An Approach to Support the Implementation of Product Configuration Tools

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Raffaeli ◽  
Maura Mengoni ◽  
Michele Germani ◽  
Ferruccio Mandorli
Keyword(s):  
Product Structure ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Product Configuration Management ◽  
Cad Models ◽  
Geometrical Data ◽  
Virtual Prototypes ◽  
Configuration Systems

Companies applying mass customization paradigm regard the design process as a configuration task where the solution is achieved through the extraction of a new instance from a modular product structure. In this context product configuration management tools are evermore important. Although tools have been already proposed, they fail in real industrial contexts. Main causes are recognizable in high efforts in systems implementation and lack of flexibility in products updating. This research aims to develop an approach to overcome drawbacks and simplify the implementation and the use of product configuration systems also in redesign activities. The paper initially reviews existing systems in terms of design knowledge representation methods and product structure formalization techniques. Then, an approach based on Configuration Virtual Prototypes which store and manage different levels of knowledge, is presented. In particular, a framework is outlined in order to represent design data and its formalization in configuration tools. Three different domains are managed and connected via Configuration Virtual Prototypes: Product Specifications, Geometrical Data and Product Knowledge. Specifically, geometrical data aspects are analyzed in detail providing approaches for eliciting knowledge introduced by parametric template CAD models. The approach will be exemplified through a real application example where an original tool has been developed on the based of the described method. Benefits of the system will be shown and briefly discussed, in particular in terms of reachable flexibility in solutions.

scholarly journals Guidelines for Structuring Object-Oriented Product Configuration Models in Standard Configuration Software

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 374-401
Author(s):  
Jeppe Rasmussen ◽  
Lars Hvam ◽  
Katrin Kristjansdottir ◽  
Niels Mortensen
Keyword(s):  
Design Patterns ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Modular Design ◽  
Object Oriented ◽  
Configuration Software ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Product Model ◽  
Modelling Techniques ◽  
Configuration Systems

Product configuration systems (PCSs) are increasingly being used in various industries to manage product knowledge and create the required specifications of customized products. Companies applying PCS face significant challenges in modelling, structuring and documenting the systems. Some of the main challenges related to PCSs are formalising product knowledge conceptually and structuring the product features. The modelling techniques predominantly used to visualise and structure PCSs are the Unified Modelling Language (UML) notations, Generic Bill of Materials (GBOM) and Product Variant Master (PVM), associated with class collaboration cards (CRC-cards). These methods are used to both analyse and model the products and create a basis for implementation to a PCS by using an object-oriented approach. However, the modelling techniques do not consider that most commercial PCSs are not fully object-oriented, but rather, they are expert systems with an inference engine and a knowledge base; therefore, the constructed product models require modifications before implementation in the configuration software. The consequences are that what is supposedly a feasible structure of the product model is not always appropriate for the implementation in standard PCS software. To address this challenge, this paper investigates the best practice in modelling and implementation techniques for PCSs in standard software and alternative structuring methods used in object-oriented software design. The paper proposes a method for a modular design of a PCS in not fully object-oriented standard PCS software using design patterns. The proposed method was tested in a case company that suffered from a poorly structured product model in a not fully object-oriented PCS. The results show that its maintainability can be improved by using design patterns in combination with an agile documentation approach.

A Process-Oriented Approach for Management of Product Configuration Models

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Mesihovic ◽  
Johan Malmqvist
Keyword(s):  
Product Configuration ◽  
Configuration Model ◽  
Product Configuration Management ◽  
Industrial Companies ◽  
Process Oriented ◽  
Configuration Systems ◽  
Process Context ◽  
Product Configuration Model ◽  
The Right ◽  
Oriented Approach

Efficient product configuration systems have been widely recognized by industrial companies as an important tool for meeting increasing customer requirements for specifically adapted products according to their needs/requirements. The main obstacle in this area has been the long-term maintenance of the product configuration models with the new product definition information generated throughout the product lifecycle. Much of the work in this area has focused on product architecture issues, data modelling techniques and software tools. However, in order to be useful, the models and software applications must be put into the right business process context that is supported by the proper organizational framework. Thus, the paper presents a generic process-oriented approach for change management of product configuration-related information in industrial companies. The process contains steps for identification of new and/or changed product configuration knowledge, request of a change in the product configuration model, evaluation of the request, and finally an update of the product configuration model in the system. In addition, there is a description of employees’ competence profile descriptions and the organizational roles needed to support an effective product configuration management process in an industrial company.

Improving the link between computer-assisted design and configuration tools for the design of mechanical products

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Raffaeli ◽  
Maura Mengoni ◽  
Michele Germani
Keyword(s):  
Computer Aided Design ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Industrial Case Study ◽  
Support Design ◽  
Mechanical Field ◽  
Mechanical Products ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Virtual Prototypes

AbstractThe competitive market forces companies to offer tailored products to meet specific customer needs. To avoid wasting time, design efforts generally address the configuration of existing solutions, without producing substantial design modifications. Configuration tools are used to achieve customized products starting from a common platform. Many approaches have been successfully proposed in literature to configure products. However, in the mechanical field they need further investigation in order to be efficiently linked to computer-aided design technologies. Research is focused on tools and methods to automatically produce geometrical models and improve the flexibility of the continuous product updating process. In this context, this paper aims to combine product configuration approaches with design automation techniques in order to support design activities of products to fulfill specific requirements. The approach is based on entities called configurable virtual prototypes. Three different domains are managed and connected via configurable virtual prototypes: product specifications, geometrical data, and product knowledge. In particular, geometry recognition rules are used to identify the parameterization of parts and the assembly mating constraints. The approach is exemplified through an industrial case study where a tool has been developed on the basis of the described method. Advantages of the system are shown in terms of achieved product configuration efficiency.

