Modeling Collaborative Engineering Design Process Using Petri-Net

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhao ◽  
Yan Jin
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Petri Net ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Process Model ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Collaborative Engineering ◽  
Routine Design ◽  
High Level

Abstract Collaborative engineering involves multiple engineers and managers working together to develop engineering products. As the engineering problems become more and more complicated, new technologies are required to achieve better effectiveness and efficiency. While process models management and technologies have been developed to support engineering design, most of them apply only to routine design tasks and do not explicitly deal with the change of processes during execution. Our research proposes a process-driven framework to support collaborative engineering. The framework is composed of a process model that captures both high level and low level activity dependencies, an agent network that monitors process execution and facilitates coordination among engineers, and a Petri-net based modeling tool to represent and analyze process features and predict the performance of engineering processes. In this paper, we first describe a simple collaborative design problem and our proposed ActivePROCESS collaborative engineering framework. After that we present our Petri-net based analytical model of collaborative design process and discuss the model along with a case example.

Activeprocess: A Process-Driven and Agent-Based Approach to Supporting Collaborative Engineering

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Jin ◽  
Li Zhao ◽  
Arun Raghunath
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Collaborative Engineering ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Engineering Team ◽  
High Level ◽  
Support Engineering

Abstract Collaborative engineering involves multiple engineers and managers working together to develop engineering products. As engineering problems become more and more complex, such as the development of a modern automobile, new technologies are demanded to maintain both effectiveness and efficiency of collaborative engineering. While process models and technologies have been developed to support engineering team work, most of the support remains at project management level. Our research proposes a process-driven and agent-based framework, called ActivePROCESS, to support collaborative engineering. ActivePROCESS is composed of a process model APM that captures both high level and low level activity dependencies, and an agent network that monitors process execution and facilitates coordination among engineers. One important feature of this framework is that the agents can capture emergent dependencies between activities dynamically and provides guidance for coordination by managing and applying the dependencies. In this paper, we first present our process-driven approach to collaborative engineering, and then describe the process model APM and the ActivePROCESS prototype system being developed. We will also describe a case example and discuss several issues experienced from the case study.

Work Structure Based Collaborative Engineering Design

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhao ◽  
Yan Jin
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Intelligent Agents ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Workflow Management ◽  
Process Efficiency ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Collaborative Engineering ◽  
Engineering Work ◽  
Work Structure

Collaborative engineering design requires multiple people working together to achieve a common goal. Data sharing approach and workflow management approach have been developed to support collaborative design, but the disconnection of these two approaches has led to problems of efficiency and adaptability. In this paper, we propose a work structure based approach for collaborative design. Our goal is to improve process efficiency and adaptability by integrating management processes with engineering details and allowing designers to make certain managerial decisions through peer coordination. For a specific task, a work structure is a network of engineering work items connected by dynamically acquired engineering dependencies. It is used to generate multiple processes from which the one that best fits the current situation is dynamically determined through coordination among team participants. In order to capture engineering dependencies and associate engineering details, an adaptive work process model is developed that explicitly represents engineering work, work structure, and processes. Based on this model, a set of operations and algorithms are developed for intelligent agents to provide coordination support. Experiments have shown that by following this approach, engineering design processes can dynamically adapt to both requirement and resource changes, and the process efficiency can be significantly improved.

A Model of Collaborative Design Decision Making Using Timed Petri-Net

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Chen ◽  
Zahed Siddique
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Petri Net ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Design Decision ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Improved Design

This paper presents a Petri-net process model that captures the dependency relationships of design decision making and information exchanges among multiple design problems in a distributed environment. The Model of Distributed Design (MDD) allows quantitative representation of a collaborative design process in which designers from multiple disciplines can effectively work together. The MDD is developed based on the Petri-net graph, which allows various performance analysis to be performed to evaluate and improve a collaborative design process. In this paper, the compromise Decision Support Problem (c-DSP) formulation is used to describe the design problems and the Petri-net is utilized to explicitly describe the propagation of shared design variables and the interactions. The applicability of the model is demonstrated through an example design problem that requires collaboration among four design disciplines. The design processes based on the example are modeled and then analyzed to obtain process features and performance evaluations. Based on the analysis results, an improved design process is given which shortens the design time.

A collaborative design process model in the sociotechnical engineering design framework

2001 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHEN C.-Y. LU ◽  
JIAN CAI
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
Sociotechnical Design ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Design Process Model ◽  
Design Conflicts

Collaborative engineering design involves various stakeholders with different perspectives. The design process is relatively complex and difficult to handle. Various conflicts always happen among the design tasks and affect the design team performance. Therefore, to represent the collaborative design process and capture the evolution of design perspectives in a structured way, it is critical to manage the design conflicts and improve the collaborative design productivity. This article provides a generic collaborative design process model based on a sociotechnical design framework. This model has a topological format and adopts process analysis techniques from Petri Nets. By addressing both the technical and social aspects of collaborative design activities, it provides a mechanism to identify the interdependencies among design tasks and perspectives of different stakeholders. Based on this design process model, a methodology of detecting and handling the design conflicts is developed to support collaborative design coordination.

