Architectural Limitations in Multi-User Computer-Aided Engineering Applications

The engineering design process evolves products by a collaborative synthesis of specifications, personnel and organizations. Unfortunately, collaborative effectiveness is thwarted by existing single-user computer-aided applications like computer-aided design, computer-aided analysis, and others. These applications and associated file management systems assign editing rights to one technical person, e.g., a designer, analyst, or a process planner. In the absence of collaborative computer-aided engineering applications, we conducted a survey to establish that product collaboration is limited to interactive, either formal or ad-hoc design sessions, social communication tools, serial model sharing, terminal/screen sharing, and to conference call interactions. Current computer-aided (CAx) tools do not permit simultaneous model changes by a collaborative team editing the same model. Although over a decade of prior research has demonstrated multi-user feasibility for computer-aided applications, the architectural breadth of this research has apparently not yet compelled developers and end-users to develop and adopt new multi-user computer-aided applications devoted to product development. Why have collaborative engineering CAx tools not been commercialized for mainstream use? This paper uses several multi-user prototypes, including the first Computer-Aided Engineering multi-user prototype called CUBIT Connect, to expose additional architectural hurdles to implementing new multi-user collaborative paradigms. These challenges relate to variable algorithmic performance times, multi-threading and event driven client notification processes, distributed access level security, and model change management in design sessions

Uncovering the specificities of CAD tools for industrial design with design theory – style models for generic singularity

International audienceAccording to some casual observers, computer-aided design (CAD) tools are very similar. These tools are used to design new artifacts in a digital environment; hence, they share typical software components, such as a computing engine and human-machine interface. However, CAD software is dedicated to specific professionals—such as engineers, three-dimensional (3D) artists, and industrial designers (IDs)—who claim that, despite their apparent similarities, CAD tools are so different that they are not substitutable. Moreover, CAD tools do not fully meet the needs of IDs. This paper aims at better characterizing CAD tools by taking into account their underlying design logic, which involves relying on recent advances in design theory. We show that engineering CAD tools are actually modeling tools that design a generic variety of products; 3D artist CAD tools not only design but immediately produce single digital artefacts; and ID CAD tools are neither a mix nor an hybridization of engineering CAD and 3D artist CAD tools but have their own logic, namely to create new conceptual models for a large variety of products, that is, the creation of a unique original style that leads to a generic singularity. Such tools are useful for many creative designers beyond IDs

Management of «Systematic Innovation»: A kind of quest for the Holy Grail!

In this paper, authors propose a contribution for improving the open innovation processes. It shows the necessity to get an efficient methodology for open innovation in order to build a computer aided tool for inventive design in Process Systems Engineering (PSE). The proposed methodology will be evocated to be fully used in the context of the “revolutionary” concepts around the so-called factory for the future, also called integrated digital factory, innovative factory… As a result the main contribution of this paper is to propose a software prototype for an Open Computer Aided Innovation 2.0. By definition this open innovation relies on collaboration. This collaboration should enable a community, with a very broad spectrum of skills, to share data, information, knowledge and ideas. As a consequence, a first sub objective is to create a methodological framework that takes advantages of collaboration and collective intelligence (with its capacity to join intelligence and knowledge). Furthermore, the raise of the digital company and more particularly the breakthroughs in information technologies is a powerful enabler to extend and improve the potential of collective intelligence. The second sub objective is to propose a problem resolution process to impel creativity of expert but also to develop, validate and select innovative solutions. After dealing with the importance of Process Innovation and Problem solving investigation in PSE, the proposed approach originally based on an extension of the TRIZ theory (Russian acronym for Theory of Inventive Problem Solving), has been improved by using approach such as case-based reasoning, in order to tackle and revisit problems encountered in the PSE. A case study on biomass is used to illustrate the capabilities of the methodology and the tool

Collaborative simulation and scientific big data analysis: Illustration for sustainability in natural hazards management and chemical process engineering

Classical approaches for remote visualization and collaboration used in Computer-Aided Design and Engineering (CAD/E) applications are no longer appropriate due to the increasing amount of data generated, especially using standard networks. We introduce a lightweight and computing platform for scientific simulation, collaboration in engineering, 3D visualization and big data management. This ICT based platform provides scientists an “easy-to-integrate” generic tool, thus enabling worldwide collaboration and remote processing for any kind of data. The service-oriented architecture is based on the cloud computing paradigm and relies on standard internet technologies to be efficient on a large panel of networks and clients. In this paper, we discuss the need of innovations in (i) pre and post processing visualization services, (ii) 3D large scientific data set scalable compression and transmission methods, (iii) collaborative virtual environments, and (iv) collaboration in multi-domains of CAD/E. We propose our open platform for collaborative simulation and scientific big data analysis. This platform is now available as an open project with all core components licensed under LGPL V2.1. We provide two examples of usage of the platform in CAD/E for sustainability engineering from one academic application and one industrial case study. Firstly, we consider chemical process engineering showing the development of a domain specific service. With the rise of global warming issues and with growing importance granted to sustainable development, chemical process engineering has turned to think more and more environmentally. Indeed, the chemical engineer has now taken into account not only the engineering and economic criteria of the process, but also its environmental and social performances. Secondly, an example of natural hazards management illustrates the efficiency of our approach for remote collaboration that involves big data exchange and analysis between distant locations. Finally we underline the platform benefits and we open our platform through next activities in innovation techniques and inventive design

