Enabled virtual and collaborative engineering coupling PLm system to a product data kernel

 Nowadays, the use of digital modelling through multiple CAx systems becomes more and more unquestionable. It allows many benefits (3D, automations, simulations, etc.) in spite of the fact that those different systems are individually used and are relatively isolated (i.e. not interoperable) during the product design process. Then more enhancement of product development might be possible if the whole design expertises (and IT applications), could collaborate dynamically (i.e. interoperate) in a complete virtual and collaborative engineering platform. For instance, product definition could be therefore seen as the synthesis of multidisciplinary information defined and assessed with respect to both collaborative activity and individual domain of expertise. At the same time, PDM/PLM systems are developed in most of cases as product data vault (product data referential of a company with internal PDM or projects collaborative referential with collaborative engineering platform). Nevertheless, current PLM are not able to manage more than only files (and not data breakdown) and then are not yet efficient for CAx systems interoperability. The paper aims at giving some first concepts and software demonstrators in order to tackle the problem of interoperability in virtual engineering design. The proposal is based on the PPO data kernel: a dynamic data structure able to integrate and merge multidisciplinary product data breakdown and to exchange them with other CAx applications. Then the current PDM/PLM systems will be defined as one of the CAx systems which interoperate with the kernel to benefit of both PLM and CAx potential functionalities. A business case will be studied between the PPO product data kernel and the Windchill (from PTC vendor) PLM system. Some recommendations for future work are then discussed to present what could be a generic interoperable software platform.

Modelling for data management & exchange in Concurrent Engineering - A case study of civil aircraft assembly line

This research aims to improve the dataflow performance of the Concurrent Engineering (CE) practice in the detail design stage of the aircraft Assembly Line (AL) in the C919 aircraft project. As the final integrator of the aircraft, Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Company Ltd. (SAMC) is responsible for developing the AL with global suppliers. Although CE has been implemented in AL projects to shorten lead time, reduce development cost and improve design quality, the lack of experience and insufficient infrastructure may lead to many challenges in cooperation with distributed suppliers, especially regarding data management/exchange and workflow control. In this research, the particular CE environment and activities in SAMC AL projects were investigated. By assessing the CE performance and benchmarking, the improvement opportunities are identified, and then an activity-oriented workflow and dataflow model is established by decomposing the work process to detail levels. Based on this model, a Product Data Management (PDM) based support platform is proposed to facilitate data management/exchange in dynamic workflow to improve work efficiency and interoperability. This solution is mocked-up on the Siemens Teamcenter 8.1 PLM(Product Lifecycle Management) software and its feasibility is checked. The mock-up is evaluated by SAMC experts and suppliers. The feedback shows the acceptance of the model by experts and the urgency of improving data/work flow design before PLM implementing. The result of this research is useful for enterprises in similar environments transiting from pre-PLM to implementing PLM and who wanting to strengthen CE in the new product development

On the integration of model-based feature information in Product Lifecycle Management systems

[EN] As CAD models continue to become more critical information sources in the product's lifecycle, it is necessary to develop efficient mechanisms to store, retrieve, and manage larger volumes of increasingly complex data. Because of their unique characteristics, 3D annotations can be used to embed design and manufacturing information directly into a CAD model, which makes models effective vehicles to describe aspects of the geometry or provide additional information that can be connected to a particular geometric element. However, access to this information is often limited, difficult, and even unavailable to external applications. As model complexity and volume of information continue to increase, new and more powerful methods to interrogate these annotations are needed. In this paper, we demonstrate how 3D annotations can be effectively structured and integrated into a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to provide a cohesive view of product-related information in a design environment. We present a strategy to organize and manage annotation information which is stored internally in a CAD model, and make it fully available through the PLM. Our method involves a dual representation of 3D annotations with enhanced data structures that provides shared and easy access to the information. We describe the architecture of a system which includes a software component for the CAD environment and a module that integrates with the PLM server. We validate our approach through a software prototype that uses a parametric modeling application and two commercial PLM packages with distinct data models.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, J.; Contero, M.; Company, P.; Pérez Lopez, DC. (2017). On the integration of model-based feature information in Product Lifecycle Management systems. International Journal of Information Management. 37(6):611-621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2017.06.002S61162137

Decomposition of automotive manufacturing machines through a mechanism taxonomy within a product lifecycle management framework

