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A Framework of Implementation of Collaborative Product Service in Virtual Enterprise

X. G. Ming and W. F. Lu,

advantages for survival [6] [12]. Abstract—To satisfy new market requirements, Supported by the modern Internet technology, industry has shifted from that , in the form of both online and off-line, has takes advantage of the scale of production, to quality been recognized as one of the most effective technologies to that optimizes the internal enterprise functions, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of e-manufacturing era that leverage intellectual capital via collaborative innovation. In the same time, the product itself is activities, in both intra-enterprise and inter-enterprise. becoming the most important asset for sustainable business However, the traditional enterprise application systems [2], success. Consequently, the effectiveness, efficiency and such as, Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided innovation for the development of the product across the whole Process Planning (CAPP), Computer Aided Manufacturing are becoming key business factors for (CAM), Product Data Management (PDM), Enterprise manufacturing enterprise to obtain competitive advantages for (ERP), Manufacturing Execution survival. To tackle such challenges, a new called collaborative product services in virtual enterprise is System (MES) are not able to address such needs adequately. proposed in this paper. The architecture of this new model is This is because they focus on special individual activities in developed based on the framework and the application of web an enterprise and are not developed to support collaborative service and process management for collaboration product business requirements specialized in product lifecycle. Many service in virtual enterprise. Indeed, it is hoped that this models have been proposed since to meet such requirements architecture will lay the foundation for further research and in the enterprise level for certain functions of collaboration development of effective product lifecycle management in virtually collaborative enterprise environment. activities. These includes Product Portfolio Management (PPM), Collaborative Product cusTomization (CPT), Index Terms— Product Lifecycle Management(PLM), Collaborative Product Development (CPD), Collaborative Product Development, Virtual Enterprise, Web Service. Product Manufacturing (CPM), Collaborative Component Supply (CCS), and also the Extended Product Service (EPS) [8]. Each of these models although addresses certain function I. INTRODUCTION of collaboration, they do not integrate all of the above n order to satisfy new market requirements, mentioned functions for the consideration of Product I manufacturing industry has shifted from mass production Lifecycle Management (PLM). In order to tackle issues of that takes advantage of the scale of production, to quality product development in the scope of PLM, a new business management that optimizes the internal enterprise functions, model in virtual enterprise is proposed in this paper. This to e-manufacturing era that leverage intellectual capital via model aim at integrating most of the functions in collaborative innovation. In such an e-manufacturing collaboration mentioned above. The architecture of this new environment, companies need to closely collaborate with model is developed based on the framework and the customers, manufacturers, and suppliers in a real time application of web service and process management for manner so as to quickly respond to dynamic customer collaboration product service in virtual enterprise. requirements. In the same time, the product itself is becoming The paper is organized in the following sections. The the most important asset for sustainable business success than requirement for collaborative product services is first ever before. Consequently, the effectiveness, efficiency and identified. In the Second section, a framework of innovation for the development of the product across the collaborative product service is developed and the detailed whole product lifecycle are becoming key business factors functions of collaborative product services are described for manufacturing enterprise to obtain competitive based on such a requirement. The web service technology is described and applied to implement such collaborative product services in Section 3. Section 4 proposes the X. G. Ming is with Product Design and Development Group, Singapore architecture of process management for collaborative product Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 638075 (phone: 65-6793-8983; fax: 65-6791-6377; e-mail: service. Based on the above-developed framework of [email protected]). collaborative product services, web serviced and process W. F. Lu is the SMA Fellow of IMST Program and he is also with Product managed collaborative product service, the overall Design and Development Group, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 638075 (phone: 65-6793-8297; architecture of web service enabled collaboration product fax: 65-6791-6377; e-mail: [email protected]). service in virtual enterprise is developed in the next section.

