Ontology Building of Manufacturing Quality Knowledge for Design Decision Support

This work was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 70472066, 70771091), the project of Bureau of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, China (No. Z142008A001), the NPU Foundation for Humanities, Social Science, and Management Science Development (No. RW200817), which are gratefully acknowledged.Manufacturing knowledge on product quality is a kind of typical knowledge for supporting design decisions. In order to clearly identify and understand design decisions and their knowledge needs on manufacturing quality, an ontology of design decisions and manufacturing quality knowledge is developed. The methodology and tool used for the development of the proposed ontology is firstly introduced. The design decisions are organized along with five main design phases ranging from planning and task clarification, conceptual design, embodiment design to detail design. The knowledge needs of different design decisions, especially on the manufacturing quality knowledge, are analyzed through competition questions. Then, the ontology is built in the form of a hierarchical structure through the proposed methodology and ontology editor. Based on the developed ontology, further instances of the classes in the ontology can be filled as detailed knowledge, and can be accumulated for further construction of knowledge base

Integrating product knowledge with modular product structures in PLM

The changes in world economy are changing very fast and the company knowledge assets and processes are becoming primary source of organization which is intellectual property that need securely stored and maintained. Challenges that companies are facing today such as need to reduce time-to- market, the development and manufacture costs, or to manage complex products with advancing technology. Due to recent global financial crisis price competition in the market has led companies to fight with competitors for limited orders. The external pressure on delivery time has increased, which again has put internal pressure on bringing down development time, which leads for collaborative work environments. Modularisation of product structures will facilitate in collaborating design activities between a diversity of disciplines in global companies, which again involves supporting computer based tools for enhancing interaction, communication and design management. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) serves as particularly useful tool for product data and knowledge management. The deployment of a PLM tool has been seen as an important facilitator for achieving success with the modular design strategy. One of the biggest challenges in implementing new techniques is how to handle existing knowledge and / or information. This paper describes how modular product structure can be implemented in PLM and connects relevant product knowledge at different levels when the product is generated in the process of new product development. This will enable to trace the information across products to compare existing information and reuse for future products

Ontology Building of Manufacturing Quality Knowledge for Design Decision Support

This work was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 70472066, 70771091), the project of Bureau of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, China (No. Z142008A001), the NPU Foundation for Humanities, Social Science, and Management Science Development (No. RW200817), which are gratefully acknowledged.International audienceManufacturing knowledge on product quality is a kind of typical knowledge for supporting design decisions. In order to clearly identify and understand design decisions and their knowledge needs on manufacturing quality, an ontology of design decisions and manufacturing quality knowledge is developed. The methodology and tool used for the development of the proposed ontology is firstly introduced. The design decisions are organized along with five main design phases ranging from planning and task clarification, conceptual design, embodiment design to detail design. The knowledge needs of different design decisions, especially on the manufacturing quality knowledge, are analyzed through competition questions. Then, the ontology is built in the form of a hierarchical structure through the proposed methodology and ontology editor. Based on the developed ontology, further instances of the classes in the ontology can be filled as detailed knowledge, and can be accumulated for further construction of knowledge base

Implementation challenges of annotated 3D models in collaborative design environments

Recent studies in the area of collaborative design have proposed the use of 3D annotations as a tool to make design information explicitly available within the 3D model, so that different stakeholders can share information throughout the product lifecycle. Annotation practices defined by the latest digital definition standards have formalized the presentation of information and facilitated the implementation of annotation tools in CAD systems. In this paper, we review the latest studies in annotation methods and technologies and explore their expected benefits in the context of collaborative design. Next, we analyze the implementation challenges of different annotation approaches, focusing specifically on design intent annotations. An analysis of the literature suggests that the use of annotations has a positive effect on collaborative design communication as long as proper implementation practices, tools, and user interaction mechanisms are in placeCamba, J.; Contero, M.; Salvador Herranz, GM. (2014). Implementation challenges of annotated 3D models in collaborative design environments. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. 8683:222-229. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-10831-5_332222298683Katzenbach, J.R., Smith, D.K.: The Discipline of Teams. Harvard Business Review 71(2), 111–120 (2005)Campion, M.A., Medsker, G.J., Higgs, A.C.: Relations between Work Group Characteristics and Effectiveness: Implications for Designing Effective Work Groups. Personnel Psychology 46, 823–850 (1993)Chudoba, K.M., Wynn, E., Lu, M., Watson-Manheim, M.B.: How Virtual Are We? Measuring Virtuality and Understanding its Impact in a Global Organization. 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State of apps targeting management for sustainability of agricultural landscapes. A review

