Systems Engineering Cost/Risk Analysis Capability Roadmap Progress Review

A viewgraph presentation on the cost/risk analysis capability of systems engineering is shown

Circular lean product-service systems design: A literature review, framework proposal and case studies

In recent years, the Service Sector has received an increasing attention from both academics and practitioners. The transition from traditional manufacturing to service-oriented integrated systems has given rise to the such called: “Servitisation Revolution”, which today is a relevant revenue generator. The definition of “Product-Service Systems (PSS)” calls for an expanded value creation system through the addition of competitive advantages based on value-added services to previous companies\u27 pure product offerings. These product-services bundled solutions have been recognized as being one of the most efficient techniques towards the achievement of resource-efficient and sustainable economies. PSS paradigm has grown beyond expectations, becoming a common term among publications of the most recognized academic journals and international conferences, and a highly discussed topic across a broad range of industrial sectors. However, recent trends based on scientific and grey literature suggest analysing the compatibility of PSS with other principles, methods and tools such as “circular” and “lean” thinking, which may help to enhance the intrinsic environmentally sustainability advantage that is refer at the first PSS definitions, but that has, unfortunately, faded through time. This paper analyses how the PSS paradigm can benefit from the “circular economy” and “lean” principles. The followed research methodology included a literature review, which aims to identify those principles, methods and tools which can help to modify each stage of a traditional PSS towards a Circular Lean PSS. Furthermore, a first Circular Lean PSS Design Framework is proposed and described. This framework is validated empirically through two case studies supported by two vessel-building companies. Further research is suggested to validate the proposed framework in different industries

A Smart Products Lifecycle Management (sPLM) Framework - Modeling for Conceptualization, Interoperability, and Modularity

Autonomy and intelligence have been built into many of today’s mechatronic products, taking advantage of low-cost sensors and advanced data analytics technologies. Design of product intelligence (enabled by analytics capabilities) is no longer a trivial or additional option for the product development. The objective of this research is aimed at addressing the challenges raised by the new data-driven design paradigm for smart products development, in which the product itself and the smartness require to be carefully co-constructed. A smart product can be seen as specific compositions and configurations of its physical components to form the body, its analytics models to implement the intelligence, evolving along its lifecycle stages. Based on this view, the contribution of this research is to expand the “Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)” concept traditionally for physical products to data-based products. As a result, a Smart Products Lifecycle Management (sPLM) framework is conceptualized based on a high-dimensional Smart Product Hypercube (sPH) representation and decomposition. First, the sPLM addresses the interoperability issues by developing a Smart Component data model to uniformly represent and compose physical component models created by engineers and analytics models created by data scientists. Second, the sPLM implements an NPD3 process model that incorporates formal data analytics process into the new product development (NPD) process model, in order to support the transdisciplinary information flows and team interactions between engineers and data scientists. Third, the sPLM addresses the issues related to product definition, modular design, product configuration, and lifecycle management of analytics models, by adapting the theoretical frameworks and methods for traditional product design and development. An sPLM proof-of-concept platform had been implemented for validation of the concepts and methodologies developed throughout the research work. The sPLM platform provides a shared data repository to manage the product-, process-, and configuration-related knowledge for smart products development. It also provides a collaborative environment to facilitate transdisciplinary collaboration between product engineers and data scientists

Knowledge-based Engineering in Product Development Processes - Process, IT and Knowledge Management perspectives

