SysML-based design chain information modeling for variety management in production reconfiguration.

Wu, Dazhong; Zhang, Linda; Jiao, Roger; Lu, Roberto

Satisfying diverse customer needs leads to proliferation of product variants. It is imperative to model the coherence of functional, product and process varieties throughout the design chain. Based on a model-based systems engineering approach, this paper applies the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) to model design chain information. To support variety management decisions, the SysML-based information models are further implemented as a variety coding information system. A case study of switchgear enclosure production reconfiguration system demonstrates that SysML-based information modeling excels in conducting requirements, structural, behavioral and constraints analysis and in performing trade-off study. In addition, it maintains semantic coherence along the design chain, keeps traceability across different levels of abstraction, thus improving interoperability among heterogeneous tools.

INFORMATION modeling; ABSTRACT thought; SYSML (Computer science); CODING theory; PRODUCT management

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 2013, Vol 24, Issue 3, p575

0956-5515

Academic Journal

10.1007/s10845-011-0585-6