Concurrent Engineering System Research Articles

Digital Factory Wizard: an integrated system for concurrent digital engineering in product lifecycle management

Product lifecycle management (PLM) systems provide a useful function with regard to creating and managing product data. But, because current PLM systems are based on individual functions and because of distributed information management, it takes a lot of time and effort to collect data as well as analyse engineering planning data. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve an integrated engineering environment and share information across departments or enterprises in the environment of current PLM systems. Moreover, current PLM systems have concentrated on design and engineering, i.e. design production and the management of design data. Manufacturing engineering, such as layout design, is not a focal point in current PLM systems. Hence, to achieve an integrated and concurrent engineering environment, the authors propose a new concept, the digital factory wizard (DFW), in a PLM environment. The DFW provides interoperability across heterogeneous systems and integrated information management as well as facilitates information utilisation based on the concept proposed in this research. The DFW is composed of four modules: integrated standard schema (ISS), PLM Integrator, layout builder (LB) and simulation builder (SB). The ISS defines a common data type and structure for supporting interoperability. For supporting automatic information exchange through the ISS, the PLM integrator has been developed. The third module is LB. It helps to generate a factory layout using managed information in PLM systems. Finally, the function of SB is the automatic generation of a simulation model. The final part of the article suggests implementations and presents a case study to show that the implementation of an effective, reliable and interoperable engineering environment is possible, and can be performed in a concurrent and integrated manner.

A concurrent engineering system to integrate a production simulation and CAD system for FTL layout design

In this paper, we propose a Concurrent Engineering System (CES) to find a Flexible Transfer Line (FTL) layout design. CES integrates a Production Simulation (PS) module and a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) module. CES uses a PS module to determine the buffer size in front of the bay of each machine in the FTL and initialises a CAD module to draw the FTL layout. A PS module consists of a Genetic Algorithm (GA) and a discrete simulator. A CAD module has two submodules: a calculation and optimisation submodule and a drawing submodule. CES modules have been integrated into a single framework, in accordance with the practice of Concurrent Engineering (CE), to find the FTL buffer size and efficient layout design for FTL simultaneously. CE involves the cooperation of these activities. It is expected that the developed CES can improve production engineers' decision on the buffer size and determine an efficient FTL layout design. We applied an original developed CES to design some examples of FTLs. After a number of operations based on CES, the FTL layout could be drawn. As a result, it could be ascertained that the proposed CES is useful.

Concurrent Production Engineering System for buffer size and flexible transfer line layout design

In this paper we propose a COncurrent Production Engineering System (COPES) for the flexible transfer line (FTL) layout design in a restricted area. COPES first determines the buffer size in front of the bay of each machine tool in the FTL and then initializes a computer aided design (CAD) system to draw the FTL in a restricted area. We develop a set of modules systems which have been integrated into a single framework, in accordance with the practice of concurrent engineering. Concurrent engineering involves the cooperation of these activities. It’s expected that the developed COPES can improve the cooperation between production engineers’ and the plant designer. This can be done by enabling the production engineers’ to make better decision regarding FTL buffer size.

A Multiple Views Management System for Concurrent Engineering and PLM

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is an approach for controlling and exploiting product-related information throughout its lifecycle as needed by various business functions. Concurrent engineering (CE) integrates several disciplines contributing to product design. Both PLM and CE involve information sharing amongst disciplines having a specific point of view regarding the product. While each discipline exerts its own expertise and methods on the definition of the product and its related processes, information must remain consistent for all disciplines and throughout the evolution of the product definition. Therefore, being able to efficiently manage multiple views fulfilling the needs of multiple disciplines is an important issue. This article, proposes a multiple views generation mechanism incorporated in the product feature evolution validation (PFEV) model. The PFEV model is a dynamic workflow that controls the information flow needed to support a product definition evolution (PDE) while supporting its validation by all the disciplines involved. The model addresses two qualities of an information system: dispatching relevant PDE information to appropriate disciplines and providing this information according to specific views. With current CAD tool implementations, disciplines will not need all the information obtained from the numerical model, which often comes from files characterizing the geometry. Thus, each discipline must interpret the information characterizing the product by performing some filtering or adaptation in order to obtain what is relevant to its function. Two cases are associated with the views generation mechanism that corresponds to the elimination of not-useful explicit information and to the adaptation of implicit information, respectively. To accomplish this, three alternatives are distinguished to generate a view: create a new view, recuperate an existing view and update an existing view. The process used to create a new view is composed of three stages: selection of data element to be treated, selection of treatment parameters to be applied, selection and execution of views generation algorithm. The generated view is then saved in a table of views characterization, which is used to recuperate an existing view. Three reference elements (treatment parameters, views generation algorithm, and knowledge parameters) are saved when a new view is created. These elements are used for each update required for the existing view.