The automotive sector as with other manufacturing industries is under continual pressure from the consumer to deliver greater levels of product customisation at a higher quality and at reduced costs. Maintaining market position is therefore increasingly determined by a company's ability to innovate design changes quickly and produce greater numbers of product variants on leaner production lines with shorter times to market. In response manufacturers are attempting to accommodate product customisation and change through the use of reconfigurable production machines. Besides the need for flexibility, production facilities represent a significant investment for automotive manufacturers which is increasingly critical to commercial success; consequently the need to reduce costs through the reuse of assembly and manufacturing hardware on new product programs is becoming crucial. The aim of this research is to enable production machines to be more easily and cost effectively built and subsequently reconfigurable through the adoption of a component-based approach to their implementation utilising virtual manufacturing tools such as Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). It is suggested that through the decomposition of manufacturing machines into standardised mechanisms and their associated data structures a revised business model can be defined. The mechanisms are classified and deployed as part of a consistent integrated data structure that encompasses product, process and plant information. An objective is to properly integrate manufacturing data with more established Product Data Management (PDM) processes. The main areas of research reported in this article are, (1) development of a method for identifying and mapping data producers, consumers and flow, (2) development of standardised data structures for the management of manufacturing data within a PLM tool, (3) development of a taxonomy for the decomposition of manufacturing and assembly lines into a library of standard physical, logical and structural mechanisms and their associated interfaces. An automotive OEM case study is presented to illustrate the classification and management of production mechanisms focusing on an engine assembly line

Discovering Windchill® Investigation of the Windchill® PLM System

This Master Thesis contains the whole development process of a basic-intermediate and advanced product lifecycle management (PLM) course for university students. The basic course has been written by Pol Rebenaque we worked together and after he has done the basic part about PLM and integrated between PLM and Creo 2(one of CAD module). I continue working on this course in advance level by investigating about other modules integrating CAD software and Microsoft Office in Windchill as well as the links with enterprise resource planning (ERP). First, theory about PLM is introduced to the readers. Afterwards, the necessary material to teach the course, including the planning of each lecture, the theory, the exercises or even the slides is presented. In this course students learn what PLM is and they work with a specific PLM software called Windchill, with which students learn how to manage a project, all kind of documents and especially to work with CAD data

A Product Lifecycle Management Framework to Support the Exchange of Prototyping and Testing Information.

RÉSUMÉ La conception et développement en tant qu'activité essentielle et motrice du cycle de vie du produit est désormais profondément influencée par les outils informatiques et leur utilisation par les divers acteurs, internes ou externes à l'entreprise et à travers les phases de vie du produit. Dans un contexte où chaque domaine d'expertise possède ses propres outils spécialisés, de nouveaux défis relatifs à la collaboration et à la dissémination de l'information sont présents. Ces défis vont crescendo aussi bien à cause de la croissance, la multiplicité et les relations entre les données générées que le souci de gérer leurs flux et des processus clés tels que le changement. A cet effet, les travaux présentés sont basés sur les transactions spécifiques d'un département de développement et tests dont les activités consistent à planifier et construire des prototypes afin de valider des performances fonctionnelles et opérationnelles du produit. Il s’agit donc de proposer et simuler une plate-forme s'appuyant sur les données configurées d'ingénierie, les structures d'information complémentaires et l'ensemble des pratiques modernes de gestion de données techniques pour converger vers des solutions et concepts répondant aux défis soulevés. Cette convergence devra en outre adhérer durablement à l'optique de gestion de cycle de vie du produit (PLM, Product Lifecycle Management). Dans un premier temps, une étude d'un cas de conception d'un nouveau pylône pour le remplacement d'un moteur de série d'avion est menée afin de détailler et implémenter, autant que possible, les fonctionnalités clés de la plate-forme cible. Cette simulation, mettant en exergue les structures complémentaires et configurables, est réalisée sur un système PLM récent à disposition pour le projet. Dans un second temps, une étude basée sur les logiciels libres et s'appuyant sur un modèle de communication préalablement justifié est déployée afin de démontrer comment des données nativement incompatibles peuvent être transformées, homogénéisées et gérées de manière consistante dans un emplacement commun. L’approche telle qu'implémentée en deux temps permet d'effectuer transpositions et extrapolations de manière à introduire l'Open Exchange Nest en tant que concept générique apte à supporter le travail collaboratif au sens PLM.----------ABSTRACT The modern perspective on product life cycle and the rapid evolution of Information and Communication Technologies in general have opened a new era in product representation and product information sharing between participants, both inside and outside the enterprise and throughout the product life. In particular, the Product Development Process relies on crossfunctional activities involving different domains of expertise that each have their own dedicated tools. This has generated new challenges in terms of collaboration and dissemination of information at large between companies or even within the same organization. Within this context, the work reported herein focuses on a specific stakeholder within product development activities - the prototyping and testing department. Its business is typically related to the planning and building of prototypes in order to perform specific tests on the future product or one of its sub-assemblies. The research project aims at investigating an appropriate framework that leverages configured engineering product information, based on complementary information structures, to share and exchange prototyping and testing information in a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) perspective. As a first step, a case study based on the retrofit of an aircraft engine is deployed to implement a scenario demonstrating the functionalities to be available within the intended framework. For this purpose, complementary and configurable structures are simulated within the project’s PLM system. In a second step are considered the software interoperability issues that don’t only affect Design – Testing interactions, but many other interfaces within either the company – due to the silo-arrangement – or the consortiums with partners, in which case the whole PLM platforms could simply be incompatible. A study based on an open source initiative and relying on an improved model of communication is described to show how two natively disparate PLM tools can dialogue to merge information in a central environment. The principles applied in both steps are therefore transposed to introduce the Open Exchange Nest as a generic PLM-driven and web-based concept to support the collaborative work in the aforementioned context

