This document provides an overview of virtual product development and product building and structure. It discusses the benefits of virtual product development over traditional methods, including reducing costs and time to market. It also describes various virtual product development tools like 3D CAD systems and digital mockups that allow designing, simulating, and testing virtual products and prototypes without building physical ones. The document outlines techniques for building virtual product models like solid modeling and parametric modeling. It also discusses analyzing virtual product models using computer-aided engineering tools.

1. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT
MODULE-5
PRODUCT BUILDING & STRUCTURE
Prepared By
Prof.G.M.Swamy
Department of Mechanical Engineering
JSS Academy of Technical Education
Bangalore-560060
Mob:9739125899
E Mail : gmswamyjssateb@gmail.com

2. MODULE-5
PRODUCT BUILDING & STRUCTURE
Introduction to Virtual Product Development:
• Companies involved in product development primarily focus on
reducing manufacturing costs along with increasing productivity,
quality & faster delivery time to market.
• However, the changing customer needs, design alternatives, new
technologies and materials, market trends, and business
competition have increased the complexity of the development of
new products.
• Traditionally, creating new ideas and their selection, design
alternatives and their selection, building physical prototypes and
testing manually, and finally launching products to market involves
extensive decision making that affects the speed of product
development, cost and quality of the product.
• An approach to reduce the complexity and enhance the product
development is the transition from traditional to virtual product
development.

3. • Virtual product development refers to the working and
analyzing techniques, processes and methods for product
developments in a virtual environment, which is created
using advanced computer technology.
• A virtual product is completely a digital product
representation create in computer based environments.
• It consists of a 2D/3D geometric model, along with all the
supporting information required to actual manufacture the
product, including non-visual characteristics such as speed,
weight and cost.
• The benefits of virtual reality have attracted even the
small-to-medium enterprises involved in developing
products.
• Today, digital techniques, processes and methods have
become and essential part of the entire production
technology network from product planning through to
product maintenance and servicing.

4. Benefits of Virtual Product Development
Following are a few benefits involved with virtual product
development:
1) Helps in evaluating alternate design concepts, perform
multiple product tests, and prepare manufacturing tools
and processes, without having to build, test, and
subsequently destroy expensive physical prototypes.
2) Allows many tasks to be performed earlier in the product
development cycle. For example, the designer can take
important decisions at early stages based on test results,
giving control over time and cost.
3) Gives an insight needed to develop and optimize
products based on customer needs and wants.
4) Helps to identify and address potential safety issues
before manufacturing begins.

5. 5) Assists greatly in the innovation process by
accurately predicting product performance in virtual
testing environments, ultimately minimizing
product-time-to-market, design failures, and product
development costs.
6) Saves time and costs involved in product
development.
7) Enhances speed of product development, which in
turn helps in faster product delivery to market,
providing a competitive edge in the market.
8) Enables collaborative capability through virtual
teams – a group of people and sub-teams who
interact through interdependent tasks guided by
common purpose and work across links
strengthened by information, communication, and
transport technologies.

6. VIRTUAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TOOLS (MODELS)
Virtual product development includes all IT-supported, virtual
product-model-based processes for the generation of new products. The
technology enables the three-dimensional (3D) presentation of the product, tool,
or process in the real time, in the real conditions and interaction with the user.
Two common tools/models from the syllabus pint of view are discussed in the
following.
3D CAD Systems (Software) The acronym 3D CAD stands for Three –
Dimensional Computer Aided Design, and covers a wide variety of design tools
used by several industry professionals. The 3D CAD system is used to crate a
three-dimensional geometrical product representation within a virtual
environment (computer screen ) allowing people to explore and share ideas,
visualize concepts and simulate how designs will perform before they are made.
The increase in the processing power of computers and graphic display
capabilities have made the creation of 3D images of parts and assemblies that are
realistic, and be viewed and rotated in any angle or direction for analysis and
review. The 3D images, also called 3D models can be saved in different formats
like IGES, STEP, etc., for exchange between different software to help in
developing programs for manufacturing using advanced machining systems or
for any other purposes. A few of today’s leading 3D CAD system includes,
Solid works, Solid Edge, Unigraphics NX, Catia, etc.

