Development of a computer-aided concurrent net shape product and process development environment

This paper presents a systematic approach to developing a collaborative environment for computer-aided concurrent net shape product and process development. This approach includes the steps of (1) conventional development process analysis, (2) development process re-engineering, (3) computer-based system functional requirements analysis, (4) system framework design, and (5) system modeling, integration and implementation. This environment can support concurrent net shape product and process development by providing and integrating functions of product data management, process management and development advisory tools. The results of this research will facilitate the rationalization and automation of net shape product and process development and thus improve the efficiency and quality, and reduce the cost of net shape product development.

IDEF structural analysis methodology was employed to capture the characteristics of net shape product and process development process. The concept of concurrent engineering was used to re-engineer the development process. The technology of system engineering was used to design the computer-aided system framework. Object-oriented analysis, modeling and design methodology, knowledge engineering and data engineering techniques were employed for system modeling and implementation.     

PDM system implementation based on UML

The paper deals with a Unified Modeling Language (UML)-based approach for implementing Product Data Management (PDM) system. Such kind of system enables the management of the entire product lifecycle and related information about its design, its manufacturing and its in-service.

The interest of using an UML-based approach for modeling, specifying and implementing PDM systems is detailed. Then an implementation method is proposed in order to clarify the instantiation of UML diagrams into database entities. Regarding a business case study based on the needs of a turboprop aircraft development project, the preliminary implementation of PDM system is presented. The used UML diagrams for the modeling and integration of product, process, and resource data is detailed in order to argue the interest of an object-oriented approach in such kind of PDM implementation.     

Enabling allied concurrent engineering through distributed engineering information management

The management of engineering information to ensure that the right information is quickly provided to the right place at the right time in the right format is one of the most critical tasks in the engineering process. Within the practice of allied concurrent engineering, the importance and difficulty of engineering information management is increased due to the issues of inter-enterprise communication and process control, system heterogeneity, information and system security, differing engineering data formats and multi-database formats. This paper presents an engineering information management approach for the practice of allied concurrent engineering (ACE). An ACE-based engineering information management methodology is proposed under the concept of enterprise integration. This methodology includes an information management life cycle, a distributed management framework, and rules and methods for information management. Based on this methodology, an ACE-based engineering information system was developed using Unified Modeling Language (UML) modeling techniques. The result of this research will enable the practice of allied concurrent engineering and consequently help increase product development capability and quality, reduce development cycle time and cost, and hence increase product marketability.     

一个支持软件并行工程的过程建模语言

实施软件并行工程是缩短软件开发周期、加快软件开发速度的有效途径。文中讨论了软件并行工程对过程建模语言的要求,给出了一个支持软件并行工程的形式化过程建模语言ＳＤＤＭＬ和基于ＳＤＤＭＬ的过程建模方法。ＳＤＤＭＬ基于Ｐｅｔｒｉ网,具有面向对象的特征,可表示不同抽象级的过程模型,支持逐步求精的过程建模方法,为软件并行工程软件过程的控制、分析、评估和优化奠定了基础。     

Knowledge-based approach and system for assembly-oriented design,Part II: the system implementation

Assembly is one of the most important stages for product development. Assembly-oriented design (AOD) is a new approach to designing assemblies, which uses a number of design and analysis tools to help the designer plan out and analyze candidate assembly schemes prior to having detailed knowledge of the geometry of the parts. Using this approach, many assembly schemes can be inexpensively evaluated for their ability to deliver the important characteristics of the final product. This research proposes a knowledge-based approach and develops an expert design system to support top-down design for assembled products. The presentation of research report is divided into two parts: the knowledge-based approach (Part I) and the knowledge-based expert design system (Part II). This paper is the second part of the report (Part II). It will focus on the development of knowledge-based expert design system for assembly oriented design. The knowledge-based assembly oriented design system, i.e., the assembly oriented design expert system (AODES) is constructed to integrate assembly modeling and design, assembly planning, assemblability analysis and evaluation within a concurrent engineering environment. This intelligent system is implemented by integrating object-oriented representation, constraint-based modeling, rule-based reasoning, truth maintenance, and interfacing to database management system and CAD module, in which fuzzy logic based knowledge representation and inference technique are also applied to deal with uncertain data and knowledge in the design process. The developed system differs from the existing systems adopting part-first bottom-up modeling technique, in which a comprehensive intelligent framework is used for assembly modeling and design in a top-down manner from the conceptual level to the detailed level. It is able to help obtain better design ideas, provide users with suggestions so as to create and improve a design, and therefore give users the possibility to assess and reduce the total production cost at an early stage during the design process. Through the use of the system, the concurrent engineering knowledge can be effectively incorporated into the assembly design process in an integrated manner. A case assembly design shows that the intelligent modeling and design system is feasible.     

