Model-based groupware solution for distributed real-time collaborative 4D planning via teamwork

Construction planning plays a fundamental role in construction project management that requires team working among planners from a diverse range of disciplines and in geographically dispersed working situations. Model-based four-dimensional (4D) computer-aided design (CAD) groupware, though considered a possible approach to supporting collaborative planning, is still short of effective collaborative mechanisms for teamwork due to methodological, technological and social challenges. Targeting this problem, this paper proposes a model-based groupware solution to enable a group of multidisciplinary planners to perform real-time collaborative 4D planning across the Internet. In the light of the interactive definition method, and its computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW) design analysis, the paper discusses the realization of interactive collaborative mechanisms from software architecture, application mode, and data exchange protocol. These mechanisms have been integrated into a groupware solution, which was validated by a planning team in a truly geographically dispersed condition. Analysis of the validation results revealed that the proposed solution is feasible for real-time collaborative 4D planning to gain a robust construction plan through collaborative teamwork. The realization of this solution triggers further considerations about its enhancement for wider groupware applications

Research on Multi-specialty Coordination, Multi-discipline and Multifunction Integration Oriented Modeling and Simulation Innovation Technology

AbstractThe paper mainly covers the connotations, the functions and the key techniques of the Aircraft Digital Cooperative Robust Integration Optimization Performance Simulation Technology. The Performance Simulation Airplane Integration Design Platform, which has been established by the Performance Simulation Airplane construction analysis, a series of Standard Specification Establishing, the key modules development and a series of the supporting work implementation. It can be customized and be extended, and it is easy to be demonstrated. The platform contains the engineering database including the Performance Simulation Airplane model, simulation process data, simulation results data, and so on. It also provides the closed development process from the initial design to the optimized design, and end to the final detail design. It carries out the configuration selection and performance analysis for the airplane various configurations under the product development requirements in the entire process. It is applicable for the cooperative simulation analysis about the General Configuration research, the Aerodynamic design, the Structure design, the Strength design and some system specialties. This technique system has brought revolutionary changes to the traditional technological concept and Architecture, and it has been proved that the design period of the product is shortened by more than 25%, and the simulation test period is also shortened by more than 25%

Specifications and Development of Interoperability Solution dedicated to Multiple Expertise Collaboration in a Design Framework

This paper describes the specifications of an interoperability platform based on the PPO (Product Process Organization) model developed by the French community IPPOP in the context of collaborative and innovative design. By using PPO model as a reference, this work aims to connect together heterogonous tools used by experts easing data and information exchanges. After underlining the growing needs of collaborative design process, this paper focuses on interoperability concept by describing current solutions and their limits. Then a solution based on the flexibility of the PPO model adapted to the philosophy of interoperability is proposed. To illustrate these concepts, several examples are more particularly described (robustness analysis, CAD and Product Lifecycle Management systems connections)

A novel hybrid engineering methodology to enhance collaboration during the design and development of meta product services

Since the Product-Service System (PSS) is accompanied by a paradigm shift towards the sustainability of the production process, it demands an advanced level of collaboration throughout the design and development process. This poses new challenges to enhance collaboration among cross-sectional, multi-disciplinary design teams in order to incorporate a variety of interdisciplinary services in a complex service-oriented system. Therefore, a new collaboration methodology is needed to reduce barriers to collaboration in a cross- organizational structure domain. This research work aims at highlighting the collaboration challenges that Meta-Product design teams face and also proposes a novel methodology to enhance collaboration among multi-disciplinary teams. The proposed methodology is a hybrid engineering model designed by integrating an Information Delivery Manual approach with a traditional software development process along with three interlinked collaboration services

Distributed product development approaches and system for achieving optimal design.