A materialização digital e sua sistematização no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Design, Florianópolis, 2016.É comum, no processo de Design de produtos, que o início da atividade projetual ocorra de forma abstrata, passando posteriormente para o físico. Uma alternativa que contribui para minimizar os erros nas tomadas de decisões é realizar a materialização de propostas já na fase de concepção do processo de Design. Neste aspecto se encontra o diferencial desta pesquisa, ao se focar em processos de materialização mediados por meios digitais usados já nas etapas iniciais do processo projetual para a construção de mock-ups, modelos e protótipos. Objetivou-se desenvolver um Protocolo de identificação e priorização de critérios para a realização de Materialização Digital ainda na fase de conceituação. Na metodologia utilizada nesta pesquisa houve uma revisão bibliográfica, realização de entrevistas com pesquisadores brasileiros e atividade de grupo focal composto por designers de produto. Foram hierarquizados critérios e criaram-se regras para compor o Protocolo, que a partir das combinações destes elementos, gera sugestões relativas à aplicação dos processos de Materialização Digital. Os testes, realizados por meio de um site (leopardpro.com.br) elaborado especificamente para este fim, mostraram que os critérios de tomada de decisão identificados ao longo da pesquisa abrangem os aspectos relevantes quanto a aplicação de cortadora laser, impressão 3D e usinagem com CNC. As sugestões de aplicação da Materialização Digital oferecidas pelo sistema contribuem assertivamente para as dúvidas dos designers de produto quanto à seleção dos processos técnicos.Abstract : It is common, in product design process, that the beginning of design activity takes place in an abstract way, posteriorly going through a physical phase. An alternative that contributes to minimize mistakes during decision making phases is to accomplish proposal materialization during conception phases of the design process. Therefore, this is the differential of this research, when focusing digital materialization processes in early phases of design processes aiming mock-ups, scale models and prototypes construction. The objective was to develop an identification protocol and criteria priorization to achieve digital materialization during concept phases of design process. The methodology used in this research focused a literature review, interviews with Brazilian researchers and a focal group activity formed by product designers. Criteria were hierarchized and rules were created to set a protocol system that, from these elements arrangement, generates suggestions that are related to digital materialization processes. The tests, performed through a website (leopardpro.com.br) which was specially created to this activity, showed that decision making criteria identified throughout this research embraces relevant aspects regarding applications in equipment such as laser cutters, 3D printing and CNC milling. The suggestions on digital materialization applications offered by this system contribute assertively to product design doubts regarding the selection of technical processes

Collaborative framework in computer aided innovation 2.0 : Application to process system engineering

In economy nowadays, the act of innovation is in general social; it requires the management of knowledge, and the techniques and methodologies to drive it. Innovation is not the product of one isolated intelligence, instead, it is the result of a multi-disciplinary workgroup lead by a process or a methodology. The conceptual design, which is found in the first stages of the innovation process, represents one of the most important challenges in industry nowadays. One of the main challenges faced by chemical industries related to the conceptual design phase is to provide the means in the form of methods and computational tools, for solving problems systematically, at the same time that benefiting from the collective efforts of individual intelligences involved. Hence, the main objective of this work is to provide a solution to improve the creative capacity of a team involved in the innovation process, in particular the preliminary (critical) phase of conceptual design. Consequently, it is important to understand the techniques, methods and tools that best support the generation of novel ideas and creative solutions. In addition, it is necessary to study the contribution of information and communication technologies as the mean to support collaboration. Web technologies are considered as complementary tools to implement methods and techniques in collaborative design, and particularly in the conceptual design stage. These technologies allow setting up distributed collaborative environments to bring together the resources and the experts who can relate the existing pieces of knowledge to new contexts. It is the synergy created in this kind of environment, which allow producing valuable concepts and ideas in the form of Collective Intelligence. Nevertheless in most existing solutions for collective intelligence or crowdsourcing environments, they do not report the use of a particular methodology to improve the participants' creativity. The solution in this work describes a social network service that enables users to cooperatively solve problems oriented (but not limited) to the phase of conceptual design. In this work we propose that the use of Collective Intelligence in combination with the model TRIZ-CBR could lead the creative efforts in a team to develop innovative solutions. With this work we are looking for connecting experts from one particular field, TRIZ practitioners and stakeholders with the objective to solve problems in collaboration unlashing the collective intelligence to improve creativity. This work uses the basis of the concept named "Open CAI 2.0" to propose a solution in the form of a theoretical framework. The contributions seek to move the development of the field in Computer Aided Innovation a step forward