A Design Process Model That Unifies General Design Theory and Empirical Findings

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuo Tomiyama
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Process Models ◽  
General Design ◽  
Cad System ◽  
Design Process Model ◽  
Theoretical Results ◽  
Design Experiments

Abstract This paper proposes a new design process model that unifies theoretical results of General Design Theory (GDT) and empirical findings obtained from design experiments. It first reviews the design process models that were developed within theoretical work on GDT. Then, we describe experimental work on design based on protocol analysis, which resulted in a cognitive design process model from which further a computable design process model was derived. While these experimental results are supposed to support the theoretical conclusions obtained from GDT, we could also find out incompatibilities. We then propose a new design process model, called the refinement design process model, that can unify both theoretical results of GDT and experimental finding obtained from design experiments. The refinement model has better agreements with experimental findings and suggests various issues as a guiding principle to develop a future, advanced CAD system that helps a designer to focus on functional information. We propose and illustrate the concepts of such an advanced CAD system equipped with intensive design knowledge, called a computational framework for knowledge intensive engineering.

A Cooperative-Collaborative Design System for Multi-Disciplinary Mechanical Design

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Chen ◽  
Zahed Siddique
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
System Level ◽  
Design System ◽  
Design Collaboration ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Design Process Model

The emergence of computer and network technology has provided opportunities for researchers to construct and build systems to support dynamic, real-time, and collaborative engineering design in a concurrent manner. This paper provides an understanding of the product design in a distributed environment where designers are in different geographic locations and are required to be involved in the design process to ensure successful product design. A design process model that captures the major interactions among stakeholders is presented, based on the observation of cooperation and collaboration. The stakeholders’ interactions are divided into activity and system level to distinguish the interactions in group design activities and design perspective evolution. An initial computer implementation of the design model is presented. The design system consists of a set of tools associated with design and a management system to facilitate distributed designers to support various design activities, especially conceptual design. Our research emphasis of design collaboration in this paper is: (i) Model a Cooperative-collaborative design process; (ii) Support synchronized design activities; and (iii) Structure the complex relations of various design perspectives from engineering disciplines.

scholarly journals Improvement of Business-Activities in Telecommunication Enterprises by the eTOM Business-Process Structural Model Implementation

2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
Olga Korzachenko ◽  
Vadim Getman
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Foreign Market ◽  
Process Models ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Telecommunication Companies ◽  
High Level

Improvement of Business-Activities in Telecommunication Enterprises by the eTOM Business-Process Structural Model Implementation For now, in front of telecommunication branch enterprises of Ukraine, there is a problem of activity improvement with the purpose of granting high-quality services and maintenance of competitive position, both on internal, and on a foreign market. To solve this problem, telecommunication companies appropriate to use the mechanisms of business-oriented process management and improvement of end-to-end business-processes. The purpose of this article is a choice of effective business-process model that will allow telecommunications companies to provide modern, high quality and cost competitive services. During research, conditions of the telecommunication branch enterprises of Ukraine were investigated and key problems of their activity were revealed. Existing business-process models have been considered and analyzed and the optimal model was chosen, according to the put criteria. By results of the analysis a conclusion was drawn, that to the enterprises for business-process modeling is expedient for using eTOM - high-level system business-oriented model aimed for providing of any technological services, including IT. As advantages from introduction eTOM at the Ukrainian enterprises were analyzed.

A methodology for developing company-specific design process models

2005 ◽  
Vol 219 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Cross ◽  
S Sivaloganathan
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Design Methods ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Specific Design ◽  
Project Risk ◽  
Specialist Knowledge ◽  
Concurrent Development ◽  
Design Process Model

A number of design models have been proposed by design researchers, but they have not been adopted by industry because they are too generic. To be successful, companies have to manage effectively both project risk and concurrent development. The stage gate model is a suitable mechanism to achieve the required control within a commercial environment and there is evidence of its adoption by industry. The number of stages used depends on the degree of risk and the control needed in the project. Design methods are techniques that can assist designers to develop new products and knowledge can be classified as basic or specialist. This paper summarizes 100 key design methods from basic knowledge and suggests when they should be used. There are also company-specific design methods, which fall in the specialist knowledge category. An effective commercial design model should incorporate, firstly, a stage gate process that has stages defined to suit the project risk and to provide the control needed, secondly, the required level of concurrency, thirdly, appropriate basic design methods in the different stages, and, fourthly, appropriate specialist design methods in the different stages. This paper proposes a six-stepped methodology for developing such a company-specific design process model.

A Perspective for Evaluating Wikis as a Medium for Communication Within Engineering Design Teams

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolynn J. Walthall ◽  
Srikanth Devanathan ◽  
Lorraine Kisselburgh ◽  
Karthik Ramani ◽  
E. Daniel Hirleman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Design Collaboration

Wikis, freely editable collections of web pages, are showing potential for a flexible documentation and communication tool for collaborative design tasks. They also provide a medium that can be further transformed by properly understanding both the need for flexibility as well as support for design thinking early in the design process. The purpose of this work is to analyze the different dimensions of the wiki from a communication perspective as applicable to design. With a focus on communication in design, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of using wikis in student engineering design teams. Our ultimate goal is to better support the design process while exploiting the potential for increasing the shared understanding among teams using a wiki. By introducing a wiki in a globally distributed product development course, students gain hands-on experience in using wikis as a design tool. Feedback from students will be collected through questionnaires and used to improve and transform the wiki as a support tool for communication during early design collaboration.

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