Representation and share of part feature information in web-based parts library

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2006.01.009Get rights and content

Abstract

Web-based parts library is important to Collaborative Design, Concurrent Engineering and Supply Chain Management System. Other than the process of product design, the representation and share of parts family information and part feature information are paid more attention in web-based parts library. Based on research of a web-based parts library system, some key technologies are put forward in this paper, which are a web-based part data description norm on data dictionary, a feature-based neutral representation of part geometric information and a hoops-based visualization method of part feature model. All these realize the share of information of parts library in and among enterprises. The above achievements are used in China National 863 High-Tech Project. Besides, the achievements have been embodied in the international standard raised by China National Institute of Standardization and provided the technical foundation to propose the international standards with Chinese independent intellectual property right.

Introduction

It has been common standpoints and technical hotspots to develop a new generation of web-based Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and Product Data Management (PDM) systems and build a network informative and automatic platform for enterprises. Concurrent engineering, virtual enterprises, collaborative design and network manufacturing are predominant schemas of design and manufacturing in the 21st century. All these have higher demands for the sharing techniques of part information. Web-based parts library have been a bridge to share parts information in and among enterprises. Different enterprises can reuse parts resources furthest and realize close integration of parts information in and among suppliers, brokers, and enterprises users. Researching the schema and approach of parts resources sharing among parts suppliers, enterprises in a network environment has been inevitable to the drastic market competition. Many countries have embarked on researches of web-based parts library, such as CIREP (Pierra, Sardet, Potier & et al., 1998) project of Europe, ECCI (Pierre & Parks, 1999) project of America and JEMIMA (Sardet & Pierra, 2001) project of Japan, etc.

Although many plans and engineering projects have focused on the problem of parts resource sharing, they emphasize particularly on parts electronic catalogues (Pierra, Poiter, & Sardet, 2003). Researches about practice mode, construction method, information representation and information interface, etc. are still on an initial stage. Web-based parts library requires a reasonable information description mechanism, which standardizes description method of parts library of different parts suppliers. Enterprises users capture and share parts information from different parts suppliers through Internet. At the same time, as common resource among virtual enterprises, parts library should be able to realize application integration of information between parts suppliers and enterprises so as to integrate parts library of certain suppliers into CAD system of certain enterprise automatically (Wang & Zhan, 2001). Furthermore, parts library should meet the requirements of collaborative design, such as providing browse of parts geometric models in network, sharing parts features and design intention, etc. Based on the above, key techniques of building a web-based parts library are brought forward, including the following:

  • (1) Web-based parts data description norm.

  • (2) Neutral representation of part’s geometric model.

  • (3) Visualization of hoops-based parts feature model.

The key techniques above solve the problems of sharing parts resource in and among enterprises in network.

Section snippets

Parts library information description on data dictionary

In order to share parts library information, the first step is to establish information description methods of parts and their characteristic data. As an innovation, data dictionary is adopted during the process of parts information description. The following points are addressed:

  • (1)

    Parts in library are organized into a tree structure of unitary inheritance. Parts of the same or similar characteristic are gathered into a parts family, according to which the parts information is organized.

  • (2)

    The

Neutral representation of part geometric information

Part information is divided into geometric information and non-geometric information. The emphasis of non-geometric information is information representation orienting to part family. The neutral representation of part geometric information should take into account the completed representation of parameterized feature information.

Visualization of hoops-based part feature model

Web-based browse and interactive operation on 3D geometry model is an important embodiment of part information visualization and at the same time it is also the necessary requirement of the combination of web-based parts library system with supply chain management system. CAD companies attach much importance to the browse and transfer of 3D graphics files on web, and have developed their own file formats such as UGS’s JT format, SolidWorks’s edrw (2D drawing), epart (part model) and easm

An example

Part geometry model can be browsed through the developed web-based parts library prototype system with a hoops 3D viewer plug-in, shown in Fig. 3. The system provides a parts list shown by national standard number or by name. Clicking the part on the left list, users can see hoops-based 3D geometry model and can operate and view the model from different angle, direction and distance without any CAD system support. Moreover, users can access the part feature information by a part feature tree

Conclusion

A web-based prototype system developed has been well used in China National 863 High-Tech Project. Besides, the web-based parts data description norm has also been embodied in the international standard raised by China National Institute of Standardization as a main body. The provided standard (ISO/CD 13584-511 Reference Dictionary for Fasteners) is about to turn into an official international standard. This paper provides the technical foundation to propose the international standards with

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere thanks for financial support by China National 863 High-Tech Project (Project Number: 2002AA411030) and Science and Technology Fundamental Program in the 10th Five-Year Project of Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Project Number: 2001EDA30033).

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