Introduction to development of e-engineering framework for the automotive module design

This paper introduces an ongoing project on the development of an e-engineering framework for automotive module design at KIMM (Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials). The e-engineering framework is proposed and being developed based on several advanced technologies, such as intelligent software agents, Internet/Web, workflow, optimization and database, and it includes PDM (product data management) interface and various kinds of virtual prototyping technologies for automotive suspension module design. This framework is being designed and developed on the base of JADE (Java agent development framework) and VIVACE (vivid agent computing environment). For the global optimum result, the numerous parametric studies are done concurrently and efficiently by the process/analysis server agents, and some coordination junction between multi-agents are designed. This framework aims at providing integrated or individual engineering services between car vendor and 1st tier module maker or between 1st tier and 2nd tier module maker.