The research in this dissertation attempts to provide theoretic approaches and design systems to support engineers who are located in different places and belong to different teams or companies to work collaboratively to perform product development.The second challenge is addressed by developing a collaborative design process modeling technique based on Petri-net. Petri-net is used to describe complex design processes and to construct different design process alternatives. These alternative Petri-net models are then analyzed to evaluate design process alternatives and to select the appropriate process.In this dissertation, three major challenges are identified in realization of a collaborative design paradigm: (i) development of design method that supports multidisciplinary xi design teams to collaboratively solve coupled design problems, (ii) development of process modeling techniques to support representation and improve complex collaborative design process, and (iii) implementation of a testbed system that demonstrates the feasibility of enhancing current design system to satisfy with the needs of organizing collaborative design process for collaborative decision making and associated design activities.New paradigms, along with accompanying approaches and software systems are necessary to support collaborative design work, in a distributed design environment, of multidisciplinary engineering teams who have different knowledge, experience, and skills. Current research generally focuses on the development of online collaborative tools, and software frameworks that integrate and coordinate these tools. However, a gap exists between the needs of a distributed collaborative design paradigm and current collaborative design tools. On one side, design methodologies facilitating engineering teams' decision making is not well developed. In a distributed collaborative design paradigm, each team holds its own perspective towards the product realization problem, and each team seeks design decisions that can maximize the design performance in its own discipline. Design methodologies that coordinate the separate design decisions are essential to achieve successful collaboration. On the other side, design of products is becoming more complex. Organizing a complex design process is a major obstacle in the application of a distributed collaborative design paradigm in practice. Therefore, the principal research goal in this dissertation is to develop a collaborative multidisciplinary decision making methodology and design process modeling technique that bridges the gap between a collaborative design paradigm and current collaborative design systems.To overcome the first challenge, decision templates are constructed to exchange design information among interacting disciplines. Three game protocols from game theory are utilized to categorize the collaboration in decision makings. Design formulations are used to capture the design freedom among coupled design activities.The third challenge, implementation of collaborative design testbed, is addressed by integration of existing Petri-net modeling tools into the design system. The testbed incorporates optimization software, collaborative design tools, and management software for product and process design to support group design activities.Two product realization examples are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the research and collaborative testbed. A simplified manipulator design example is used for explanation of collaborative decision making and design process organization. And a reverse engineering design example is introduced to verify the application of collaborative design paradigm with design support systems in practice

Transforming Multidisciplinary Customer Requirements to Product Design Specifications

With the increasing of complexity of complex mechatronic products, it is necessary to involve multidisciplinary design teams, thus, the traditional customer requirements modeling for a single discipline team becomes difficult to be applied in a multidisciplinary team and project since team members with various disciplinary backgrounds may have different interpretations of the customers’ requirements. A new synthesized multidisciplinary customer requirements modeling method is provided for obtaining and describing the common understanding of customer requirements (CRs) and more importantly transferring them into a detailed and accurate product design specifications (PDS) to interact with different team members effectively. A case study of designing a high speed train verifies the rationality and feasibility of the proposed multidisciplinary requirement modeling method for complex mechatronic product development. This proposed research offersthe instruction to realize the customer-driven personalized customization of complex mechatronic product

Development Process for Multi-Disciplinary Embedded Control Systems

This report contains the progress report for the qualification exam for Industrial PhD student Sune Wolff. Initial work on describing a development process for multi-disciplinary systems using collaborative modelling and co-simulation is described

Overview on agent-based social modelling and the use of formal languages

Transdisciplinary Models and Applications investigates a variety of programming languages used in validating and verifying models in order to assist in their eventual implementation. This book will explore different methods of evaluating and formalizing simulation models, enabling computer and industrial engineers, mathematicians, and students working with computer simulations to thoroughly understand the progression from simulation to product, improving the overall effectiveness of modeling systems.Postprint (author's final draft

Supporting multidisciplinary vehicle modeling : towards an ontology-based knowledge sharing in collaborative model based systems engineering environment

