Extending and Evaluating the Model-based Product Definition

Abstract

Industrial practice is in a state of transition, away from the use of drawings towards the use of annotated 3D CAD models as a means of communication. Working as a representation of an object or a system, a model-based product definition (MBD) is used to communicate information inside of a model-based enterprise (MBE). Such an enterprise will find itself in a transitional state as well, moving away from paper-based information sharing towards the use of modelbased, digital product data. This research investigation sought to identify the minimum information model (MIM)-the information elements necessary within an MBD to effectively employ a model as a replacement for a technical drawing in specific workflows in the product lifecycle. Over the course of this investigation, another phenomenon emerged-the common information model (CIM), which represents those information items that are necessary for the workflows targeted in this study. As expounded upon later in this report, the impacts of contextual domain knowledge on the implementation of the common information model is what formed the minimum information model discovered in this project.

Model-Based Definition and Enterprise: State-of-the-art and future trends

“…Another industrial study tried to find out the minimum information a model should essentially carry and, industry's perspective on the capability of the model to carry this information. 6,7 Ruemler et al 8 contributed to understanding the way models were being used in various workflows in the industry. The purpose was to develop a common information model out of the domain-specific elements.…”