Knowledge-supported Development of Function Models for Mechanical Products Using Intelligent Function Libraries

Abstract

Today, there is an increasing need for cross-domain collaboration in development. In order to overcome the challenges arising from this cross-domain collaboration, current approaches focus on model-based, function-oriented product development. Model-based, function-oriented product development requires the modeling of functions in a modeling language such as the systems modeling language (SysML). Currently, the function modeling requires high modeling efforts. These arise especially when systems are decomposed to the elementary level for analysis or development. An approach used to reduce modeling effort is the use of function libraries. However, the effectiveness of these libraries is currently inhibited by the effort required to find suitable functions. The objective of this work is to enhance searching for suitable functions by proposing an intelligent function library, consisting of a SysML function library and an algorithm for filtering the library functions based on different search criteria. The algorithm supports the development team in the modeling of functions by automatic analysis of the functions already modeled and the suggestion of suitable functions from the function library based on this analysis. The innovation of this approach is, that the function library is easily customizable and flexibly extendable according to the company and their product portfolio.