7. • With 3D CAD system, the designer can create assemblies
of parts to visualize how they fit together and test the
motion and interaction of moving parts within the
assembly, test and analyze how they will react to forces
applied to them, test how fluids will flow through them,
evaluate how they will be manufactured using
simulations, and render near perfect images to see how
products will look in real life.
• The virtual reality object will have similar properties as an
actual physical object, like, type of material, weight, size,
optical properties, physical properties, etc., allowing the
designer to visualize the behavior of object in the real
world, even before it is built. In general, 3D CAD
systems form the core element of digital product
development.
• The various benefits of 3D CAD system are listed as
follows:

8. 1) Create conceptual design, product layout, strength and
dynamic analysis of parts and assemblies, and the
manufacturing processes by transferring detailed
diagrams of a product’s materials, processes, tolerances
and dimensions with specific conventions for the
product.
2) Concepts and design ideas quickly be mocked up to
provide options and inform decision making in product
development.
3) Perform swift alternations to 3D models whenever
desired, automatically updating 2D drawings or modified
models. CAD systems offer a more robust set of tools
and methods to modify designs.
4) Engineering and manufacturing process are enabled
simultaneously from shared 3D CAD data

9. 5) Increased design quality and accuracy.
6) Rapid generation of bill of materials (BOM’s) and data
outsourced to production planning.
7) 3D CAD models can be used to produce prototypes from
Stereo-lithography and other Rapid Prototyping technologies.
8) 3D CAD enables a shift form the traditional paper based design
and manufacturing system to a electronic paperless one, thereby
saving in time, energy and money. The result is a high quality,
low-cost products with faster delivery time-to-market, which in
turn is a huge advantage in the competitive global market.
9) 3D CAD system helps to document all aspects of a design. The
measurements, dimensions, tolerances, and other features of a
product are all conveniently recorded and saved for future use.
Components and subassemblies are also saved and can be used
for future designs if need be. The design integrity is thereby
maintained, as the same data can be reused, regardless of how
often or where it is being utilized.

10. Digital Mock - up
• Digital Mock-up is a complete virtual product environment for the
whole process of three-dimensional (3D) development and maintenance
of a product, including configuration and change management.
• DMUs contain information about the product geometry, for example,
volume and or surface models, and the product structure.
• DMU processes are used for packaging studies, clash detection,
mounting and assembling simulations and other 3D CAD – based
analysis steps.
• In automotive development for example, DMU investigations cover the
creation of assemblies (including components and devices), analysis and
simulation (e.g. assembly procedures, movement and space
investigations, collision checks, mounting and installation simulation).
• Digital mock – up’s are often linked with simulation procedures, such
as kinematical simulation processes for the optimization of movable
functionalities like door – opening mechanisms, wheel suspensions,
movable components in engines, etc.

11. • Converted or simplified 3D CAD data from a virtual product
model (master model) form the basis for DMU processes.
• The data transfer can be accomplished using native CAD data or
using neutral data formats like STEP, IGES, etc. All design work
has to be done within the DMU environment (world).
• Any investigations or work done in a separate environment
disappear sooner or later and are not usable for others.
• The designer must fully embrace this new technology, entering the
DMU environment first thing in the morning, thus carrying out all
design tasks in it througho0ut the entire day.
• The environment created by DMU thus follows engineers to design
and configure complex products and validate their designs without
the need to build a physical model/ prototype.
• DMU is frequently referred as Digital Prototyping or Virtual
Prototyping.

12. • The DMU working process is implemented vary early in the project
phase, primarily creating a rough structure of the product.
• This is followed by defining the main components and relating them to
each other.
• Step-by-step, the first 3D CAD models are attached to the product
structure, resulting in the growth of the Digital Mock-up.
• The release status of parts and models must be clearly visible for all
DMU users.
• This information is essential for all departments that work with the
provided geometry to evaluate the possibility and probability of
changes.
• With the introduction of this new working environment the working
process of all concerned departments changes basically.
• The concept of DMU originated in the late 1980’s shortly after the
adoption of 3D CAD systems.
• It was typically provided as an add-on application to CAD systems, i.e.,
DMU applications are provided as stand-alone applications that are not
integrated with CAD authoring tools or with the overall PLM solution,
Product Data Management (PDM) or Computer – Aided Manufacturing
(CAM) applications.