International audienceAbstractThe triple-bottom-line approach to sustainability in agriculture requires multi- and inter-disciplinary expertise and remains a major design and implementation challenge. Tools are needed to link extension agents, development workers, farmers, and other agriculture decision-makers to information related to practices that improve sustainability across agricultural landscapes. The digital age has brought many new cloud-based and mobile device–accessible software applications (apps) targeted at farmers and others in the agriculture sector; however, the effectiveness of these tools for advancing sustainability goals is unknown. Here, we review apps for agriculture in order to identify gaps in information provisioning and sharing for tools that connect decision-makers to knowledge in support of sustainable agricultural landscapes. The major findings are (1) Agricultural apps can be categorized as supporting regulatory compliance, equipment optimization, farming simulator games, information management, agronomic reference information, product tracking, pest identification, emissions accounting, or benchmarks for marketing claims. (2) Many apps are developed to link specific products for single solutions, such as GPS-guided crop implementation or sensors within Internet-of-things connectivity. (3) While pilots, prototypes, and case studies are available in both Apple and Android digital markets, public mobile apps to improve multidirectional agriculture knowledge exchange are limited and poorly documented. (4) There remains a need for apps emphasizing knowledge exchange and resource discovery, rather than simply information delivery, to help farmers identify evidence-based practices that improve indicators of sustainability. (5) Development of a digital decision support tool requires early and ongoing interactions with targeted end users to clarify app performance objectives and social networking preferences, ensure reliability of scientific input and business management plans, and optimize the user experience

A Company-led Methodology for the Specification of Product Design Capabilities in Small and Medium Sized Electronics Companies

It is the aim of the research reported in this thesis to improve the product design effectiveness of small and medium sized electronics companies in the United Kingdom. It does so by presenting a methodology for use by such firms which will enable them to specify product design capabilities which are resilient to changes in their respective business environments. The research has not, however, concerned itself with the details of particular electronics component technologies or with the advantages of various CAD or CAE products, although these are both important aspects of any design capability. Nor is it concerned with the implementation of the product design capability. The methodology, which represents a significant improvement on current practice, is a structured, company-driven approach which draws extensively upon the lessons of international design best practice. It uses well-proven tools and techniques to guide firms through the entire process of creating such capabilities - from the development of an appropriate Mission Statement to the identification of cost effective and appropriate design system solutions which can readily be translated into action plans for improvement. The work emphasises the importance of adopting a holistic, systems approach which acknowledges the interrelationship between the management of the design process, as well as its operational and supporting activities. The research has been structured around the experiences of companies which have implemented electronics design systems and which "own" the problem in question. Hence, a research strategy was adopted which was based upon a case study approach and upon the development of close collaborative links with two leading design automation tool vendor companies. Case study interviews were undertaken in 18 U.K. and European electronics companies and in 11 U.S., Japanese and Korean electronics firms. The work proceeded in two distinct phases. Firstly, the author participated with other researchers to jointly develop a functional specification of an electronics designers' toolset to support the process of product design in an integrated manufacturing environment. The first phase provided the context for Phase 2, the development of the AGILITY methodology for specifying product design capabilities which represents the author's individual contribution. The contribution to knowledge made by the research lies in the creation of a process methodology which, for the first time, will help U.K. electronics companies to define for themselves product design capabilities which are robust and which support their wider business objectives. No such methodology is currently available in a form which is both accessible and affordable to smaller firms. Furthermore, the author has uncovered no evidence of the existence of such a methodology even for use by large electronics firms. Validation of the methodology is subject to an ongoing process of feedback.Racal Redac Lt

Propuesta de guía metodológica para la gestión de proyectos en la dirección de desarrollo de industria TI del Ministerio TIC