A structured methodology for implementing engineering data management

One of the most significant positive effects on product and process development in recent years has been the application of data management techniques. Engineering data management or product data management is the most promising one. The implementation of engineering data management is heavily dependent on the engineering process and involves the technologies of management, engineering, and information. However, as there is no commonly acceptable approach and methodologies for implementing engineering data management, it’s implementation becomes a bottleneck.This paper presents a structured methodology for the implementation of engineering data management. The approach consists of a series of steps, from business and engineering process analysis, modeling and reengineering, through system design and modeling, to system realization.This research will facilitate engineering process improvement and the planning, design and implementation of engineering data management. Consequently, it will help increase product development capability and quality, reduce development cycle time and cost, and hence increase product marketability.     

逻辑控制类系统建模的实现

评述面向对象系统建模的发展,提出该领域中目前存在的一些问题;提出衡量系统建模质量的重要标准是系统的可扩展性和可重调度性;探讨在系统建模开始时建立模拟原型的优点和作用;首次提出使用状态一事件分析方法进行逻辑控制类系统建模的工程过程,包括需求分析、系统分析、设计及实现。     

A decision support system for product design in concurrent engineering

Compared with the traditional sequential design method, concurrent engineering is a systematic approach to integrate concurrent design of products and their related processes. One of the key factors to successfully implement concurrent engineering is information technology. In order to design a product and its manufacturing process simultaneously, information on product features, manufacturing requirements, and customer demands must be processed while the design is concurrently going on. There is an increased understanding of the importance of the correct decisions being made at the conceptual design and development stages that involve many complex evaluation and decision-making tasks. In order to promote the efficiency in concurrent product development, appropriate evaluation and decision tools need to be provided. In this paper, the characteristics of fuzzy, multi-stage evaluation and decision making in concurrent product development process are analyzed and a decision support system for product design in concurrent engineering is presented. An example is given to illustrate the application of the system.     

Research on Concurrent Engineering Oriented Integrated Product Development Process Management System

In concurrent engineering, effective process management is the key to improve the efficiency and quality of product development. Although in project management system, workflow management system and PDM system, process management functions are provided, they can not meet the needs of product development. In this paper, we integrate the project management, workflow management and product management technique together and a concurrent engineering oriented integrated product development process management system is proposed. The system structure, integrated product development model and running method are introduced. The practice proves this system is powerful in supporting product development process.     

高层建筑结构CAD系统的数据模式

用面向对象的分析方法对高层建筑结构CAD系统进行了分析,通过对基本对象及其之间关系,作用的抽象,运用面向对象的设计方法建立了高层建筑 基本对象模型,采用面向对象技术和关系数据库相结合的方法,构造和初步建立了高层建筑结构的工程数据库,能够较好地解决高层建筑结构集成化CAD系统的数据组织和管理问题。     

An object-oriented knowledge based Petri net approach to intelligent integration of design and assembly planning

Artificial intelligence can play an important role in the reduction of manufacturing costs and the enhancement of production efficiency and product quality. In order to assist designers in the early stages of a product development this paper develops an intelligent methodology for integration of design and assembly planning processes, including product design, assembly evaluation and redesign, assembly process planning, design of assembly system and assembly simulation, subjected to both econo-technical and ergonomic evaluations. A new unified class of object-oriented knowledge based Petri nets called OOKPNs, incorporating knowledge based expert systems and fuzzy logic into ordinary place–transition Petri nets, is defined and used for the representation and modeling of the distributed design processes. A prototype intelligent integrated design and assembly planning system (IIDAP) is implemented through distributed blackboard structure with concurrent integration of multiple cooperative knowledge sources and software. It consists essentially of the networked agents and the meta-system, each of which is a knowledge Petri net system with the capabilities of problem solving, learning and conflict resolution, and can be obtained through the inheritance, polymorphism and dynamic binding of instances of OOKPNs. In IIDAP system, both C/C++ language and COOL (CLIPS object-oriented language) are used to incorporate a Petri net tool, a geometric modeling and design tool, a planner and simulator and an evaluation tool. By use of this system, product design and assembly planning can be carried out simultaneously and intelligently in an entirely computer-aided concurrent design and assembly planning system. The design of manufacturable, cost-effective, usable products can therefore be achieved rapidly and flexibly. The developed methodology and system have been successfully applied to assembly design and planning of a micro switch.     