13. Benefits of DMU
• Digital mock-up provides ultra-high performance 3D
viewing and analysis for product designs by providing
simultaneous loading and analysis of data from
different CAD systems.
• Apart from reducing the number of physical
prototype, digital mock-up also provides a
mechanisms for sharing product information and
allowing design reviews to be quickly and easily
conducted among multiple team members and across
multiple companies and geographies thereby
enhancing collaboration within the organization.
• DMU also encourages more design alternatives,
leading to increased product innovation.

14. BUILDING VIRTUAL PRODUCT MODELS
• Virtual product development processes are based on
product data models, which are able to represent the
specific product characteristics.
• 3D geometric modeling using CAD software allows
engineers and designers to build realistic 3D computer
models of parts and assemblies of products.
• Geometric modeling is the mathematical representation of
an object’s geometry (shape) using software technology.
• The designer constructs a geometrical model based on the
product’s specific features, which include technical
functionalities or production-related details, such as draft
angles or fillets.
• The geometry is built up through the combination of
single components (parts) into an assembling structure.

15. During the process of geometric modeling the computer
converts various commands given from within the CAD
software into mathematical models, stores them as files and
finally displays them as an image. The geometric models
created by the designer can open at any time for reviewing,
editing or analysis. Solid modeling is one of the most
advanced methods of geometric modeling in
three-dimensions.
Solid modeling creates solid 3D models as if they are actual
parts, with a logical workflow which is similar to the
processes which would be used to manufacture the part.
Solid models can intersect, join and subtract objects from
one another to create the desired part. Solid Edge, Solid
Works, Unigraphics NX, Catia, etc., are a few solid
modeling software used in today’s industries. The various
techniques involved in solid modeling for building 3D
models are briefed as follows:

16. 1) Feature based modeling
A product model can be built by using design features; the approach
known as design by features or feature based modeling. The technique
refers to the construction of geometries of a product as a combination
of form features from a standard library. In this approach, the designer
specifies features in engineering terms such as holes, slots, or bosses
from the features menu, rather than geometric terms such as circles or
boxes.
For example, as shown in the following diagram, the designer selects the
face in which the Through – hole feature is to be located along with the
location by inputting the coordinates or through a mouse. The software
understands that it must pass through the part, no matter how the part
changes. The software program locates the feature in the desired
position and subtracts from the part model (cube) as shown in the
following diagram. Each feature is individually recognized by the
software by means of interactive feature definition, feature recognition
or other approaches.
Design with pre-defined form features can reduce the number of input
commands substantially. This is especially advantageous in re-design.
The parametric representation of features provide a powerful way to
change features with respect to their dimensions.

17. Fig: Feature based modeling

18. 2) parametric modeling
Parametric modeling involves building up a 3D geometry piece by piece.
2D sketches involving lines and curves turn into 3D features, with
constraints and relation duly applied to fit the designer’s intent. In a 3D
CAD system, it is common to create parametric models, which means
that all or some dimensions of the model depend on a particular
dimension of the mode. For example, when designing a pipe, the
thickness and the length can be dependent on the pipe diameter.
When the diameter is changed, the thickness and the length changes with an
amount that conserves the same proportions. The model is in other
words, scaled. The designer thus need to alter only one parameter; the
other two parameters get adjusted automatically. Hence parametric
models focus on the steps in creating a shape and parameterize them.
This benefits product design engineering services providers a lot. Solid
works, Catia, Siements NX, Creo Parametric, etc., are some of the
parametric modeling software.

19. Parametric models are built from a set of mathematical
equations. There are two popular parametric
representation models, viz., Constructive Solid
Geometry (CSG) and Boundary Representation (b-rep).
(i) Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG)
CSG defines and builds a model in terms of
combining basic (primitive) and generated (using
extrusion and sweeping operation) solid shapes. It
uses Boolean operations to construct a model. CSG
is a combination of 3D solid primitives, for example,
the technique combines basic solid objects like a
rectangular prism, cylinder, cone, sphere etc., that are
then manipulated or simply added or deleted in order
to form the final solid shape by means of Boolean
operations. Refer the following diagram.

