Till Deubel

A different view on Product Data Management/Product Life-Cycle Management and its future potentials

Systems for Product Data Management (PDM), sometimes in a more or less extended form addressing Product Life-Cycle Management (PLM), are increasingly establishing themselves as a ‘master system’ not only for the handling of data throughout the whole development/design and engineering process, but also for the control of workflow. In this paper, at first a new approach to modelling products and product development processes is presented (Property-Driven Development/Design (PDD)). The core of this new theoretical approach is a clear distinction between characteristics and properties of a product. The authors claim that a formalized representation along these lines, which also includes formalized interdependencies and external conditions, may significantly improve product and process models in computers. One of the objectives of the PDD approach is to give new insights into the role and potentials of computers supporting the engineering process. Accordingly, in the second part of this paper, based on the PDD concept, ideas, concepts and guidelines for the development of an advanced kind of PDM/PLM system are drawn up. The authors claim that a formalized representation distinguishing between properties and characteristics, which also includes formalized interdependencies and external conditions, may significantly improve the capability of PDM/PLM systems to control and speed up development/design activities by making them more transparent.

Modelling of product-service systems (PSS) based on the PDD approach

The term “Product-Service Systems” (PSSs) was recently coined for products consisting of material components as well as services (non-material components). They are of increasing interest from a business point of view. Neither in science nor in practice, however, an integrated approach to describe PSSs and the processes to develop them (a “design theory and methodology of PSSs”) exists. In this paper, the authors outline first ideas for a systematic description and integrated development of PSSs. They are based on findings from engineering as well as business administration sciences, the concept of Property-Driven Development (PDD), originally for material products only, presenting a useful framework for the integration of viewpoints.

A Different View on PDM and its Future Potentials

Objective of the paper is to re-conceive the nature and development potentials of PDM-systems, based on a new approach to design theory called “property-driven development/design” (PDD). PDD is a new modelling approach for products and product development processes which focuses on a clear distinction between characteristics and properties of a product. The authors claim that a formalised representation distinguishing between properties and characteristics, which also includes formalised interdependencies and external conditions, may significantly improve the capability to control and speed up development/design activities by making it more transparent. Based on these considerations the paper introduces a concept for an advanced kind of EDM/PDM system.

CAx/engineering data management integration: Enabler for methodical benefits in the design process

Although functionalities of engineering systems are rocketing, they currently cannot cope with the development of new engineering methods. Additionally, the data management systems and concepts of today fail to adequately support these innovative functionalities. The integration of new methods into existing and new system environments are often not taken into account. In addition to the optimization of individual tool functionalities, integrated system architectures are needed. This paper will take a look at today’s and tomorrow’s engineering practices, showing that major benefits can only be achieved if based on a thorough concept of engineering system integration. Different integration concepts are elaborated, with some of them being already applied in a prototypical implementation in existing processes. First results are presented and discussed. Best Young Design Researcher paper at the Design 2004 Society Conference in Dubrovnik, as judged by a panel in which Professors Marjanović, Birkhofer and Andreasen were included.

Change Impact and Risk Analysis (CIRA)–Combining the Cpm/Pdd Theory and Fmea-Methodology for An Improved Engineering Change Management

The change process is one of the most critical tasks of the product development process. Misinterpretation or lack of knowledge about impacts or risks of changes can cause serious disadvantages to companies, e.g. high failure or change costs or image losses caused by products with a quality that is unacceptable. Supervising the change process is a challenging task; an important part of this task is the analysis and assessment of risks and impacts of changes. This contribution presents an approach to support the process of analysing and assessing the effects of changes in the product development process. The approach is based on two methods: First on the CPM/PDD theory developed at the Institute of Engineering Design/CAD in order to synthesise potential solutions to change requests and to ana-lyse their impacts; second on the common Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)-method in order to assess the risks and impacts of changes and to document the analysis.

ASSEMBLY-ORIENTED DESIGN IN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

The current engineering process in the automotive industry is chiefly part oriented. What counts most, however, is the optimisation of complete assemblies. Assembly-oriented design (AOD) is introduced as an approach which optimises the development process in a way that benefits both development itself and downstream processes. It breaks with the paradigm of part-orientation prevailing today and promotes a top-down approach towards the creation of complex assemblies; it combines different aspects of methodology and engineering system design. Whereas design for assembly (DFA) subordinates development to the optimisation of the production process, AOD promotes an integrative approach which offers potentials along the complete process chain.

New theory-based concepts for PDM and PLM

The objective of this paper is to discuss future developments and potentials for Product Data Management (PDM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, based on a new theory-based approach to modelling products and product development processes (“PropertyDriven Development/Design”, PDD). A special focus is placed on the management and control of the product development process.

Challenges for CAx and EDM in an international automotive company

In design and manufacturing of passenger cars, changes in processes and tools pose new challenges for the management of engineering data. In this paper, the status quo, challenges, and developments are elaborated using the example of a globally operating automobile manufacturer. Special attention is given to the complexity and variance of the products, to paradigm shifts in design philosophies, to trends targeting the IT environment, and to user bias. Finally, conclusions are drawn for future CAx and EDM concepts and strategies.

CAx/EDM integration : enabler for methodical benefits in the design process

Although functionalities of engineering systems are rocketing, they currently cannot cope with the development of new engineering methods. Additionally, the data management systems and concepts of today fail to adequately support these innovative functionalities. The integration of new methods into existing and new system environments are often not taken into account. In addition to the optimisation of individual tool functionalities, integrated system architectures are needed. This paper will take a look at today’s and tomorrow’s engineering practices, showing that major benefits can only be achieved if based on a thorough concept of engineering system integration.

Requirement- and cost-driven product development process

In the authors’ approach, the product development process is controlled by an ongoing target/actual (“Soll/Ist”) comparison between target properties and the state of properties currently achieved. For each property, depending on the fulfilment, quality ratings from the customer’s point of view are assigned. The aim of the product development process is the maximisation of the sum of these quality ratings. This aim can be realised based on the PDD approach, because it supports the engineer/designer by explicitly representing the interdependencies between the properties (that have to be optimized) and the characteristics that influence these properties.