Virtual product definition on the way towards intelligent engineering

Trends, modeling methods, and human-computer communications are emphasized in this talk in order to give a survey of recent achievements in integrated product engineering. It can be concluded that main improvements in the present and next future are urged in communication of PLM systems at its interfaces to human and physical environments. Knowledge based methods are developed in the direction of including verified experience and expertise in product models. High level of integration in product models together with increasing number of represented objects and relationships causes increasing difficulties at surveying of large product models. At the same time, models include slight representation of background of decisions. Because remote development and application of product models are wide spreading in the industrial practice, improvements are urged in the representation of that background.