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To proactively assist engineers in finding and reusing massive design lesson-learned knowledge (DLK), knowledge recommendation has become a key technology of knowledge management. However, in collaborative product design, complex multitask context information disrupts the perception of engineers' knowledge needs for every single task. In this situation, traditional knowledge recommendation approach is prone to provide a mixed DLK recommendation list, thus resulting in a lack of pertinence and low accuracy. Facing these challenges, scarcely any reports on context-aware knowledge recommendation in the multitask environment of collaborative product design. Aiming to fill this gap, a multitask context-aware DLK recommendation approach is proposed to assist collaborative product design in a smarter manner. The mutual interference of context information from different tasks is addressed by preprocessing works, multitask knowledge need awareness, DLK recommendation engine, respectively. Therefore, the proposed approach not only effectively acquires engineers' knowledge needs from different task contexts and pertinently provides the corresponding DLK recommendation list for each task but also guarantees the accuracy of DLK recommendation in multitask context of collaborative product design. To validate the proposed approach, a DLK recommendation system is implemented in a shipbuilding scenario, and some comparative experiments are carried out. Experimental results show that the proposed approach outperforms conventional approaches in the aspects of effectiveness and performance. Therefore, it opens up a promising way to help engineers reuse needed DLK in collaborative product design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most automotive companies outsource the design, manufacturing and assembly of some complete cars to independent suppliers or full service vehicle companies (FSVs). FSVs represent a relatively unexplored form of outsourcing which combines joint efforts in developing a modular product with the externalisation of specific niche manufacturing processes. On the basis of comparative cases and of qualitative information collected within three FSVs and three OEMs, this study aims to investigate the associated advantages and risks for FSVs, commonalities/differences from the practices of outsourcing to component/module specialists that can be found in other industries and why and for what kind of products FSVs can be appropriate in automotive supply networks. The study contributes to the debate on outsourcing in the automotive industry by providing an original interpretation on why FSVs have recently seen a shakeout with some growing whilst others have faltered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With rapid proliferation of new product offerings, fast changing environments and shortened product life cycles, firms are being compelled to adopt a collaborative product development (CPD) approach to integrate key functions and stages of new product development in intrafirm and interfirm. An efficient CPD must rely on collaborative information systems (IS) to facilitate and support collaboration processes. Successful implementation of IS to fit the task must be recognized. Heavyweight-product managers (HPMs) who have sufficient authority to make significant decisions affecting the operation of the collaborative IS features and has gained significant importance Based on the task–technology fit model and by using CPD data collected from a survey of 205 companies, hypotheses regarding the role of HPMs and collaborative IS in enhancing collaborative product development were empirically tested. The results indicate that HPMs have a significant impact on the fitness of IS-to-task and computer utilization, and ultimately significant positive effect on product quality, as well as a reduction in design changes, cycle time and cost. The HPM seems to be an important exogenous construct affecting the relationships among the fitness of IS-to-task, computer utilization and product development performance. Firms implementing CPD operating in a changing and competitive environment appear to adopt HPMs to integrate collaborative product development task and system features for encouraging IS practices and improving CPD performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we are considering that the design process can be modelled in the form of a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP). CSP modelling or resolution has proved its efficiency within the framework of single-designer design. We propose to extend the functions of CSP to the context of multi-concept design of the same artefact. We define CoCSP as cooperative constraint satisfaction problem including the actors of the design problem. We are presenting the operating principles of an algorithm for the real-time management of design decisions, based on a model described in the form of a CoCSP for the integration of supply-chain constraints. This algorithm enables the number of design decisions rejected at a given moment in design to be kept to a minimum. The algorithm forms the core of a prototype for an unsupervised, generic constraint-based collaborative design system. Our aim is to produce a platform centred on the notion of constraints that will enable a product design problem to be modelled and solved by integrating supply-chain constraints as far upstream as possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With an increased focus on collaborative design for success in global markets, there is a need for a negotiation mechanism for designs distributed over autonomous stakeholders. This paper utilizes the unit price of the design variables as a medium for negotiation between autonomous and self-interested design participants represented by design agents (DAs). An artificial agent-the facilitator agent (FA), maximizes the overall utility of the design as a function of the prices of the design variables, and guides the design toward global feasibility. By relating the FA's price space to the DAs' design space through price-variable curves, a negotiation platform is developed and tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-defined and flexible design chain reference model forms the basis for promoting collaborative design chain. The Special Interest Group under the Design Chain Council proposed the design chain operations reference (DCOR) in an attempt to assist enterprises building a design chain modeling frameworks. To date, DCOR version 1.0 only provides preliminary definitions, such as those for major design procedures, and lacks an example of best practices in the industry. Additionally, few studies have attempted this research issue. This study integrates the concepts of design chain, collaborative product design, and collaborative product commerce in a proposed collaborative design chain operations reference model (CDCORM) based on DCOR as a reference for developing a collaborative design chain system in the product lifecycle. The CDCORM consists of four hierarchical levels: collaborative design chain business model; collaborative design chain cooperative model; collaborative design-chain process model; and, a collaborative design chain operational model. Based on project management, the CDCORM has five core procedures-product plan, concept design, detail design, design review, and design amend. This study also assesses the effectiveness of the CDCORM by applying it to the motorcycle industry. In summary, this study extends the DCOR model and proposes a complete collaborative design chain reference model and implements a system in the motorcycle industry as a case study. This case study serves as a best practices example for the motorcycle industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Interactive Design Visualization System (IDVS) to facilitate interactive product design is proposed. This innovative approach is suitable for developing new industrial products and satisfies the essential needs in modern manufacturing environment. In today’s product design, there is a need to communicate the design concept and to share the production data interactively in a real-time has become the most challenging problem in present day manufacturing industry. In fact, there are systems currently available for product design that provides the sharing of design data and interactive environments for undertaking the design process at different physical locations. However, a comprehensive system for developing new products that satisfies all the necessary requirements is still unavailable. In this respect, this paper examines the necessary requirements for nowadays industrial product design with the discussion of the major problems encountered. An integrated system—the IDVS that incorporates the concept of virtual product design, concurrent engineering, design visualization and job allocation is proposed to facilitate and streamline the effective design of modern industrial products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many multi-national companies have operations in geographically different locations. They need to communicate and work concurrently on large amount of complex product data with their factories, sub-contractors as well as suppliers across the border. The use of e-mail and fax are far from satisfactory as they are time consuming and ineffective. In this paper, a web-based collaborative product design platform is proposed which enables authorized users in geographically different locations to have access to the company’s product data such as product drawing files stored at designated servers and carry out product design work simultaneously and collaboratively on any operating systems. There is no need for the users to install any utility software at their ends since the access is based on a remote screen sharing technique built upon a Browser/Server and thin client technology. This results in substantial saving in the cost and the product development time in a network environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]