20. Fig : CSG and b-rep presentation of a product

21. (ii) Boundary representation (b-rep)
In boundary representation, surfaces are combined
to develop a solid model as shown in the above
diagram. The solid is thus a union of faces
(surfaces), bounded by edges (curves) which in turn
are bounded by vertices (points). B- rep defines the
points, edges, surfaces of a volume, and / or issues
commands that sweep or rotate a defined face into a
third , and / or issues commands that sweep or
rotate a defined face into a third dimension to form
a solid. The object is then made up of the union of
these surfaces that completely and precisely enclose
a volume.

22. 3) Feature based parametric design
Feature based parametric design ( FbPD) is an approach to CAD that
approach to CAD that integrates the advantages of design -by – feature
and parametric design. The realization of FbPD systems requires an
appropriate representation scheme. Here, a parametric feature
representation (PFRep) is introduced that incorporates the application
data of a feature –based model with the generic data of a parametric
model.
The PFRep represents explicitly features, feature relationships, form
entities, as well as geometric and non – geometric parameters and
constraints. For example, the various feature used in manufacturing can
be modeled parametrically and collected in a feature library. Using
these readily available features, part models can be modeled easier and
faster. The designer need not have to use primitive geometric elements
to model features, which is time consuming. During or after part
modeling, sizes of the features can be changed as desired.

23. ANALYZING VIRTUAL PRODUCT MODELS
• Products are designed and developed to perform their intended
function in a specific environment. However, many simultaneous
physical forces and phenomena impact product behavior.
• These factors coupled with the complexity of the products make it
difficult to build physical prototype and conduct experiments to
predict its function in the real world environment.
• This creates a need for better ways to analyze product behavior
against a variety of multiple physics.
• Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) is a term used to describe the
use of computer software in the product engineering process, from
design and virtual testing with sophisticated analytical algorithms to
the planning of manufacturing.
• CAE solutions support the engineering process, allowing designers to
perform tests and simulations of the product’s physical properties
without requiring a physical prototype.

24. • While CAD is used to create a geometrical product
representation within a virtual environment, CAE
allows a deeper analysis of the product.
• CAE finds applications in engineering fields like fluid
dynamics, kinematics, stress analysis, finite element
analysis, etc., typically, where product development is
concerned.
• Throughout the virtual development cycle, CAD and
CAE go hand-in-hand. CAE helps to reduce the
number of physical prototypes and experiments, and
optimize components in their design phase to develop
better products, faster.
• There are various methods to evaluate product
designs; however a few of the virtual methods
utilizing CAE analysis are discussed in brief as
follows:

25. 1) Finite Element Analysis
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is the simulation of a given
product or any given physical phenomenon using numerical
technique called Finite Element Method (FEM).
• The technique is used to calculate stress, deformation, thermal
load, structural dynamics, or NVH (noise, vibration and
harshness), and predict the behavior of the product in the real
physical environment.
• For example, a sitting chair can be analyzed for stress
distribution to identify critical locations of failure, and the
maximum safe load it can support in order to avoid failure.
• The potential issues thus identified and analyzed by FEA
helps design engineers to review and optimize the design at an
early stage thereby saving time, energy, and money involved in
developing the product.
• Various software tools like Catia, HyperMesh, Ansys, etc., are
used for the purpose.

26. • FEA works by discretization, i.e., breaking down a large structure,
with high degree of physical complexities and mathematical
discontinues, into smaller, more manageable sections.
• Each section represents the material properties of its local domain.
• The mathematical model or geometrical model extracted from 3D
CAD model is discretized by the Finite Element Method (FEM),
resulting in corresponding numerical models.
• The discretized equations are solved simultaneously and the results
are analyzed to determine how the larger structure will respond to the
external or internal stimuli.
• Boundary conditions of loads (example, forces, moments), restraints
(example, bearings, fixed parts),material characteristics, temperatures
and other factors are defined directly in the FE-program.
• Designers can run simulations with various component designs and
compare outputs in a short span of time, thereby eliminating the need
for complex testing and analysis using physical prototypes.