It lay the foundation for further research and development of composed of virtually integrated enterprises across the whole effective product lifecycle management in a virtually vertical and horizontal manufacturing industries by using collaborative enterprise environment. Finally, the paper ends Internet technology to form a completely networked with the conclusions. to leverage the core competencies of each member enterprises. Such a networked organization is called II. REQUIREMENTS FOR COLLABORATIVE PRODUCT Virtual Enterprise (VE) [4] [5] [9] [10]. This Virtual SERVICE Enterprise normally goes through the following lifecycle processes: A. Trends of Enterprise Application Systems (1) Research of the industry 1) Evolution of Manufacturing Enterprise (2) Application of the virtual enterprise business model In past decades, the manufacturing enterprise has evolved (3) Organization of the collaborative network from the mass production era, to the era, (4) Legalization of the collaborative network and now to the e-manufacturing era. The mass production era (5) Collaborative business network planning was characterized by standardized parts and process, (6) Qualification of participant companies economies of scale, producer-centric design, manufacturing, (7) for the virtual enterprise and delivery, vertical orientation, required inventory buffers, (8) Creation of the virtual enterprise locally oriented production, etc. The quality management era (9) Operation of the virtual enterprise dealt with lean manufacturing and shift to horizontal (10) Dissolution of the virtual enterprise structure and globalization, and focuses on core competency, Nowadays, the Virtual Enterprise has started to form and reliability, durability, and producer led design. To effectively apply in many business activities, such as the application to satisfy customer requirements and to improve market value, Small and Medium Size Enterprise (SME), the collaborative the manufacturing enterprises have now entered into the e-Marketplace, and the fortune 1000 multi-divisional e-manufacturing era, which emphasizes on the customer applications. driven design and delivery, flat corporate structures, 2) Virtual Manufacturing Enterprise Ecosystem As companies are moving towards providing better and collaborative virtual networks, mass customization, better customer-centric products and services to improve transparency, speed and agility, global orientation. Along market share and market size with continuously growing with such evolution, the information content is continuously revenue, the efficiency and effectiveness of product lifecycle improved and the responsiveness to consumers is radically management becomes much more important. Product enhanced. Lifecycle Management (PLM) is a strategic business 2) Evolution of Enterprise Technologies In corresponding to such evolution in the manufacturing approach that applies a consistent set of business solutions in enterprise, the supporting technologies to enable such support of the collaborative creation, management, evolution have evolved and move forward as well. These dissemination, and use of product definition information supporting technologies start from the task automation, to across the extended enterprise from concept to end of life – concurrent , and now to virtual enterprise. The integrating people, processes, and information [3]. Product task automation technology focuses on the department Lifecycle Management systems support the management of a efficiency by reducing cost, providing functional automation portfolio of products, processes and services from initial and accurate information, but with no reengineering technical concept, through design, launch, production and use to final support. The concurrent engineering technology emphasizes disposal. They coordinate and collaborate products, project on multi-departmental efficiency by reducing cost and in the and process information throughout new product same time also improving productivity, and is enabled by the introduction, production, service and retirement among technologies, such as process automation and organizational various players, internal and external to the Original reengineering. In the modern e-manufacturing era, the Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). They also support a virtual enterprise technology is promoted with the aim to product-centric business solution that unifies the product improve revenue, opportunity, and market share and to lifecycle by enabling the online sharing of product reduce cost by leveraging intellectual capital and facilitating knowledge and incumbent business applications. As such, collaborative innovation across the networked enterprises. PLM is supposed to enable manufacturing to Key techniques, such as inter-enterprise process obtain the greatest competitive advantage by creating better improvement, inter-organization reengineering, integrated products in less time, at less cost, and with fewer defects than information networks, are developed to support the that of their competitors. In summary, PLM not only provides implementation of virtual enterprise for the e-manufacturing service for the whole product lifecycle process, but also era. Therefore, the virtual enterprise technology becomes one enables the effective collaboration among networked of the most important technologies that support the participants in the product value chain, which differentiates it continuous evolution of today’s manufacturing enterprises. from the traditional enterprise application systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing B. Virtual Enterprise Execution System (MES). 1) Introduction to Virtual Enterprise C. Collaboration In the modern digital economy, the competition of companies is no longer between two single companies. It is Collaboration is one of the most effective technologies in between two big value chains. Such a value chain is today’s competitive business environment, particularly, in the product customization, development, manufacturing,