Research on aluminium profile extrusion product development intelligent decision support system

In this paper, three new engineering technologies, namely, Concurrent Engineering (CE), Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) and Decision Support System (DSS) are applied to aluminium profile product development. And a new mode of product development is put forward. The mode integrates technologies such as concurrence and system optimisation of CE, engineering intelligentising of KBE and new decision-making mechanism of DSS. All the development tasks and subsystems are integrated efficiently and executed concurrently. Domain knowledge from different sources is fused closely with whole process. And by harmonious cooperation with computer system, engineer can obtain rational and optimised solutions more easily. On the basis of this mode, a prototype system of product development Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) is established. In this paper, the system frame and some key technologies are introduced.

Representation and share of part feature information in web-based parts library

Abstract Web-based parts library is important to Collaborative Design, Concurrent Engineering and Supply Chain Management System. Other than the process of product design, the representation and share of parts family information and part feature information are paid more attention in web-based parts library. Based on research of a web-based parts library system, some key technologies are put forward in this paper, which are a web-based part data description norm on data dictionary, a feature-based neutral representation of part geometric information and a hoops-based visualization method of part feature model. All these realize the share of information of parts library in and among enterprises. The above achievements are used in China National 863 High-Tech Project. Besides, the achievements have been embodied in the international standard raised by China National Institute of Standardization and provided the technical foundation to propose the international standards with Chinese independent intellectual property right.

An Internet-enabled integrated system for co-design and concurrent engineering

In order to facilitate the product design and realisation processes, in this paper, an Internet-enabled system has been developed to support collaborative and concurrent engineering design by seamlessly integrating three functional modules, i.e., co-design, Web-based visualisation and manufacturing analysis, based on some state-of-the-art Java and Web technologies. In the co-design module, designers are equipped with co-modelling and co-modification facilities to carry out a design task collaboratively. The Web-based visualisation module provides a portal for users, who are not involved in the co-modelling process directly, to view and analyse a design part conveniently. Services in the manufacturing analysis module can be invoked by users dynamically to evaluate and optimise the manufacturing costs and the manufacturability of a design part so as to implement the concurrent engineering methodology during a co-design process. This system can be used for a design team geographically distributed to organise a 3D collaborative and concurrent engineering design effectively, and the proposed distributed and integration architectures enable the system to be generic, open and scalable.

An Internet-enabled integrated system for co-design and concurrent engineering

In order to facilitate the product design and realisation processes, in this paper, an Internet-enabled system has been developed to support collaborative and concurrent engineering design by seamlessly integrating three functional modules, i.e., co-design, Web-based visualisation and manufacturing analysis, based on some state-of-the-art Java and Web technologies. In the co-design module, designers are equipped with co-modelling and co-modification facilities to carry out a design task collaboratively. The Web-based visualisation module provides a portal for users, who are not involved in the co-modelling process directly, to view and analyse a design part conveniently. Services in the manufacturing analysis module can be invoked by users dynamically to evaluate and optimise the manufacturing costs and the manufacturability of a design part so as to implement the concurrent engineering methodology during a co-design process. This system can be used for a design team geographically distributed to organise a 3D collaborative and concurrent engineering design effectively, and the proposed distributed and integration architectures enable the system to be generic, open and scalable.