27. 2) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
• Predicting the behavior of products working under extreme environments like liquid or
gas flow, heating or cooling, chemical reactions, turbulence, and other related physical
phenomena has always been a challenging task for product designers and analysts.
• Computational fluid dynamics, briefly abbreviated as CFD, is a term used to refer to a
wide spectrum of numerical methods used for virtual analyzing and predicting complex
3D, time-independent flow phenomena related to products.
• For example, simulating and analyzing the flow of gas over the turbine blades,
temperature distribution in a heat exchanger, etc.
• The analysis approach in this regard is similar to Finite Element Analysis (FEA),
except the software used being different.
• The data transfer from the 3D CAD model into the CFD program is performed by
neutral standard data formats (example, STEP, IGES, etc.), and the boundary
conditions for the calculations are defined directly in the CFD program.
• Solvers like CFX, Fluent, Nastran, etc., are a few software used to conduct the
analysis.
Note: Physical and virtual prototyping have their own characteristics. It is important to
note that physical and virtual prototyping are not two competing technologies; they are
complementary. It is not recommended to try and entirely eliminate physical
prototyping from the design process, but instead, integrate virtual prototyping and
simulation development stages to address its weakness and limitations.

28. 3) Multi – body Simulation (MBS)
• Multi-body simulation is a computer tool with which multi-body (It is a system
in which one or more bodies are connected to each other with joints.
• The body may be rigid, flexible, or plain links that connect two pieces together.
The purpose of the joints is to limit the relative movement of the bodies) systems
can be stimulated using computational methods.
• MBS models are based on general geometrical definitions in CAD product
structures.
• They consist of stiff bodies or mass points, which are connected with each other
or the environment by joints (kinematic constraints) and/or by specific force
laws.
• They are very suitable for modeling complex, inhomogeneous structures, such as
full vehicles, and particularly for the low-frequency range of the motions.
• The boundary conditions (example, forces, torsional moments, of inertia,
degrees of freedom of movement) are defined directly in the MBS program.
• The separation of the locally distributed parameters into discrete parameters
(example, mass, stiffness, damping) leads to the physical discretization of the
product model.
• Besides a rigid consideration of kinematic systems, elastic sub-bodies from FEM
modeling can be imported and integrated on demand.

29. PRODUCTION (PROCESS) PLANNING AND CONTROL (PPC)
• Production planning and control includes the
administration and organization of manufacturing relevant
data and procedures.
• Only the released product data are transferred into the
production planning process. PPC data are organized in
BOM (bill of material) structures and based on 3D CAD
geometry, 2D drawings and additional
manufacturing-relevant information.
• Two important influencing factors in this regard are the
working schedule and manufacturing resources.
• Firstly, the basic economic and operational functions of
PPC include, the management of customer orders, project
calculation, planning of requirements, material logistics,
production capacity calculation and the order release
organization.

30. • Secondly, PPC covers production – control related tasks, such
as production management and control, operating data logging,
controlling processes regarding time, quantity and costs, and
shipment management.
• While PPC covers the economic and operational tasks of
manufacturing, CAD/CAM operations basically handle
technical functions.
• The working fields of CAD/CAM can also be divided into two
groups: the first group includes planning processes, such as the
product concept development, design and simulation process
planning material logistics and the programming of production
machines and resources, while the second group includes the
control of manufacturing and quality management-related
procedures.
• This also includes the control of NC- machines, transportation
control, storage management, assembly control, maintenance
management and quality management.

31. PRODUCT DATA TECHNOLOGY
Product Data Technology (PDT) includes all aspects of the
definition and methods of processing of data information
related to a product, throughout its development and
operational life-cycle. The management of all data flow,
processes and documents during the development or
modification of products across the product life cycle
provides the basis for an efficient virtual product
generation. Product data can be classified into different
categories as follows:
1) Product-defining data relates to the technical
requirements that include all kinds of data for the product
specification. For example, in the case of automotive
product development, the data can be related to driving
performance, car weight, fuel consumption, dimensions,
targeted vehicle configurations and other factors.

32. 2) Product-describing data relates to the technical product
documentation that include all the information that can be
found in the Bill of Materials (BOM) list.
3) Geometry data relates to the CAD model files, styling data,
geometry data exchange formats, CAD-based product
structures and other design-based data.
4) Data Information concerning the development process itself
include workflow data, management of resources, data for
engineering organization and others.
5) Product configuration data relates to the information about
possible variants. For example, the data that define the set-up
of the car in accordance with the customer order, including the
type of engine and transmission, safety features, colors and all
possible accessories.
6) Metadata that describes additional product-related facts, such
as production-related facts, such as production-related
information or data for calculation and organization.