147 páginas : ilustraciones, gráficos y anexos.La propuesta de guía metodológica para la gestión de proyectos es desarrollada para la Dirección de Desarrollo de industria Tl, buscar ayudar y favorecer aspectos importantes como los tiempos, gestión y adecuada ejecución de los proyectos, lo anterior soportado en el uso de Tecnologías de información. Entre los proyectos más importantes de la Dirección se encuentran el proyecto 648 de 2017, este proyecto busca consolidar una herramienta de monitoreo de indicadores de gestión y prospectiva de la industria Tl. Se espera que el proyecto logre cumplir con los servicios contratados y recibir un producto final con excelente calidad. El desarrollo de la guía metodológica propuesta se enfoca en áreas de conocimiento, como es integración, alcance y tiempo, tomadas como base de los fundamentos para la Dirección de Proyectos (PMBOK)-Quinta Edición. El documento contiene el diagnóstico sobre el estado actual de la gerencia de proyectos de la Dirección de Desarrollo de industria Tl, e indica la necesidad de alinear los procesos con las áreas de conocimiento del PMBOK. El diagnóstico se obtiene con la aplicación del cuestionario OPM3, el cual indica el nivel de madurez general de la gerencia de proyectos de una organización. Con el diagnóstico analizado se procede a realizar el diseño de la guía propuesta, la cual contempla el desarrollo de procedimientos con sus respectivas áreas, responsables e interacción con la herramienta de gestión de proyectos propuesta. La herramienta propuesta es producto de un análisis comparativo realizado con el objetivo de apoyar dichos procesos con el uso y apropiación de las Tecnologías de información.The proposed methodological guide for the management of projects is developed for the IT Industry Development Directorate. It seeks to help and favor important aspects such as timing, management and proper execution of projects. supported in the use of IT information (IT). Project 648 of 2017 is among the most important projects of the Directorate. This project seeks to consolidate a monitoring tool for management indicators and foresight of the IT industry. It is expected that the projects manage to fulfill the contracted services so that a final product with excellent quality can be received. The development of the proposed methodological guide focuses on areas of knowledge, such as integration, scope and time, taken as the basis of the foundations for Project Management (PMBOK) -Fifth Edition. The document contains the diagnosis on the current state of project management in the Development Directorate for the IT Industry, which indicates the need to align the processes with the areas of knowledge of the PMBOK. With the analyzed diagnosis, we proceed to design the proposed guide, which includes the development of procedures and their respective tasks, accountable individuals and interaction with the proposed project management tool. The proposed tool is the product of a comparative analysis carried out with the objective of supporting these processes with the use of IT in order to be able to improve the management of projects in an agile manner.Magíster en Gerencia Estratégica de Tecnologías de InformaciónMaestrí

Synchronous communication in PLM environments using annotated CAD models

The connection of resources, data, and knowledge through communication technology plays a vital role in current collaborative design methodologies and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, as these elements act as channels for information and meaning. Despite significant advances in the area of PLM, most communication tools are used as separate services that are disconnected from existing development environments. Consequently, during a communication session, the specific elements being discussed are usually not linked to the context of the discussion, which may result in important information getting lost or becoming difficult to access. In this paper, we present a method to add synchronous communication functionality to a PLM system based on annotated information embedded in the CAD model. This approach provides users a communication channel that is built directly into the CAD interface and is valuable when individuals need to be contacted regarding the annotated aspects of a CAD model. We present the architecture of a new system and its integration with existing PLM systems, and describe the implementation details of an annotation-based video conferencing module for a commercial CAD application.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the FEDER Funds, through the ANNOTA project (Ref. TIN2013-46036-C3-1-R).Camba, JD.; Contero, M.; Salvador Herranz, GM.; Plumed, R. (2016). Synchronous communication in PLM environments using annotated CAD models. Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering. 25(2):142-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11518-016-5305-5S142158252Abrahamson, S., Wallace, D., Senin, N. & Sferro, P. (2000). Integrated design in a service marketplace. Computer-Aided Design, 32(2):97–107.Ahmed, S. (2005). 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Ambiguities in decision-oriented Life Cycle Inventories The Role of mental models