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

Ingénierie systèmes basée sur les modèles appliquée à la gestion et l'intégration des données de conception et de simulation : application aux métiers d'intégration et de simulation de systèmes aéronautiques complexes

The aim of this doctoral thesis is to contribute to the facilitation of design, integration and simulation activities in the aeronautics industry, but more generally in the context of collaborative complex product development. This objective is expected to be achieved through the use and improvement of digital engineering capabilities. During the last decade, the Digital Mock-Up (DMU) – supported by Product Data Management (PDM) systems – became a key federating environment to exchange/share a common 3D CAD model-based product definition between co-designers. It enables designers and downstream users(analysts) to access the geometry of the product assembly. While enhancing 3D and 2D simulations in a collaborative and distributed design process, the DMU offers new perspectives for analysts to retrieve the appropriate CAD data inputs used for Finite Element Analysis (FEA), permitting hence to speed-up the simulation preparation process. However, current industrial DMUs suffer from several limitations, such as the lack of flexibility in terms of content and structure, the lack of digital interface objects describing the relationships between its components and a lack of integration with simulation activities and data.This PhD underlines the DMU transformations required to provide adapted DMUs that can be used as direct input for large assembly FEA. These transformations must be consistent with the simulation context and objectives and lead to the concept of “Product View” applied to DMUs andto the concept of “Behavioural Mock-Up” (BMU). A product view defines the link between a product representation and the activity or process (performed by at least one stakeholder) that use or generate this representation as input or output respectively. The BMU is the equivalent of the DMU for simulation data and processes. Beyond the geometry, which is represented in the DMU,the so-called BMU should logically link all data and models that are required to simulate the physical behaviour and properties of a single component or an assembly of components. The key enabler for achieving the target of extending the concept of the established CAD-based DMU to the behavioural CAE-based BMU is to find a bi-directional interfacing concept between the BMU and its associated DMU. This the aim of the Design-Analysis System Integration Framework (DASIF) proposed in this PhD. This framework might be implemented within PLM/SLM environments and interoperate with both CAD-DMU and CAE-BMU environments. DASIF combines configuration data management capabilities of PDM systems with MBSE system modelling concepts and Simulation Data Management capabilities.This PhD has been carried out within a European research project: the CRESCENDO project, which aims at delivering the Behavioural Digital Aircraft (BDA). The BDA concept might consist in a collaborative data exchange/sharing platform for design-simulation processes and models throughout the development life cycle of aeronautics products. Within this project, the Product Integration Scenario and related methodology have been defined to handle digital integration chains and to provide a test case scenario for testing DASIF concepts. These latter have been used to specify and develop a prototype of an “Integrator Dedicated Environment” implemented in commercial PLM/SLM applications. Finally the DASIF conceptual data model has also served as input for contributing to the definition of the Behavioural Digital Aircraft Business Object Model: the standardized data model of the BDA platform enabling interoperability between heterogeneous PLM/SLM applications and to which existing local design environments and new services to be developed could plug.L’objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer au développement d’approches méthodologiques et d’outils informatiques pour développer les chaînes d’intégration numériques en entreprise étendue. Il s’agit notamment de mieux intégrer et d’optimiser les activités de conception, d’intégration et de simulation dans le contexte du développement collaboratif des produits/systèmes complexes.La maquette numérique (DMU) – supportée par un système de gestion de données techniques (SGDT ou PDM) – est devenue ces dernières années un environnement fédérateur clé pour échanger et partager une définition technique et une représentation 3D commune du produit entre concepteurs et partenaires. Cela permet aux concepteurs ainsi qu’aux utilisateurs en aval (ceux qui sont en charge des simulations numériques notamment) d’avoir un accès à la géométrie du produit virtuel assemblé. Alors que les simulations numériques 3D et 2D prennent une place de plus en plus importante dans le cycle de développement du produit, la DMU offre de nouvelles perspectives à ces utilisateurs pour récupérer et exploiter les données CAO appropriées et adaptées pour les analyses par éléments finis. Cela peut ainsi permettre d’accélérer le processus de préparation du modèle de simulation. Cependant, les environnements industriels de maquettes numériques sont actuellement limités dans leur exploitation par : - un manque de flexibilité en termes de contenu et de structure, - l’absence d’artefact numérique 3D permettant de décrire les interfaces des composants de l’assemblage, - un manque d’intégration avec les données et activités de simulation.Cette thèse met notamment l’accent sur les transformations à apporter aux DMU afin qu’elles puissent être utilisées comme données d’entrée directes pour les analyses par éléments finis d’assemblages volumineux (plusieurs milliers de pièces). Ces transformations doivent être en cohérence avec le contexte et les objectifs de simulation et cela nous a amené au concept de « vue produit » appliquée aux DMUs, ainsi qu’au concept de « maquette comportementale » (BMU). Une « vue produit » définit le lien entre une représentation du produit et l’activité ou le processus utilisant ou générant cette représentation. La BMU est l’équivalent de la DMU pour les données et les processus de simulation. Au delà des géométries discrétisées, la dénommée BMU devrait, en principe, lier toutes les données et les modèles qui seront nécessaires pour simuler le comportement d’un ou plusieurs composants. L’élément clé pour atteindre l’objectif d’élargir le concept établi de la DMU (basée sur des modèles CAO) à celui de la BMU (basée sur des modèles CAE), est de trouver un concept d’interface bidirectionnel entre la BMU et sa DMU associée. C’est l’objectif du « Design-Analysis System Integration Framework » (DASIF) proposé dans cette thèse de doctorat. Ce cadre a vise à être implémenté au sein d’environnements PLM/SLM et doit pouvoir inter-opérer à la fois avec les environnements CAD-DMU et CAE-BMU. DASIF allie les fonctionnalités de gestion de données et de configuration des systèmes PDM avec les concepts et formalismes d’ingénierie système basée sur les modèles (MBSE) et des fonctionnalités de gestion des données de simulation (SDM). Cette thèse a été menée dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche européen : le projet CRESCENDO qui vise à développer le « Behavioural Digital Aircraft » (BDA) qui a pour vocation d’être la« colonne vertébrale » des activités de conception et simulation avancées en entreprise étendue. Le concept du BDA doit s’articuler autour d’une plateforme collaborative d’échange et de partage des données de conception et de simulation tout au long du cycle de développement et de vie des produits aéronautiques. [...