CIMS中信息建模原则及一种面向对象的建模方法和实现

该文讨论了ＣＩＭＳ中信息建摹基本原则，结合一个实例阐述了一种面向对象建模的方法，该方法可以完整描述地系统的动、静态特性，实现管理系统和工程系统的信息集成。     

一种适合于GIS开发的软件工程方法

介绍了一种面向对象的软件工程方法——统一软件开发过程(United Software Development Process，USDP)。结合军事地理信息系统(Military Geographic Information System，MGIS)软件的开发实践，详细描述了这种适合GIS开发的软件工程方法的思想、软件开发过程和模型元素。统一软件开发过程的思想包括用例驱动、以体系结构为中心、迭代和增量等。它的模型元素则包括工作人员、行为、成果和工作流程。     

基于UML的项目客户关系管理系统面向对象设计

在项目管理中,项目客户关系管理是实现项目成功实施的重要环节。本文以交通项目为背景,把面向对象建模技术应用在其项目客户关系管理系统的建模设计过程中,使用可视化的统一建模语言UML对该系统进行了详细的分析和设计。     

Information Modeling Aspects of Software Development

The distinction between the modeling of information and the modeling of data in the creation of automated systems has historically been important because the development tools available to programmers have been wedded to machine oriented data types and processes. However, advances in software engineering, particularly the move toward data abstraction in software design, allow activities reasonably described as information modeling to be performed in the software creation process. An examination of the evolution of programming languages and development of general programming paradigms, including object-oriented design and implementation, suggests that while data modeling will necessarily continue to be a programmer's concern, more and more of the programming process itself is coming to be characterized by information modeling activities.     

基于PDM Enablers的飞行器并行设计文档管理模型

传统的产品数据管理（PDM）系统之间没有标准的接口,缺乏互操作性,难以与国际接轨,限制了飞行器并行设计中产品数据交互的范围。Object Management Group（OMG）发布的产品数据管理使能（PDM Enablers）规范支持分布式产品数据管理环境并对不同的PDM系统提供了标准接口,能够很好地解决以上问题。该文以PDM Enablers为依据,采用面向对象的建模方法,首先提出了基于Enablers的飞行器并行工程环境体系结构;其次建立了基于Enablers的文档管理模型,并着重对文档的状态变迁及版本管理机制进行研究;最后讨论了支持飞行器并行设计的文档管理信息存储模式。     

支持并行设计的产品数据管理

产品数据管理是基于数据库,分布计算和网络通讯等技术发展起来的新型工程数据管理技术,是有效管理和控制所有与产品有关的信息的并行设计框架,本文研究了支持大型电子设备并行设计的产品数据管理系统ＹＣ－Ｂｒｉｄｇｅ的开放式体系结构,并介绍了它的主要功能,实现方法及技术特点。     

WeBid: A web-based framework to support early supplier involvement in new product development

It has been found from the contemporary research in the fields of concurrent engineering and supply chain management that significant benefits can be achieved if suppliers are involved in the early stages of product development process. However, recent investigation in manufacturing industries has also revealed that this approach is not widely practised in industries and its implementation has been a great challenge to researchers and practitioners. The research reported here proposes to develop an overall methodology for enabling better supplier involvement in new product development process and to demonstrate the framework through a prototype web-based platform on the Internet/intranets using the web technology. This paper presents some results from the initial investigation, development and implementation of the proof-of-the-concept prototype system called WeBid.     

An implementation of the object-oriented concurrent programming language SINA

SINA is an object-oriented language for distributed and concurrent programming. The primary focus of this paper is on the object-oriented concurrent programming mechanisms of SINA and their implementation. This paper presents the SINA constructs for concurrent programming and inter-object communication, some illustrative examples and a message-based implementation model for SINA that we have used in our current implementation.     

Paradigm shift: unified and associative feature-based concurrent and collaborative engineering

With widely used concurrent and collaborative engineering technologies, the validity and consistency of product information become important. In order to establish the state of the art, this paper reviews emerging concurrent and collaborative engineering approaches and emphasizes on the integration of different application systems across product life cycle management (PLM) stages. It is revealed that checking product information validity is difficult for the current computer-aided systems because engineering intent is at best partially represented in product models. It is also not easy to maintain the consistency among related product models because information associations are not established. The purpose of this review is to identify and analyze research issues with respect to information integration and sharing for future concurrent and collaborative engineering. A new paradigm of research from the angle of feature unification and association for product modeling and manufacturing is subsequently proposed.