33. • The exchange of product data within the same software environment
is mainly performed by native data formats, while importing product
data from a 3D CAD program into FE simulation software is
accomplished with the use of neutral data formats.
• In the case of product design and simulation-related processes,
neutral data formats provide product geometry data and limited
additional product information for the exchange between different
CAD software packages or between CAD and CAE applications.
• Neutral data formats can be divided in geometrically accurate
systems, which transform CAD – native product information into sets
of mathematical descriptions of the model geometries.
• Examples are IGES, STEP or VDA formats.
• Besides a purely geometrical representation, enhanced neutral data
formats are able to include additional facts, such as product
structuring information or the configuration of components, modules
and sub-assemblies.

34. • The second group of neutral data formats concerns solutions
which are able to convert the product geometry into models
with approximated (tessellated) geometry. Examples of neutral
data formats with tessellated geometries include STL, VRML
and WRL.
• In addition, XML – based (extensible markup language)
geometry description also works with tessellation algorithms.
• These approximated product data are often used in DMU-based
investigations or for visualization tasks.
• For the application of neutral data formats, specific converters
are required to convert CAD-native geometry information into
the corresponding format.
• In the case of data import, neutral data have to be converted or
integrated into the corresponding software-specific format,
which means that the target program must be able to read the
specific type of neutral data format.

35. • Unlike native data formats, neutral data languages cannot contain
detailed design process-related knowledge, such as the design
history, product parameterization, implemented algorithms or
macros, functionalities, etc.
• This limits the application of neutral data formats to geometry-based
processes and restricts advanced automation or design integration.
• For this reason, alternative methods and strategies have emerged in
recent years.
• One such method is to manage data exchange by integrating Product
Data Management(PDM) systems.
• PDM system manages the entire product data range, including
geometry data, product structure and additional data, such as
materials, tolerances, and production – related information, and
organizes the data and information flow throughout the development
and life-cycle process of a product.
• Additional information related to PDM has been provided in module 1.

36. PRODUCT STRUCTURE
• In PLM, Product structure describes the main parts or
components, sub-components, assemblies and
document forms in a hierarchical way.
• Product structure explains the fact regarding how the
product is divide into components, which are in turn
divided into sub-components, etc., thereby giving the
essential details in an organized manner.
• The product structure apart from containing the 3D
model of parts, also contain meta-data that gives all
information about the parts like material information,
manufacturing process, etc. The product structure in
many respects form the heart of a PLM system
• The following diagram shows the product structure of
a bicycle in its simplest form.

37. Fig: Generic product structure (product model) of a bicycle

38. Usage of PLM Tools
• PLM tools are used to manage product structure and to store all data in a single database,
allowing every user to access the information by local computers.
• Product structure keeps latest design information and by the help of PLM tools every user
can reach the latest design information at the same time.
• In PLM tools, each detailed part/assembly is represented as an item in the product structure
with part number and part description.
• Detailed information about parts, like 3D model and meta-data is kept under item
revisions.
• The item revisions are released in PLM tools and changes are controlled on item revisions
accordingly.
• In case there is a need to update parts, after release of latest revision, the item is revised
again and new revision is updated according to new requirements.
• Latest item revisions are thus linked to product structure.
• To construct and maintain product structure properly, different item types and different
roles are used in PLM tools.
• Every technical personnel are responsible for their own item type and cannot change other
design related data.
• This shows the importance of using PLM tools in the organization to manage design data
in a more suitable and protected way.
Note: Some specialists use the term Product structure and Bill Of Materials (BOM)
interchangeably. The term BOM is used to refer to the list of parts used in one assembly,
while product structure is used to refer the whole structure constructed for a product.

39. VARIANT MANAGEMENT
• Customers expect and demand not just a product that meets
their functional needs, but also one that is tailored to
specifically meet their expectations.
• This includes style, color, special features and conveniences
of their choice.
• For example, the variants of a motor bike may include
different style of design, color, features, etc.
• Bikes were developed with kick-starting facility, however
people starting expecting to have power starting along with
the kick-start facility.
• Further, international markets with local particularities like
people, rules, and regulations often demand products in
different variants.
• Variant requests may come in the form of new requirements
and behavior from customers and new suppliers from new
markets.