ANALYZING LARGE-SCALE IMPRECISE CONCURRENT ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT Concurrent Engineering (CE) systems tend to be of large-scale and are characterized by having imprecise data. Determining a suitable methodology for analyzing large-scale CE systems with imprecise data is a challenging research issue. In this paper, an approach called Interval-Based Concurrent Engineering Nets (ICE-Nets) is proposed. The main contribution of this work is that it presents a new approach to modeling and analyzing large-scale imprecise CE systems. The abstraction and analysis inherent in ICE-Nets gives several important benefits. First, the abstraction inherent in ICE-Nets offers the potential of being able to handle large-scale CE systems. Second, it allows the use of imprecise data in the form of intervals. Third, it applies a mathematical mechanism to the problem, with the potential of being relatively straightforward to computerize. Fourth, the graphical nature of ICE-Nets allows for users to interact with the network in a natural fashion.

A concurrent engineering approach for business collaboration: a case in the toy industry

Today's manufacturers are looking for competitive advantages of cost, quality, safety, time and creativity. Concurrent engineering (CE) stresses cross-functional integration and simultaneous development of a product and its associated processes. It offers the potential for development of quality producible products, and helps firms foster business collaboration with strategic partners. This paper discusses the adoption of a CE approach for revitalising sequential operational practices in the toy industry. A trial implementation of an Integrated Concurrent Engineering System (ICES) is presented based on a collaboration case study of three toy companies for performance improvements. The concurrent operation practices and product development strategies are explained. The ICES was proven a feasible option for companies attempting sustainable collaboration operations in today's competitive marketplace.

Agent-based Collaboration Between Distributed Web Applications: Case Study on 'Collaborative Design for X' Using CyberCO

This paper presents a case study on the collaboration between a set of distributed web applications developed and deployed for carrying out a 'Design for Assembly' analysis. The case study is conducted using a web-based prototype system called CyberCO. The system is based on a theoretical framework which has been formed through an innovative combination of a number of concepts such as agents and workflows. Unlike previous attempts in computer supported concurrent engineering systems, collaboration in this framework between distributed web applications is achieved through workflows between their representative agents. The flows of data between agents are guided by the associated constraints. The flows of controls are somewhat data-driven in the sense that agents start and stop themselves whenever the predefined conditions are satisfied. The data-driven flows of controls are different from those widely used in workflow management where flows of controls are determined by the precedence relationships. The key purpose of this case study demonstration is to extend our knowledge and insights into this emerging field where increasing number of web applications are developed and deployed for collaborative product development and realization projects.

Development of an Integrated Laser-Based Reverse Engineering and Machining System

Reverse engineering technology plays an important role in a variety of manufacturing applications. It significantly reduces the production lead time and the costs of the part duplication processes. This paper evaluates the feasibility of using reverse engineering and concurrent engineering methods with data obtained from state-of-the-art laser scanning to remanufacture complex geometrical parts. Two aircraft structural components were evaluated in this study: a forward latch fitting of a C 141 and a leading edge rib of an F-15. The first phase of this project, accuracy characterisation of a reverse engineering system, demonstrated that laser scanning and CAD model reconstruction can duplicate aircraft structural components accurately and efficiently, within a tolerance of ±0.127 mm (0.005 in). The second phase of this project, development of a concurrent engineering system, showed that an integrated reverse engineering and CAM machining system can make the entire remanufacturing process snore automatic and efficient, further reducing part turnaround time.

3107 ものづくり支援のための分散データベース構築法

The concurrent engineering has been gradually introduced into the manufacturing industry for the last decade. The concurrent engineering system requires that several processes should access and renew product model data in parallel. Since these processes are often conducted at different branches or sections, it is necessary to deal with the product model data in distributed environment. This paper proposes a new method of constructing a distributed database for manufacturing support, and reports the prototype system implemented based on our concept.

A computer aided process planning system for concurrent engineering

This paper present ProPlanner, a hybrid computer aided process planning (CAPP) system designed to facilitate concurrent product development. ProPlanner automates information acquisition, product design interpretation, manufacturing operation planning, cutting tool selection, set-up planning and operation sequencing. The system employs a hybrid approach utilizing a combination of rule-based reasoning and object-oriented programming. It enables the early detection of design errors during the design stage before manufacturing and incorporates a feedback mechanism for correcting errors and giving suggestions to modify the product design.

