A STEP-based Generic Product Modeling Architecture for collaborative injection moulding product development

✍ Scribed by Qingsong Ai; Zude Zhou; Quan Liu; Shengquan Xie; Weizhou Yang

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 787 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1090-8471
• DOI: 10.1002/hfm.20197

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A STEP (STandard for Exchange of Product model data)‐based Generic Product Modeling Architecture (GPMA) for efficient information sharing and exchange in support of collaborative injection moulding product development, is proposed in this article. The architecture consists of four functional components: an EXPRESS Data Model (EDM), a STEP‐based modeling environment, a five‐phase modeling method, and three EDM data exchange and sharing methods. The focus of this article is on the modeling methodologies and the definition of schemas for modeling all the important information during the life cycle of injection moulding product development. The information structure is well defined in EXPRESS language, which allows the creation of user‐defined data types and the definition of more complex entities for injection moulding products. Because the proposed GPMA is based on STEP, it can provide standardized mechanisms for representing and exchanging product model data, is extendable, and is adaptable. A prototype system named the World Wide Web–based Product Information Sharing System was developed based on the proposed GPMA. The system is then applied to a Chinese injection moulding enterprise to support the collaborative product development of a new product, and the results validated the feasibility of the proposed GPMA. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.