Efficiency improvement of product definition and verification through Product Lifecycle Management

The correct and complete geometrical definition of a product is nowadays a critical activity for most companies. To solve this problem, ISO has launched the GPS, Geometrical Product Specifications and Verification, with the goal of consistently and completely describe the geometric characteristics of the products. With this project, it is possible to define a language of communication between the various stages of the product lifecycle based on "operators": these are an ordered set of mathematical operations used for the definition of the products. However, these theoretical and mathematical concepts require a level of detail and completeness of the information hardly used in usual industrial activities. Consequently in industrial practice the definition and verification of products appears to be a slow process, error-prone and difficult to control. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the activity of managing the company's products throughout their lifecycle in the most efficient way. PLM describes the engineering aspects of the products, ensuring the integrity of product definition, the automatic update of the product information and then aiding the product to fulfil with international standards. Despite all these benefits, the concepts of PLM are not yet fully understood in industry and they are difficult to implement for SME's. A first objective of this research is to develop a model to depict and understand processes. This representation is used as a tool during the application of a case study of a whole set of a GPS standards for one type of tolerance. This procedure allows the introduction of the GPS principles and facilitates its implementation within a PLM process. Until now, PLM is presented on isolated aspects without the necessary holistic approach. Furthermore, industry needs people able to operate in PLM context, professional profiles that are not common on the market. There is therefore an educational problem; besides the technical knowledge, the new profile of engineers must be also familiar with the PLM philosophy and instruments to work effectively in a team. With the aim of solving this problem, this thesis presents a PLM solution that gives the guidelines for a correct understanding of these topic