Simulation models are widely used by industries as an aid for decision making to explore and optimize a broad range of complex industrial systems’ architectures. The increased complexity of industrial systems (cars, airplanes, etc.), ecological and economic concerns implies a need for exploring and analysing innovative system architectures efficiently and effectively by using simulation models. However, simulations designers currently suffer from limitations which make simulation models difficult to design and develop in a collaborative, multidisciplinary design environment. The multidisciplinary nature of simulation models requires a specific understanding of each phenomenon to simulate and a thorough description of the system architecture, its components and connections between components. To accomplish these objectives, the Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Information Systems’ (IS) methodologies were used to support the simulation designer’s analysing capabilities in terms of methods, processes and design tool solutions. The objective of this thesis is twofold. The first concerns the development of a methodology and tools to build accurate simulation models. The second focuses on the introduction of an innovative approach to design, product and integrate the simulation models in a “plug and play" manner by ensuring the expected model fidelity. However, today, one of the major challenges in full-vehicle simulation model creation is to get domain level simulation models from different domain experts while detecting any potential inconsistency problem before the IVVQ (Integration, Verification, Validation, and Qualification) phase. In the current simulation model development process, most of the defects such as interface mismatch and interoperability problems are discovered late, during the IVVQ phase. This may create multiple wastes, including rework and, may-be the most harmful, incorrect simulation models, which are subsequently used as basis for design decisions. In order to address this problem, this work aims to reduce late inconsistency detection by ensuring early stage collaborations between the different suppliers and OEM. Thus, this work integrates first a Detailed Model Design Phase to the current model development process and, second, the roles have been re-organized and delegated between design actors. Finally an alternative architecture design tool is supported by an ontology-based DSL (Domain Specific Language) called Model Identity Card (MIC). The design tools and mentioned activities perspectives (e.g. decisions, views and viewpoints) are structured by inspiration from Enterprise Architecture Frameworks. To demonstrate the applicability of our proposed solution, engine-after treatment, hybrid parallel propulsion and electric transmission models are tested across automotive and aeronautic industries.Les systèmes industriels (automobile, aérospatial, etc.) sont de plus en plus complexes à cause des contraintes économiques et écologiques. Cette complexité croissante impose des nouvelles contraintes au niveau du développement. La question de la maitrise de la capacité d’analyse de leurs architectures est alors posée. Pour résoudre cette question, les outils de modélisation et de simulation sont devenus une pratique courante dans les milieux industriels afin de comparer les multiples architectures candidates. Ces outils de simulations sont devenus incontournables pour conforter les décisions. Pourtant, la mise en œuvre des modèles physiques est de plus en plus complexe et nécessite une compréhension spécifique de chaque phénomène simulé ainsi qu’une description approfondie de l’architecture du système, de ses composants et des liaisons entre composants. L’objectif de cette thèse est double. Le premier concerne le développement d’une méthodologie et des outils nécessaires pour construire avec précision les modèles de simulation des architectures de systèmes qu’on désire étudier. Le deuxième s’intéresse à l’introduction d’une approche innovante pour la conception, la production et l’intégration des modèles de simulations en mode « plug and play » afin de garantir la conformité des résultats aux attentes, notamment aux niveaux de la qualité et de la maturité. Pour accomplir ces objectifs, des méthodologies et des processus d’ingénierie des systèmes basés sur les modèles (MBSE) ainsi que les systèmes d’information ont été utilisés. Ce travail de thèse propose pour la première fois un processus détaillé et un outil pour la conception des modèles de simulation. Un référentiel commun nommé « Modèle de carte d'identité (MIC) » a été développé pour standardiser et renforcer les interfaces entre les métiers et les fournisseurs sur les plans organisationnels et techniques. MIC garantit l’évolution et la gestion de la cohérence de l’ensemble des règles et les spécifications des connaissances des domaines métiers dont la sémantique est multiple. MIC renforce également la cohérence du modèle et réduit les anomalies qui peuvent interférer pendant la phase dite IVVQ pour Intégration, Vérification, Validation, Qualification. Finalement, afin de structurer les processus de conception des modèles de simulation, le travail s’est inspiré des cadres de l’Architecture d’Entreprise en reflétant les exigences d’intégration et de standardisation du modèle opératoire de l’entreprise. Pour valider les concepts introduits dans le cadre de cette thèse, des études de cas tirés des domaines automobile et aérospatiale ont été réalisées. L'objectif de cette validation est d'observer l'amélioration significative du processus actuel en termes d'efficacité, de réduction de l'ambiguïté et des malentendus dans la modélisation et la simulation du système à concevoir