Adaptive method for knowledge driven definition of products in modeling systems

Recent paradigm of product lifecycle management (PLM) integrates engineering activities from the first concept to recycling of a product. In the heart of a PLM system engineering objects are represented in a single but very complex product model. Although active knowledge is applied for some automatic object definition, lack of product wide coordination of decisions in current PLM systems results a massive need of manual object definition making propagation of changes in product model very difficult. Important knowledge remains at engineer because of minor knowledge representation capabilities in current product models. Currently applied product models are not capable for the coordination of individual requests from engineers. As a contribution to efforts for improved methodology in this area, the authors introduce new methods in this paper for knowledge based communication between human and product model generation processes and knowledge activated coordinated object definition. Discussion of the above product modeling problem is followed by an introduction to the proposed product definition. The new methods are explained and discussed through issues about communicated knowledge and its processing, and knowledge extended classical product modeling.