Abstract
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.
Highlights
Modern computer-aided engineering applications (CAx) like CAD/CAE/CAM and related file management applications like PLM authorize one user to a model where the assigned user independently edits the design, analysis, or manufacturing parameters, or applies design and analysis algorithms
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
One objective of this paper is to show that modern CAD systems have inherent architectural limitations that make collaboration difficult
Summary
Modern computer-aided engineering applications (CAx) like CAD/CAE/CAM and related file management applications like PLM authorize one user to a model where the assigned user independently edits the design, analysis, or manufacturing parameters, or applies design and analysis algorithms. We have expanded multi-user prototypes into other applications beyond CAD to identify additional architectural challenges not disclosed by prior research By testing these prototypes across several time zones, and allowing 30 or more multi-users into a single model (Jensen, 2012), we discovered a change management problem (Undo Ctrl Z) that complicates session management model consistency among distributed clients. The incompatibility of CAx application formats, file sizes, CAx diversity among suppliers and subcontractors, and the need to collaborate on design decisions have given rise to efficient CAx viewing applications; see http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/ autoVue/index.html and http://www.techsoft3d.com/our-products These technologies are useful for simultaneous viewing and evaluating design models by collaborative design teams, and for assigning and recording design decisions, but they don’t allow users to simultaneously edit design models. We postulate that industry will not adopt new processes, regardless of productivity potential, unless the administrative issues are well understood and are fairly practical to implement. Hannan and Freeman (1984) articulated the principles of industrial inertia in their highly referenced 1984 paper
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
