Communication and Knowledge in Product Model Supported Engineering Processes

Abstract

Main purpose of engineering is transfer of intent from different humans into product definition. Application of an integrated product model has a chance of establishment of highly efficient processes for product definition. Product modeling has reached a level where sophisticated representations of object data and relationships are available at every day engineering activities. This information based model is defined by the authors as classical product model. The problem is at the application of this model because information in it is a result of a complex human thinking process content of which is not communicated with the model from the decision maker to the engineer who applies or revises the model. In this paper, the authors introduce their approach and method for a product model that is suitable for better communication between human and processes at generation of classical product model. After a short introduction of related research works, the authors analyzed the changed role of knowledge in product definition. Following this, knowledge and human intent are discussed in order to establish human intent based knowledge representations in product model. In the rest of the paper, the authors introduce the concept of content of product information and propose a multilevel structure for integrated information and information content based product modeling. Finally, future research and implementation are outlined.