Product development as a field of practice and research has significantly changed due to the general trends of globalization changing the enterprise landscapes in which products are realized. The access to partners and suppliers with high technological specialization has also led to an increased specialization of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Furthermore, the products are becoming increasingly complex with a high functional and technological content and many variants. Combined with shorter lifecycles which require reuse of technologies and solutions, this has resulted in an overall increased knowledge intensity which necessitates a more explicit approach towards knowledge and knowledge management in product development. In parallel, methods and IT tools for managing knowledge have been developed and are more accessible and usable today. One such approach is knowledge-based engineering (KBE), a term that was coined in the mid-1980s as a label for applications which automate the design of rule-driven geometries. In this thesis the term KBE embraces the capture and application of engineering knowledge to automate engineering tasks, regardless of domain of application, and the thesis aims at contributing to a wider utilization of KBE in product development (PD). The thesis focuses on two perspectives of KBE; as a process improvement IT method and as a knowledge management (KM) method. In the first perspective, the lack of explicit regard for the constraints of the product lifecycle management (PLM) architecture, which governs the interaction of processes and IT in PD, has been identified to negatively affect the utilization of KBE in PD processes. In the second perspective, KM theories and models can complement existing methods for identifying potential for KBE applications.Regarding the first perspective, it is concluded that explicit regard for the PLM architecture decreases the need to develop and maintain software code related to hard coded redundant data and functions in the KBE application. The concept of service oriented architecture (SOA) has been found to enable an the explicit regard for the PLM architecture.. Regarding the second perspective, it is concluded that potential for KBE applications is indicated by: 1.) application of certain types of knowledge in PD processes 2.) high maturity and formalization of the applied knowledge 3.) a codification strategy for KM and 4.) an agreement and transparency regarding how the knowledge is applied, captured and transferred. It is also concluded that the formulation of explicit KM strategies in PD should be guided by knowledge application and its relation to strategic objectives focusing on types of knowledge, their role in the PD process and the methods and tools for their application. These, in turn, affect the methods and tools deployed for knowledge capture in order for it to integrate with the processes of knowledge origin. Finally, roles and processes for knowledge transfer have to be transparent to assure the motivation of individuals to engage in the KM strategy

Knowledge-based Engineering in Product Development Processes - Process, IT and Knowledge Management perspectives

Product development as a field of practice and research has significantly changed due to the general trends of globalization changing the enterprise landscapes in which products are realized. The access to partners and suppliers with high technological specialization has also led to an increased specialization of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Furthermore, the products are becoming increasingly complex with a high functional and technological content and many variants. Combined with shorter lifecycles which require reuse of technologies and solutions, this has resulted in an overall increased knowledge intensity which necessitates a more explicit approach towards knowledge and knowledge management in product development. In parallel, methods and IT tools for managing knowledge have been developed and are more accessible and usable today. One such approach is knowledge-based engineering (KBE), a term that was coined in the mid-1980s as a label for applications which automate the design of rule-driven geometries. In this thesis the term KBE embraces the capture and application of engineering knowledge to automate engineering tasks, regardless of domain of application, and the thesis aims at contributing to a wider utilization of KBE in product development (PD). The thesis focuses on two perspectives of KBE; as a process improvement IT method and as a knowledge management (KM) method. In the first perspective, the lack of explicit regard for the constraints of the product lifecycle management (PLM) architecture, which governs the interaction of processes and IT in PD, has been identified to negatively affect the utilization of KBE in PD processes. In the second perspective, KM theories and models can complement existing methods for identifying potential for KBE applications.Regarding the first perspective, it is concluded that explicit regard for the PLM architecture decreases the need to develop and maintain software code related to hard coded redundant data and functions in the KBE application. The concept of service oriented architecture (SOA) has been found to enable an the explicit regard for the PLM architecture.. Regarding the second perspective, it is concluded that potential for KBE applications is indicated by: 1.) application of certain types of knowledge in PD processes 2.) high maturity and formalization of the applied knowledge 3.) a codification strategy for KM and 4.) an agreement and transparency regarding how the knowledge is applied, captured and transferred. It is also concluded that the formulation of explicit KM strategies in PD should be guided by knowledge application and its relation to strategic objectives focusing on types of knowledge, their role in the PD process and the methods and tools for their application. These, in turn, affect the methods and tools deployed for knowledge capture in order for it to integrate with the processes of knowledge origin. Finally, roles and processes for knowledge transfer have to be transparent to assure the motivation of individuals to engage in the KM strategy