If the complexity of real, socio-economic systems is acknowledged, life cycle inventory analysis (LCI) in life cycle assessment (LCA) cannot be considered as unambiguous, objective, and as an exclusively data and science based attribution of material and energy flows to a product. The paper thus suggests a set of criteria for LCI derived from different scientific disciplines, practice of product design and modelling characteristics of LCI and LCA. A product system with its respective LCI supporting the process of effective and efficient decision-making should ideally be: a) complete, operational, decomposable, non-redundant, minimal, and comparable; b) efficient, i.e., as simple, manageable, transparent, cheap, quick, but still as ‘adequate' as possible under a functionalistic perspective which takes given economic constraints, material and market characteristics, and the goal and scope of the study into account; c) actor-based when reflecting the decision-makers' action space, risk-level, values, and knowledge (i.e. mental model) in view of the management rules of sustainable development; d) as site- and case-specific as possible, i.e. uses as much site-specific information as possible. This rationale stresses the significance of considering both (i) material and energy flows within the technosphere with regard to the sustainable management rules; (ii) environmental consequences of the environmental interventions on ecosphere. Further, the marginal cost of collecting and computing more and better information about environmental impacts must not exceed the marginal benefits of information for the natural environment. The ratio of environmental benefits to the economic cost of the tool must be efficient compared to other investment options. As a conclusion, in comparative LCAs, the application of equal allocation procedures does not lead to LCA-results on which products made from different materials can be compared in an adequate way. Each product and material must be modelled according to its specific material and market characteristics as well as to its particular management rules for their sustainable use. A generic LCA-methodology including preferences on methodological options is not definabl

End-of-life management of solid oxide fuel cells

This thesis reports on research undertaken to investigate the end-of-life management of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), through the definition of a framework and the development of a multicriteria evaluation methodology which together support comparison of alternative end-of-life scenarios. The primary objective of this research is to develop an understanding of the challenges and opportunities arising during the end-of-life phase of the technology, such that any conflicts with end-of-life requirements might be addressed and opportunities for optimising the end-of-life phase fully exploited. The research contributions can be considered in four principal parts. The first part comprises a review of SOFC technology and its place in future sustainable energy scenarios, alongside a review of a growing body of legislation which embodies concepts such as Extended Producer Responsibility and Integrated Product Policy. When considered in the context of the life cycle assessment literature, which clearly points to a lack of knowledge regarding the end-of-life phase of the SOFC life cycle, this review concludes that the requirement for effective end-of life management of SOFC products is an essential consideration prior to the widespread adoption of commercial products. The second part of the research defines a framework for end-of-life management of SOFCs, which supports clarification of the challenges presented by the SOFC stack waste stream, as well as identifying a systematic approach for addressing these challenges through the development of alternative end-of-life management scenarios. The framework identifies a need to evaluate the effectiveness of these end-of-life scenarios according to three performance criteria: legislative compliance; environmental impact; and economic impact. The third part of the research is concerned with the development of a multi-criteria evaluation methodology, which combines conventional evaluation methods such as life cycle assessment and cost-benefit analysis, with a novel risk assessment tool for evaluating compliance with current and future legislation. A decision support tool builds on existing multi-criteria decision making methods to provide a comparative performance indicator for identification of an end of-life scenario demonstrating low risk of non-compliance with future legislation; low environmental impact; and a low cost-benefit ratio. Finally, the validity of the framework for end-of-life management is tested through the completion of two case studies. These case studies demonstrate the flexibility of the framework in supporting a reactive end-of-life management approach, whereby end-of-life management is constrained by characteristics of the product design, and a proactive approach, whereby the impact of design modification on the end-of-life phase is explored. In summary, the research clearly highlights the significance of the end-of-life stage of the SOFC life cycle. On the one hand, failure to manage end-of-life products effectively risks undermining the environmental credentials of the technology and is likely to lead to the loss of a high-value, resource-rich material stream. On the other hand, the early consideration of aspects identified in the research, especially while opportunities remain to influence final product design, represents a real opportunity for optimising the end-of-life management of SOFC products in such a way as to fully realise their potential as a clean and efficient power generation solution for the future