supply and services. In view of the nature of the collaboration E. Need for New Business Model itself, it can be classified into five levels, which are From the above description of the complex processes in communicative, collective, , coordinated, and product lifecycle, it clearly indicates that to effectively concerted: manage processes with all the related information and (1) The nature of the communicative collaboration is that it collaborative tasks in the product lifecycle is not an easy task. is dialog and common understanding, and dominated or Therefore, an effective computing system is imperatively egalitarian, information sharing and non-task oriented. required. Normally, effectively managing the product The process of communicative collaboration is normally development lifecycle can reduce time-to-market. Also, informal or semi-informal, conversational, chaotic, properly improving the product delivery lifecycle efficiently unstructured and uncoordinated. The applications of can shorten the time-to-volume. In addition, managing the communicative collaboration include email, chat, notes product lifecycle process effectively can help enhance the databases, news groups, and computer-mediated time-to-profit. All these require the effective and efficient communication etc. collaboration among all the processes in product lifecycle. (2) The nature of the collective collaboration is that it is However, currently available enterprise application systems individual, separate, and piece-meal tasks. The process are unable to meet such requirements for the effective of collective collaboration is individualized with start collaboration in product lifecycle management. Therefore, a and end, and supports minimal integration. The new business model called collaborative product services and applications of collective collaboration consist of work the corresponding architecture need to be developed for processing, spreadsheets, graphics, etc. collaboration in product lifecycle management. (3) The nature of cooperative collaboration is that it is usually group-based, and uncoordinated. Its process is normally ad hoc, separates tasks toward common goal, III. FRAMEWORK OF COLLABORATIVE PRODUCT SERVICES and supports final integration. The applications of cooperative collaboration are composed of net meeting, A. Emergence of Collaborative Product Services application sharing, etc. Recently, there has been research and development of (4) The nature of coordinated collaboration is that it is collaboration in PLM, such as collaborative product usually precedential and happens in the sequential development. One of the most well-known projects in this teamwork. It process is usually chronological, area are the CyberCut project at University of California at step-by-step, ordered, handoff, workflow-oriented and Berkeley [1], and the FIPER project funded by National supports progressive integration. The application of Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) of USA [11]. coordinated collaboration includes workflow. However, the CyberCut technology focus only on the product (5) The nature of concerted collaboration is that it is mutual detailed design, process planning and its service activities and communal. Its process is usually jointly shared, and could not impact the whole product lifecycle process for synchronized, continuously integrative, simultaneous, effective business results. FIPER technology is trying to flexible, repeatable and customizable. The applications develop the federated environment to support the of concerted collaboration include group support collaborative product environment, rather than to develop the systems, computer-supported collaborative work, etc. key technologies that enable the collaborative product As the product lifecycle processes are collaborative in service itself. nature, the above collaborative technologies could be applied The proposed new model of collaborative product services in the processes of product lifecycle management to provide to meet the above-mentioned requirements is shown in the effective collaboration support for stakeholder, customer, Figure 1. It consists of Product Portfolio Management developer, manufacturer, and supplier for superior (PPM), Collaborative Product cusTomization (CPT), collaborative services. Collaborative Product Development (CPD), Collaborative D. Processes in Product Lifecycle Product Manufacturing (CPM), Collaborative Component Supply (CCS), and also the Extended Product Service (EPS). The whole product lifecycle consists of a set of processes, In these collaborative product services, Product Portfolio which are functions or tasks to create, transform, and deliver Management (PPM) covers the processes of product market products. These processes include product market strategy, strategy, product portfolio planning, product platform product portfolio planning, product platform planning, planning. Collaborative Product cusTomization (CPT) customer requirements, product specification, conceptual includes the processes of customer requirements, product design, detailed design, design analysis, prototyping and specification. Collaborative Product Development (CPD) testing, process planning, inventory management, sourcing, consists of the processes of conceptual design, detailed production, inspection, packing, distribution, operation and design, design analysis, prototyping and test. Collaborative service, disposal and recycle [14]. Past efforts to process Product Manufacturing (CPM) includes the processes of management were primarily driven by the desire to improve process planning, inventory management, production, the efficiency of an enterprise and reduce costs. Successful inspection and packing. Collaborative Component Supply process management should create processes that meet (CCS) covers the processes of outsourcing, and distribution. product developer’s expectations, but also support developer Extended Product Service (EPS) covers the processes of value proposition, provide competitive differentiation and operation and service, disposal and recycle. contribute to the desired product lifecycle.