A Learning Architecture: How Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Drives Innovation in The Curriculum and Pedagogy of Fashion Business

There is a global trend toward improving the student learning experience in higher education. Industry-oriented educational courses must also consider how to prepare graduates for their future professional practice with an awareness of holism and system thinking sustainability, tolerance of uncertainty, knowledge of relevant digital technologies and use of theory. This study responds to these challenges and illustrates an alternative pedagogic approach for the emerging sub-discipline of fashion business. Fashion business is an important and emerging subdiscipline of fashion with limited published educational research. This subdiscipline has particular significance given the cultural importance, economic significance, ethical and environmental impact of the associated industry. The acceleration and influence of technology is significantly affecting industrial working practices through the adoption of knowledge management systems such as product life-cycle management (PLM). This study represents the first implementation of a PLM philosophy and system within an undergraduate course aligned with the retail, footwear and apparel sector. The study aimed to employ PLM to establish a community of learning between students, educators and industry with the intention of creating a participatory learning experience that mimics current practice and supports professional identity formation rather than adding digital transformation to the curriculum. The PLM system was used to update, sequence and connect the subject- and work-based elements more coherently such that engagement in practice is a source of critical and innovative thinking empowering graduates to take the practice of fashion business forward. This action research study involved the implementation of PLM as a way of teaching a global sourcing module in the second year of the course (cohort n=28) over a phased implementation from 2014 to 2018. Communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) is used to understand the learning design and the identity work that students engage in as they develop professionally. Data was collected from students via video and interview, from the practitioner researcher and from external stakeholders. Data from all sources were analysed collectively by using Wenger’s (1998) learning architecture to establish a coding scheme. This thesis describes how the adoption of PLM established a community of learning (CoL) through an educational partnership with the global technology company, PTC Inc. It argues that PLM is a powerful tool of collaboration between students, industry and educators and provides a robust mechanism to establish a community of learning, which also preserves the unique principles derived from design pedagogy. This thesis asserts that a design pedagogy supports students’ professional development and bring coherence and relevance to the curriculum and argues for the preservation of this unique learning experience in order to support the successful transition through education and onto the workplace. Further, this thesis illustrates how the insight and energy of students and graduates, who are at the periphery of practice, have much to contribute to the development of ways of working in an industry in transition. The value of closer collaboration between industry and academia is identified and the thesis makes recommendations for ways that PLM might be developed to achieve this. The study also demonstrates the applicability and value of the methodology of action research to collaborative and change projects in higher education

Towards an Assembly Reference Ontology for Assembly Knowledge Sharing

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been increasingly used to support the decision making in manufacturing organizations however they lack the ability to fully support the capture and sharing of specific domain knowledge across multiple domains. The ability of ICT based systems to share knowledge is impeded by the semantic conflicts arising from loosely defined meanings and intents of the participating concepts. This research work exploits the concept of formal ontologies to rigorously define the semantics of domain concepts to support knowledge sharing within the assembly domain. In this thesis, a novel research framework has been proposed in the form of a assembly reference ontology which can provide a common semantic base to support knowledge sharing across the assembly design and assembly process planning domains. The framework consists of a set of key reference concepts identified to represent the assembly domain related knowledge. These concepts have been specialized from the most generic level to the most specialized level and have been formally defined to support the capture and sharing of assembly knowledge. The proposed framework also supports the creation of application specific ontologies by providing them with a common semantic base. The research concept has been experimentally investigated by using a selected set of assembly reference concepts which have been used to formally represent and relate assembly design and assembly process planning knowledge. The results of the experiments verify that the implemented ontology facilitates the system to understand the semantics of concepts and supports knowledge sharing across the assembly design and assembly process planning domains. The experimental results also show that the proposed framework can also support the development of a range of application specific ontologies

Proposal of a method to support the implementation of vertical integration in the context of Industry 4.0

