A Process Model in Platform Independent and Neutral Formal
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A Process Model in Platform Independent and Neutral Formal Representation for Design Engineering Automation Vibhor Trehan A thesis submitted to Birmingham City University in partial fulfilment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy September 2018 Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment (CEBE) Birmingham City University Abstract An engineering design process as part of product development (PD) needs to satisfy ever- changing customer demands by striking a balance between time, cost and quality. In order to achieve a faster lead-time, improved quality and reduced PD costs for increased profits, automation methods have been developed with the help of virtual engineering. There are various methods of achieving Design Engineering Automation (DEA) with Computer-Aided (CAx) tools such as CAD/CAE/CAM, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE). For example, Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools enable Geometry Automation (GA), PLM systems allow for sharing and exchange of product knowledge throughout the PD lifecycle. Traditional automation methods are specific to individual products and are hard-coded and bound by the proprietary tool format. Also, existing CAx tools and PLM systems offer bespoke islands of automation as compared to KBE. KBE as a design method incorporates complete design intent by including re-usable geometric, non-geometric product knowledge as well as engineering process knowledge for DEA including various processes such as mechanical design, analysis and manufacturing. It has been recognised, through an extensive literature review, that a research gap exists in the form of a generic and structured method of knowledge modelling, both informal and formal modelling, of mechanical design process with manufacturing knowledge (DFM/DFA) as part of model based systems engineering (MBSE) for DEA with a KBE approach. There is a lack of a structured technique for knowledge modelling, which can provide a standardised method to use platform independent and neutral formal standards for DEA with generative modelling for mechanical product design process and DFM with preserved semantics. The neutral formal representation through computer or machine understandable format provides open standard usage. I This thesis provides a contribution to knowledge by addressing this gap in two-steps: • In the first step, a coherent process model, GPM-DEA is developed as part of MBSE which can be used for modelling of mechanical design with manufacturing knowledge utilising hybrid approach, based on strengths of existing modelling standards such as IDEF0, UML, SysML and addition of constructs as per author’s Metamodel. The structured process model is highly granular with complex interdependencies such as activities, object, function, rule association and includes the effect of the process model on the product at both component and geometric attributes. • In the second step, a method is provided to map the schema of the process model to equivalent platform independent and neutral formal standards using OWL/SWRL ontology for system development using Protégé tool, enabling machine interpretability with semantic clarity for DEA with generative modelling by building queries and reasoning on set of generic SWRL functions developed by the author. Model development has been performed with the aid of literature analysis and pilot use- cases. Experimental verification with test use-cases has confirmed the reasoning and querying capability on formal axioms in generating accurate results. Some of the other key strengths are that knowledgebase is generic, scalable and extensible, hence provides re-usability and wider design space exploration. The generative modelling capability allows the model to generate activities and objects based on functional requirements of the mechanical design process with DFM/DFA and rules based on logic. With the help of application programming interface, a platform specific DEA system such as a KBE tool or a CAD tool enabling GA and a web page incorporating engineering knowledge for decision support can consume relevant part of the knowledgebase. Keywords: Design engineering automation, process model, platform independent and neutral formal representation, knowledge modelling, semantic clarity, generative modelling II Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... I Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... III List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... IX List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ XIII Publications ........................................................................................................................... XIV Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ XV List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................. XVI 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Research Context ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Overview of DEA with a KBE approach ................................................................... 3 1.3 Aim and Objectives.................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Research Method ....................................................................................................... 6 1.4.1 Research Hypothesis .............................................................................................. 6 1.4.2 Research Design..................................................................................................... 7 1.5 Research Scope .......................................................................................................... 9 1.5.1 Design Engineering Automation (DEA) .............................................................. 10 1.5.2 Informal Process Modelling ................................................................................. 10 1.5.3 Formal Representation ......................................................................................... 11 1.5.4 Development of Process Model ........................................................................... 11 1.5.5 System Development - Neutral Formal Representation of Process Model ......... 11 1.5.6 Experimental Verification .................................................................................... 12 1.6 Thesis Structure ....................................................................................................... 12 2 Design Engineering Automation and KBE ...................................................................... 14 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 14 2.2 Engineering Design Process for Product Development ........................................... 14 2.2.1 Conceptual Design Stage ..................................................................................... 15 2.2.2 Embodiment Design Stage / Configuration Design Stage ................................... 16 2.2.3 Detailed Design Stage .......................................................................................... 16 2.3 Product Development: Advancement with Virtual Engineering ............................. 18 2.3.1 CAD & Geometry Automation: Parametric Modelling ....................................... 18 2.3.2 CAE & Analysis .................................................................................................. 19 2.3.3 CAM & Manufacturing........................................................................................ 20 2.3.4 Product Data Management (PDM)/Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) ....... 21 2.4 Design Engineering Automation - CAx, PDM/PLM ............................................... 22 2.4.1 Design Engineering Automation (DEA) .............................................................. 22 2.4.2 CAx, PDM/PLM for DEA ................................................................................... 23 2.5 Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) .................................................................... 25 2.5.1 KBE and CAx, PDM/PLM for DEA ................................................................... 26 2.5.2 Achieving DEA with KBE – Integral Features.................................................... 28 III 2.5.3 KBE lifecycle and Methodologies ....................................................................... 30 2.6 Engineering Design Process Decomposition: Classification of Knowledge ........... 35 2.6.1 Engineering Design Activity................................................................................ 36 2.6.2 Engineering Rules ................................................................................................ 36 2.6.3 Function and Behaviour: Engineering Design Process ........................................ 39 2.6.4 Product Knowledge for Engineering Design Process .........................................