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• This is an article from the journal, Proceedings of the In- Abstract: Redesign, where previous information is recovered in order to be adapted to a new situation, is an area of design where information technology can potentially provide substantial bene®ts. Information support to product design and manufacturing has been pursued through the use of product and manufacturing models. This paper introduces a new concept of a complementary information model, called a product range model, that aims to support variant and adaptive design activities. The general concept and structure of such an information model is de®ned in terms of product functions and their respective design solutions. The interactions taking place between particular design solution options are discussed, and methods are proposed for their evaluation against product speci®cations and design constraints. The concept of knowledge links is introduced to maintain the relationships between solutions within the product range model and the particular model of the product being developed. The work has been explored using injection mould tooling as an appropriate product range and evaluated through the design and implementation of a design support system utilizing an object-oriented database.

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This paper presents a novel view of a software environment that has the potential to provide manufacturing information support to product design in line with the aims of concurrent engineering. The arguments developed should have significant consequences for future computer aided engineering (CAE) systems development and support the continuing globalization in business development. The approach taken has at the centre of its philosophy the need to provide designers with high-quality information on which to base their decisions. The concept of an information supported product design environment is not new, but a range of issues related to information interactions has yet to be resolved. This paper explores the use of information models to support functional and manufacturing interactions in design as well as the issues that are raised in attempting to support multiple views in design for manufacture. The design of injection moulded products is used as the focus against which the ideas in the paper are explored.

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