Multi-Agent System for Web-Based Customization

2011 ◽  
pp. 811-816
Author(s):  
Thorsten Blecker ◽  
Nizar Abdelkafi
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Main Task ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Common Information ◽  
Multi Agent

Web-based customization refers to an e-commerce business model whereby customers can individualize their products via the electronic channel. The success of this business model to a great extent depends on the appropriateness of the information system, which supports online interaction between customer and supplier (Franke & Piller, 2003). For example, computer manufacturers offering their products online enable customers to select the type of components to be built in the final product (e.g., type of processor, motherboards, graphic and sound cards, etc.). This type of interaction is referred to as Web-based product configuration. In order to increase the chances that customers find suitable products, Web-based customization offers large variety. However, due to the limited information processing capacity of humans and lack of technical product knowledge, excessive product variety confuses customers (Piller, Koch, Moeslein, & Schubert, 2003). It triggers decision-making difficulties and uncertainty concerning the suitability of choices. In effect, customers are generally unaware of their needs and not capable of making optimal buying decisions. Furthermore, the support provided by common information systems is more consistency check than real assistance, since their main task is to verify the compatibility of components between each other. On the other hand, the resulting variety brings about an increasing complexity of operations and manufacturing-related tasks on the supplier’s side. The complexity that is perceived by customers during the interaction process is called “external complexity,” whereas complexity that is experienced inside manufacturing and operations is referred to as “internal complexity.” Therefore, a suitable information system that supports Web-based customization should simultaneously address both challenges. It should provide customers with appropriate assistance during the search for adequate products and support suppliers in managing variety. In the following, an information system that is capable of coping with both types of complexity will be developed.

Configurable Product Structure Model Based on Semantic Network

2013 ◽  
Vol 655-657 ◽  
pp. 2074-2079
Author(s):  
Xin Wang ◽  
Lin Gao ◽  
Chong Chong Ji
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Representation ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Semantic Network ◽  
Semantic Networks ◽  
Product Structure ◽  
Semantic Relation ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Configuration Design ◽  
Structure Model ◽  
Representation Form

Depending on the demand of structure model in product configuration design, product types that can be configured are described and analyzed. Based on semantic networks as a kind of available knowledge representation form and Extend A/O tree, structural model of configurable product is put forward. The structural relation, assembly relation and configuring option relation are included, semantic relation among assembly parts is also expressed. Finaly, configurable node model is proposed.

scholarly journals Return on investment from the use of product configuration systems – A case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 57-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Kristjansdottir ◽  
Sara Shafiee ◽  
Lars Hvam ◽  
Martin Bonev ◽  
Anna Myrodia
Keyword(s):  
Return On Investment ◽  
Product Configuration ◽  
Configuration Systems

scholarly journals CUSTOMER SPECIFIC COMPATIBILITY MATRICES FOR FUNCTIONAL INTEGRAL PRODUCT ARCHITECTURES

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1105-1114
Author(s):  
J. Siebrecht ◽  
G. Jacobs ◽  
C. Konrad ◽  
C. Wyrwich ◽  
W. Schäfer
Keyword(s):  
Product Structure ◽  
Functional Integral ◽  
Class Structure ◽  
Product Knowledge ◽  
Customer Requirements ◽  
Reference Class ◽  
System Components

AbstractSupplier of system components face the challenge of customer requirements influencing the property level functional integral product architectures. For this, solution approaches focusing on the re-use of pre-engineered part variants are not applicable. However, to generate a valid product structure, customer-specific properties have to fit modelled product knowledge. Therefore, the approach models a reference class structure and analysis compatibilities on the property level for customer specific inputs concerning explicit product knowledge and constraints.

Modular Product Configuration: An Automatic Tool for Eliciting Design Knowledge From Parametric CAD Models

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Raffaeli ◽  
Paolo Cicconi ◽  
Maura Mengoni ◽  
Michele Germani
Keyword(s):  
Product Configuration ◽  
Industrial Practice ◽  
Modular Product ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Cad Models ◽  
Configuration System ◽  
Automatic Tool ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Short Time

The offer of tailored products is a key factor to satisfy specific customer needs in the current competitive market. Modular products can easily support customization in a short time. Design process, in this case, can be regarded as a configuration task where solution is achieved through the combination of modules in overall product architecture. In this scenario efficient configuration design tools are evermore important. Although many tools have been already proposed in literature, they need further investigation to be applicable in real industrial practice, because of the high efforts required to implement system and the lack of flexibility in products updating. This work describes an approach to overcome drawbacks and to introduce a product independent configuration system which can be useful in designing recurrent product modules. To manage configuration from the designer perspective, the approach is based on Configurable Virtual Prototypes (CVP). In particular, the definition of geometrical models is analyzed providing a tool for eliciting and reusing knowledge introduced by parametric template CAD models. Semantic rules are used to recognize parts parameterization and assembly mating constraints. The approach is exemplified through a case study.

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