Stakeholder

Product Portfolio Management (PPM)

Collaborative Product Development (CPD) Collaborative Collaborative Product Component Supply cusTomization (CPT)

Supplier Developer Customer

SRM/SCM DCM/CRM Extended Product Collaborative Product Manufacturing (CPM) Service (EPS) Collaborative Product Services Manufacturer

ERP/MES

Figure 1: New business models for collaborative product services

Such new technologies will improve the efficiency and • Manufacturing resource management effectiveness of current product design and development and • Manufacturing leverage the capabilities of companies in product design and • Product quality via collaborative innovation to improve the • Manufacturing history management competitive advantages. (5) Collaborative Component Supply (CCS) • Supplier management B. Functions of Collaborative Product Services • Sourcing management Detailed building blocks for constructing the function of • Component supply management collaborative product services are as follows: • Direct material outsourcing (1) Product Portfolio Management (PPM) • Supply-driven design • Product market strategy (6) Extended Product Service (EDS) • Portfolio, program, project planning • Tangible extended product service, including extended intelligence, configuration and • Product family planning Product Portfolio Management customization, adaptive user interface, embedded • Product platform planning maintenance, etc. • planning Web Service Description Language (WSDL) • Intangible extended product service, including • New product introduction planning extended product specification services, extended (2) Collaborative Product cusTomization (CPT) product realization services, extended product • Requirements management, including retailer Collaborative Service Engine delivery services, business operational services, management, customer management, and needs Concerted Cooperativeproduct informCollectiveation services,Com productmunicative recy cle analysis Collaboration Collaborationservices. Collaboration Collaboration • Customer collaboration In order to effectively develop, deploy, and implement the • Customer-driven design Process Custaboveom izcolation,laborat Integrativeion product and Coordinat services,ion the latest information (3) Collaborative Product Development (CPD) technology such as web services will be used as an effective • Product content management, including productProduct Str ategy means iPrn oductdevel Poropitfoliong the collPraboratoduct Platforive productm service Planning Process Planning Process Planning Process , product structure system. management, product specification management, design • Product content creation, including , IV. WEB SERVICE FOR COLLABORATIVE PRODUCT SERVICES virtual reality, CAD-to-CAD integration, product Web Service Engine design tools Product Strategy A. WebPr oductService Por tfolio Product Platform • Workflow management, including designPlanning process Ser vice Web ServiPlanningce provi Servicedes a distributPlanninged com Serputviceing , rule based process flow, and design for revealing the business services of applications on the process specification and valiUDDIdati on UDDI UDDI SOAP Internet or IntSrOAPanet using standard XML SOAPprot ocols and • Collaborative simulation, including Finite Element formats [7] [13]. The use of standard XML protocols makes Analysis (FEA), virtual prototyping, and testingProduct Web Services platformProduct l anguage and vendor independentProduct and WSDL Strategy WSDL Portfolio WSDL Platform (4) Collaborative Product ManufactServiceuring (CPM) Planning tServicehis provi de an effectPlanningive platformService to support the develPlanningopm ent • Manufacturing process maRegistrynagem ent Host Registry Host Registry Host