A distributed multi-agent environment for product design and manufacturing planning

This paper describes a multi-agent approach to the integration of product design, manufacturability analysis, and process planning in a distributed manner. The objective is to develop a distributed concurrent engineering system to allow geographically dispersed entities to work cooperatively towards overall system goals. In the paper, an agent-based concurrent engineering system concerning product design and manufacturing planning, and its fundamental framework and functions are presented. The proposed model considers constraints and requirements from the different product development cycles in the early development phases and fully supports the concept of design-for-manufacturability. This methodology uses conflict resolution (CR) techniques and design-improvement suggestions to refine the initial product design. The model comprises a facilitator agent, a console agent and six service agents. Each service agent is used to model different product development phases, and the console agent acts as an interacting interface between designers and the system, while the facilitator is responsible for the decomposition and dispatch of tasks, and resolving conflicts of poor designs. A prototype system for part design, manufacturability analysis, and process planning has been implemented. The performance of the prototype system shows that it could be extended to include other service agents, such as assemblability analysis, to become a comprehensive distributed concurrent engineering system for geographically dispersed customers and suppliers.

Roughness and materials in concurrent engineering systems

The choice of a manufacturing process in the design process takes into account many parameters. The surface roughness, the dimensional tolerance and the material of a mechanical part are essential data, influencing the behaviour and the mechanism lifetime. The algorithm presented in this paper allows the integration of surface quality into a CAD/CAM system, via models to predict surface roughness. Different theoretical and empirical roughness models are presented. They allow to estimate the manufacturing parameters.

Development of concurrent engineering system for design of composite structures

This paper explains the development of a concurrent engineering system for the design of composite structures. The concurrent engineering system is developed to meet the demand for the better quality products with lower production cost and time. In this study, to compose the architecture of concurrent engineering system, the commercial and non-commercial programs related to design and analysis of composite structures are surveyed and classified. The concurrent engineering system includes various design modules such as design/analysis of composite structures using CLPT and finite-element method (FEM), buckling and postbuckling analysis, thermo-elastic analysis of carbon–carbon composite and optimum design using expert system. For the integration and management of softwares, a graphic-based design environment that provides multi-tasking and graphic user interface capability is built.

Design Information Modeling in 3-D CAD System for Concurrent Engineering and Its Application to Evaluation of Assemblability/Disassemblability in Conceptual Design

Design Information Modeling in 3-D CAD System for Concurrent Engineering and Its Application to Evaluation of Assemblability/Disassemblability in Conceptual Design

Design Information Modeling in 3-D CAD System for Concurrent Engineering and Its Application to Evaluation of Assemblability/Disassemblability in Conceptual Design

In order to achieve high concurrence for product design at the stage of conceptual design, we propose four concepts for the modeling of the products in 3-D CAD system, that is, the solid model involving various kinds of design information (Design Information Solid-Model), the functional block with the design information for conceptual design, the evaluation engine for the concurrence, and the interpretation of functional block as an object/agent in knowledge processing. We made a prototype system for the evaluation of assemblability/disassemblability, as examples of the evaluation of concurrence. The prototype system is based on DIS-model, functional model and evaluation engine. It is shown that the system is very useful for product design based on the concurrent engineering.

Quantitative Design Methods for Kansei in Automobile Development.

The use of quantitative design methods for KANSEI is an effective way of determining an accurate design solution in a short period of time. They are now being studied in conjunction with advances in CAE (Computer Aided Engineering), CE (Concurrent E ngineering), and other systems for application to product development.This paper first introduces four examples of quantitative design methods for KANSEI from automobile research and development. The examples are “Deign Method for Seating Comfort”, “Coordinated Illumination System”, “Method for Evaluating Roominess in a Vehicle's Interior”and “Switch-Operation-Feeling Evaluation System”. It then exmines the features of these design methods and finally explains the need for systematic development and application in the form of a “gray box model”that combines quantitative design methods with qualitative design methods.At present, there is a demand for placing high value on KANSEI in automobile development, and on the other hand, a great need for efficient product development from the point of view of corporate management. The appropriate selection of KANSEI design methods in terms of both results and efficiency is becoming a major issue in automobile development. To carry this out successfully, the application of KANSEI design methods must be strategically addressed with future plans made clear.