (Model Driving Engineering). First, we will present a metamodel for PLM and the model transformation concepts. Then, we will present an application with the Audros PLM system.

MDA Based Tool for PLM’ Models Building and Evolving

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems are sufficiently generic to propose models adapted to companies’ specific needs without additional development. However, the implementation of such systems and their multiple reconfigurations may introduce coherence problems. To ensure structural and functional coherence while creating and evolv- ing PLM models, a methodological approach is described in this paper. The proposed approach is based on Model Driven Architecture (MDA) principles in order to allow : [1] models’ creation while respecting syntac- tic and semantic constraints, [2] models’ evolution while respecting de- pendencies between the various PLM syste’ components. This approach is being prototyping based on Eclipse framework.

A Framework for PLM Model Design

In this article we focus on the implementation of business model in PLM sytems. PLM may be an information system that can natively implement business model without any specific development. This implementation is a crucial step in any project deployment of these information systems. Its also an important step during their evolution. However, the lack of standards and methodologies does not simplify the design and reconfiguration. This paper proposes a modeling approach in PLM systems based on MDA approach. In this context, we propose different levels of modeling (CIM / PIM / PSM) as well as rule mechanisms based on constraints (OCL). This approach is being prototyping by the framework realization based on Eclipse.

Improving Digital Engineering Tools in Complex Product Development by Means of an Adequate Monitoring of Research Projects

Complex products development relies on established and tested processes that embed software applications in collaborative PLM systems. Many efforts are performed by companies to improve their development process by means of research projects. However the transfer of research results into industrial processes implies a high level of risk. The maturity assessment and the proof of usage are two criteria that help decreasing the risky transition. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) methodology and usage scenarios are tools which provide evidence associated to those two criteria. In this paper, a methodology is proposed to guide stakeholders in the development of usage scenario in the frame of TRL methodology. Thanks to the proposed methodology, at the end of the research project, the proof of usage and the maturity of engineering technology products are validated and could support their industrialization.