Figure 2: Architecture of web service enabled product portfolio management

of collaborative product services to satisfy mass customer This collaborative service engine is supported by the web requirements. service engine, which tries to find, load, and implement the Web services are defined as, “loosely coupled, reusable real product portfolio management services that are hosted by software components that semantically encapsulate discrete other service providers. For the other collaborative product functionality and are distributed and programmatically services, i.e., CPT, CPD, CPM, CCS and EPS, the general accessible over standard Internet protocols”. The technology structure of their web service framework are the same as the stack for web services includes: PPM web service framework. (1) Web Service Flow Language (WSFL), which is used to In such, the business advantages can be obtained as define workflows of the web services functions. follows: (2) Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration • Per-process flexibility to adjust to swings in business (UDDI), which is used to form a central organization for and regulatory environment on a consistent basis, registration, finding and using web services. • Customized responses to individual requests, (3) Web Service Description Language (WSDL), which is • Decreased development costs, used to describe the format of the web services. (4) Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), which is used to • Improved user service and satisfaction, define the protocol for calling web services. • Decreased operating costs, employing available (5) Extensible Markup Language (XML), which is used to resources instead of creating new ones, define the format for data exchange and description. • Less complex integration – reduced time-to-market of (6) Common Internet Protocols, e.g. TCP/IP, HTTP, etc., new business services, which provide the basic infrastructure for enabling web • Reduced supplier lock-in, service implementation. • Reduced repair and maintenance time and costs. By applying the above technology stack for web service, From the above web service enabled architecture, it clearly the service-oriented architecture can be established with the indicates that the effective process management, such as following characteristics: customization, integration, and coordination, is one of the Platforms: diverse and unpredictable; key factors for successful implementation of collaborative Networks: internet ubiquitous and interconnected; product services. Therefore, it is necessary to explore a step Data formats: semantic and shared; further in the application of process management in Technology focus: interface; collaborative product services. Users: suppliers, employees, and customers; Business value: enabling business agility and collaboration. V. PROCESS MANAGEMENT FOR COLLABORATIVE PRODUCT Therefore, web services technology provides a powerful SERVICES platform for companies to implement service-oriented business processes, such as collaborative product services. A. Management With such a platform, the product lifecycle processes can There has been a trend for enterprise application systems to collaborate with real time feed back from its customers’ move from supporting single user and single task to requirements, and material availability from its suppliers, etc. supporting multi-users and multi-tasks, where process From the above discussion, it can be seen that the great management takes the key role. In the past, the application potential of web services technologies to be applied in the systems normally supported for single user and performed collaborative product services to quickly response to the one task at one time, such as CAD, CAPP, CAM, etc., and the dynamically changing customer requirements. However, key enabling technology was the information modeling. In very few efforts have been reported on the research and last decade, such application systems have moved to support development of web service enabled product development. the integration with each other, such as the emergence of Therefore, there is a compelling need for further research in computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). Such integrated this area. system allows one user to participate in multi-tasks supported by enabling technology, e.g. concurrent engineering. In the B. Web Serviced Collaborative Product Services same time, some of the system started to provide the Considering the nature of collaborative product services groupware-based application with task synchronization, and the implementation requirements of web service, a web which allows multi-users to synchronously work on one task. service enabled framework for collaborative product service Nowadays, as the enterprise application systems become is developed as shown in Figure 2 by taking product portfolio more complex and need to support the scenario of multi-users management as an example. In such a framework, the highest and multi-tasks, collaboration becomes critical, and service level is product portfolio management, which is subsequently, process management is the key enabling described by web service description language (WSDL). technology in managing these complicated system activities. Such a service is supported by the collaborative service According to the Workflow Management Coalition [16], engine, which includes the concerted collaboration, the process is defined as “a set of one or more linked cooperative collaboration, collective collaboration, procedures or activities that collectively realize a business communicative collaboration, and also the coordinated objective or policy goal, normally within the context of an collaboration in the form of process customization, defining functional roles and integration and coordination. The coordinated processes relationships”. Business Process Management (BPM) is the capability to discover, design, deploy, execute, interact with, include product strategy planning process, product portfolio operate, optimize and analyze end-to-end processes, and to planning process, and product platform planning process.