One of the fundamental principles of Industry 4.0 in the field of intelligent manufacturing is the implementation of vertical integration, that is, the integration of information systems at the different hierarchical levels of the company to provide data flow over time and support decisionmaking. However, the academic literature still needs to present empirical evidence on how vertical integration and the technologies that compose it can be implemented to contribute to the requirements of Industry 4.0. Although vertical integration is presented as a solution to the need for data visibility that Industry 4.0 requires, it is known that there are different ways to implement vertical integration that depend on the desired operational objectives and the characteristics of the companies. Therefore, the technological sets of vertical integration can have different ways of contributing to achieving greater visibility of production processes. This thesis aims to propose a methodology to support companies in the implementation of vertical integration that allows companies to advance in Industry 4.0. The study followed a mixed approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. In qualitative terms, the thesis presents a multi-case study of 10 leading manufacturing companies in implementing 4.0 technologies, aiming to understand the main factors that influence these companies in adopting information systems for vertical integration. Furthermore, a multi-case qualitative study in 3 buyer-supplier dyads to understand the implications of information asymmetry in MES purchasing allows vertical integration in Industry 4.0. On the other hand, in quantitative terms, the thesis presents a survey conducted with 132 companies in the machinery and equipment sector, through which the contribution of cybersecurity actions to vertical integration is analyzed, making it possible to achieve greater digital transformation. This thesis demonstrates that the implementation of vertical integration is challenging for companies due to its complexity and novelty but that the methodologies presented contribute to clarifying this implementation. Furthermore, it explores the limitations and nuances of these contributions in different situations. The main contribution of this study is to provide empirical evidence of methodologies that support companies in the implementation of vertical integration in the context of Industry 4.0.Um dos princípios fundamentais da Indústria 4.0 no domínio da manufatura inteligente é a implementação da integração vertical, ou seja, a integração dos sistemas de informação dos diferentes níveis hierárquicos da empresa para fornecer fluxo de dados no tempo e suporte à tomada de decisão. Contudo, a literatura acadêmica ainda não tem apresentado evidências empíricas sobre a forma como a integração vertical e as tecnologias que a compõe podem ser implementadas de maneira a contribuir com os requisitos da Indústria 4.0. Embora integração vertical seja apresentada como uma solução para necessidade de visibilidade de dados que a Indústria 4.0 requer, é sabido que existem diferentes caminhos para implementação da integração vertical que dependem dos objetivos operacionais almejados e das características das empresas. Portanto, os conjuntos tecnológicos da integração vertical podem ter diferentes formas de contribuição para alcançar uma maior visibilidade dos processos de produção. O objetivo desta tese é propor uma metodologia para suportar as empresas na implementação de integração vertical que permita que as empresas avancem na Indústria 4.0. O estudo seguiu uma abordagem mista, combinando métodos qualitativos e quantitativo. Em termos qualitativos, a tese apresenta um estudo multicasos em 10 empresas de manufatura líderes na implantação de tecnologias 4.0, visando entender os principais fatores que influenciam essas empresas na adoção de sistemas de informação para integração vertical. E ainda, um estudo qualitativo multicascos em 3 díades de comprador e fornecedor para compreender as implicações da assimetria da informação na compra de MES que permita a integração vertical na Indústria 4.0. Por outro lado, em termos quantitativos, a tese apresenta uma pesquisa survey conduzida com 134 empresas do setor de máquinas e equipamentos, através da qual se analisa a contribuição de ações em cibersegurança na integração vertical possibilita alcançar maior transformação digital. A presente tese demonstra que, de fato, a implementação da integração vertical é desafiadora para as empresas devido sua complexidade e novidade, mas que as metodologias apresentadas contribuem para o esclarecimento dessa implementação. Além disso, explora as limitações e nuances dessas contribuições em diferentes situações. A principal contribuição deste estudo é fornecer evidências empíricas de metodologias que suportem as empresas na implementação de integração vertical no contexto da Indústria 4.0