An Approach to Processing Product Changes During Product Model Based Engineering

Work of engineers in development of products is moving from networked individual computer stations to fully integrated systems. At the same time, functionality of these systems has been extended to entire lifecycle of products. Product lifecycle management (PLM) systems were conceptualized and implemented. The new integrated environment acts as system-of-systems (SoS) because independent, and self-contained systems collaborate in order to engineering for a product in the organization of an extended company. A main area of research in PLM systems is support of the new distributed style of decision-making. A new definition and application of knowledge computer intelligence should be relied upon heal even personal knowledge. The authors studied PLM system as system of systems and analyzed decision making in the changed environment of engineers. They proposed methods for decision assistance that is suitable for current product modeling in professional engineering systems. Paper starts with an introduction to functionality of PLM systems considering objectives of the modeling proposed by the authors. System of systems nature of PLM systems is emphasized and explained. Next, information and process structures for enhanced decision assistance in product modeling are detailed following this, approach to and method for change management are introduced including processing of change information and sectors of engineering modeling functions for the implementation of the proposed method.