do it at the level of business design, not technical VI. OVERALL ARCHITECTURE implementation. BPM is usually top down and model driven. Based on the above developed product lifecycle process B. Process Managed Collaborative Product Services collaboration, web service enabled product lifecycle process, Following the nature of business process management, and product lifecycle process management, an overall collaborative product services can also be managed architecture of web service enabled collaborative product accordingly with the effective support of the business process service in virtual enterprise is developed as shown in Figure 4. management technology. As shown in Figure 3, the The enabled collaborative product service starts with the framework of product lifecycle process management for product lifecycle process requirements captured from market Collaborative Product Services has been proposed. The trends, business opportunity, and customer requirements. framework consists of industry specific product lifecycle With such new requirements, virtual enterprise, which is process template, product lifecycle process application, supported by the virtual enterprise lifecycle management, is abstract process lifecycle management, supporting process begun to form. The lifecycle of virtual enterprise goes technology, supporting standards, and enabling infrastructure. through the processes of VE business model, collaborative The industry specific product lifecycle process template network, business network planning, company quantification, includes the collaborative product services, such as PPM, VE development, VE creation, VE operation and VE CPT, CPD, CPM, CCS, EDS, and product process repository, dissolution. Immediately after VE lifecycle finishes VE such as pre-process, process, post-process, function, task, quantification, the identified product lifecycle processes, workflow, lifecycle, subscription, notification, role, group, such as PPM, CPT, CPD, CPM, CCS, EDS, from different etc. The product lifecycle process application includes the companies are stored in VE context as a repository. The functions of process modeling, process brokering, process product lifecycle process modeling is used to represent the managing, and process monitoring. The abstract process details of these identified product lifecycle processes. These lifecycle management consists of the process lifecycle modeled product lifecycle processes are then sent to business management functions, such as discovery, design, process management engine for broking, managing and deployment, execution, optimization, and analysis. The monitoring. The service providers, who implement the supporting process technology is composed of the techniques, corresponding collaborative product services, deliver the such as process automation, manual process, process detailed function for these processes. The business process interaction, process collaboration, process integration, and management engine then tries to delegate these processes to process configuration. The supporting standards include web service engine. Following this, web service engine looks XML (Extensive Markup Language), BMPL (Business at the available service at the repository of registered services Process Modeling Language), ebXML (e-business XML), by using UDDI. The identified services represented by ResettaNet, PEDS (Product Exchange Data Standard) / STEP WSDL are captured and the corresponding services are (STandard for Exchange of Product data), etc. The enabling invoked by using SOAP. In such a way, the identified infrastructure includes the latest technologies, e.g., web services start to work together under the supervision of service, P2P (Peer-to-Peer) computing, grid computing, business process management engine. The end users, such as intelligent agent, collaboration and so on. stakeholders, customers, developers, manufacturers, Based on this framework, domain-specific product suppliers, etc., can now start to collaboratively work together lifecycle processes can be represented by Business Process through the collaborative product service portal, which Modeling Language (BPML). The latest infrastructure provides the adequate user interface support for product technologies, such as web service and P2P computing can be lifecycle users. For each collaborative product service, such used to implement these product lifecycle processes. The as CPD and so on, the required collaborative service for supporting process technologies can facilitate the effective effective product lifecycle management is supported by the process automation, integration, and customization. The all-necessary collaborative technologies, which are abstract process management functions can be used to communicative, collective, cooperative, coordinate, support the high-level process management. The product concerted, and are natively implemented by each service lifecycle process application can provide the domain specific provider or host as shown in Figure 2. In actual fact, such a process support by effective product process modeling, comprehensive architecture of collaborative product services brokering, managing and monitoring. The main benefits are lays a frontier basis for further research and development in as follows: collaborative product services with the contributions as follows: • Reduced cost of product lifecycle process ownership. (1) A unified framework of collaborative product services Product lifecycle process costs derive from market for new collaborative business models in today’s driven changes in processes, applications and working e-manufacturing era, practices within and outside the enterprise, (2) Framework for the application of web service in • Business agility. Product lifecycle processes become collaborative product services to make these services explicit, collaborative, efficient, fluid, adaptable and available via Internet, portable (3) Business process management for effective lifecycle • Real-time product lifecycle process analysis and management and optimization, optimization. Optimization can be automated, and (4) Development of collaborative product services in virtual metrics can be derived as a by-product. enterprise context to meet the requirements in modern virtually networked enterprise environment. The collaborative product service system developed based on the above framework will provides profound impacts to

manufacturing industries as follows: lifecycle of collaborative product services. Finally, a Providing effective collaboration for product lifecycle complete architecture of a web service enabled collaborative users. Not only does collaborative product service provide product service in virtual enterprise based on business access to supply chain and sourcing links that can add value process management has been proposed. It is hoped that the to product design, it also provides the capability to tap the establishment of such the comprehensive architecture can lay expertise of people never before involved in product design. the foundation for further research and development in These includes people who market and sell the product and, collaborative product services with following potential most important, customers. With collaborative product benefits : service technology, every participator involved with product • Reduce time-to-market through the sharing of design, development, manufacture, usage, and disposition up-to-date information, convenient and effective can collaborate free of traditional constraints such as collaboration, faster and more accurate decision-making, geography, organization, scheduling, etc. Product data can be and better over product development and shared and analyzed in various forms: 3D models, schematic manufacturing. diagrams, bill of materials (BOMs), schedules, and forecasts. • Increase revenues, with the ability to develop Breaking down barriers to innovation. Advanced innovative products and explore new market technology systems used in and related to product design, opportunities, and reduce the time-to-volume in order to such as CAD and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) meet rapidly changing customer needs. helped make the individual specific design process more • Reduce costs due to improved management of changes, efficient. Design engineers and possibly manufacturing the ability to track and evaluate projects across product engineers could access these systems, but others who may be lines, better control over product lifecycle, and improved able to add value to the design could not involve in product performance in product lifecycle processes. design. By the time these other participants provided their • Improve product quality through integrated quality input, changes were either very costly to implement or very management that covers product development, difficult to made, resulting in high costs or product design production, and maintenance processes, etc. that did not meet customer needs. Collaborative product • Increase customer satisfaction because of the ability to services, combined with appropriate changes in traditional bring customers into the design chain and to provide business processes, can break down these product design and effective, innovative, and tailored products that customer lifecycle barriers between internal stakeholders in product wants and then to strengthen customer relationships design and all parts of a product's lifecycle. They also through maintenance. effectively extend the power of collaboration to outside The detailed functions of collaborative product services entities — suppliers, distributors, customers, analysts, will be prototyped in the future, and hopefully, to be applied business partners, and others. Collaboration can achieve high in the real application of virtual manufacturing enterprise design accuracy in real time, avoiding the potential costly ecosystems. mistakes and delays that can cripple the production and delivery process, causing severe damage to a manufacturer's competitive position. REFERENCES Servicing customer much better. Collaborative product [1] Ahn, S. H., Sundararajan, V., Smith, C., Kannan, B., Souza, R. D., Sun, services break new ground in that it extends out to customers G., Mohole, A., Wright, P. K., “CyberCut: an internet-based after the product is made and delivered. 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Industry Specific PRODUCT Lifecycle Process Application Product Lifecycle Process Template Process Modeling Process Brokering Process Monitoring

Product Portfolio Customization/ Configuration of Distribution & Definition of Participant Key Product Lifecycle Process and Its Coordination of Activities Roles and Application Indicators for Measuring Work Flow for Process Control Interfaces Process Improvement

Collaborative Product cusTomization Abstract Process LIFECYCLE Management Collaborative Product Development Process Process Process Process Process Process Discovery Design Deployment Execution Optimization Analysis Collaborative Product Manufacturing

Supporting PROCESS Technologies Collaborative Component Supply Process Manual Process Workflow/ Process Process Automation Process Interaction Collaboration Integration Configuration Extended Product Service

Supporting Standards Product Processes Repository BPML ebXML RosettaNet PDES/STEP XML Others

Pre-process, Process, Post-process, Function, Task, Workflow, Lifecycle, Enabling Infrastructure Subscription, Notification, Roles, Groups, … Web Service P2P Computing Grid Computing Intelligent Agent Collaboration

Figure 3: Framework of Process Management for Collaborative Product Services

Market Business Customer Trends Opportunity Requirements VE Context: Organization, Legalization,

Identified Product Lifecycle Processes Virtual Enterprise Lifecycle Management

PPM CPT CPD VE Business Model Company Quantification VE Development VE Dissolution

CPM CCS EPS Collaborative Network Business Network Planning VE Creation VE Operation

Collab

o Business Process Management Engine for Collaborative Product Service rative Prod

Collaborative Product Process Modeling WSFL Process Brokering Process Managing Process Monitoring Process Optimization Workflow Subscription Role BPML, ebXML u PPM CPT CPD CPM CCS EPS Process c t S Lifecycle Notification Group… Process Process Process Process Process ervice Portal

Repository of Service Registry Web Service PPM CPT CPD CPM CCS EPS Service Service Service Service Service Service Registered Collaborative Product Services UDDI Engine

SOAP SOAP SOAP SOAP SOAP SOAP PPM CPT CPD Registry Registry Registry PPM Host CPT CPD CPM CCS EPS Host Host Host Host Host CPM CCS EDS WSDL Registry Registry Registry Original Service Providers for Collaborative Product Service

Legend: PPM: Product Portfolio Management; CPT: Collaborative Product cusTomization; CPD: Collaborative Product Development; CPM: Collaborative Product Manufacturing; CCS: Collaborative Component Supply; EDS: Extended Product Service; WSFL: Web Service Flow Language; BPML: Business Process Modeling Language; ebXML: e-Business XML; UDDI: Universal Description, Discovery and Integration; WSDL: Web Service Definition Language; SOAP: Simple Object Access Protocol VE: Virtual Enterprise

Figure 4: Architecture of web service enabled collaborative product service in virtual enterprise by business process management