40. • A critical need in the development of a varied product
is the ability to effectively manage the common
feature, and variations in the various specifications.
• Ideally, the specifications for requirements, tests, risk
assessment etc., should be maintained in a single
master specification document for each artifact type
that covers the entire product.
• There should be an easy way to reuse different
applicable subsets of these master specifications to
create specifications fully covering each product in
the product line (family).
• A dedicated variant management tool is thus needed
for all but the most trivial product lines.

41. • Variant management is a holistic approach to control and
optimize product diversification with respect to
production costs and market strategy.
• The key idea of variant management is to optimize the
number of product variants that can be manufactured,
while reducing the complexity of product development
and manufacturing.
• Production costs are typically kept low by manufacturing
only a small amount of different modules that are
common and recurring for multiple products.
• These modules can then be manufactured in large scales.
• Variant management continues to be a critical
consideration early in the product lifecycle, especially as
evolving design paradigms influence product variance.

42. Variant management approach
• Variant Bill Of Materials (BOM- is a list of the raw materials,
sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies, sub-components,
parts, and the quantities of each needed to manufacture an end
product. In certain instances, it is referred as Product structure)
is a critical aspect in the variant management approach.
• Managing a distinct Bill Of Material for each variant of a
product, and updating configurations as the product evolves is a
time consuming and tedious task.
• Variant management makes use of a single BOM, referred as
variant BOM, for multiple variants of the same product.
• Maintaining a single BOM can be comparatively powerful, as it
will help to manage a consistent set of connected information
for multiple product development and manufacturing stage, and
address a specific product design and manufacturing options.
• Various software tools are used to manage and support variant
BOM .

43. • All data and documents related to products, parts,
assemblies, materials, etc., are managed at a very
detailed level thereby forming the Product Data
Backbone for all digital information relevant to a
product.
• Stakeholders across the enterprise can interact with an
accurate, aligned 3D representation of the BOM without
asking the designer or being CAD experts themselves.
• The data is automatically synchronized with design,
engineering and manufacturing tools.
• For example, any changes made to the CAD,
automatically gets incorporated in the BOM.
• This helps to optimize the number of product variants
that can be manufactured, which in turn reduces the
complexity of product development, Companies hence
shift to a variant management approach to improve their
product time-to-market, and lower their production and
maintenance costs.

44. PRODUCT CONFIGURATION
• Product configuration, also referred as Product customization or
Knowledge-based configuration, is an activity of customizing a product in
order to meet the needs of a particular customer.
• The product may consist of mechanical parts, services, and
electronic/software.
• Since customers expect unique products adjusted to their individual needs,
companies are shifting their way of thinking to be more customer oriented.
• For example, a customer can configure a variety of shoe styles, colors,
materials, to create a uniquely personalized pair of shoes.
• Selecting a flat screen television with product variants like LCD or Plasma
screen, size of the viewing area, etc., can be configured based on the
customer’s needs.
• A car can have variants, for example, color, engine type, fuel-based type,
etc.
• The need to configure products to meet special requirements is becoming
the rule rather than the exception, in both business-to-business and
business-to-consumer relationships.
• In order to implement a configuration system, a model describing the
product must be defined and implemented, usually in a product
configurator.

45. • A product configurator is a software tool that
performs as an online guide to help the customers
to specify a product with desired specification by
choosing from all available options.
• The tool helps to transform customer requirements
into bills-of-materials, lists of features, cost
estimations, and ultimately rapid manufacturing of
products.
• The configurator platform is built in such a
manner to have a clear separation between the
product data(information), functionality, and
presentation. The following diagram illustrates the
scope of configuration process.

46. • The customer requirement can be an order,
quotation, or inquiry requesting certain
information.
• Simulated product configurations are created
based on the information.
• It is usually comprised of a bill of material and
routing based on a product configuration.
• It is used to create procurement orders for
semi-finished products and direct materials
purchases related to orders.
• The simulated configuration is also used to
introduce changes in customer requirements and
to perform costing.

47. • The product configuration is created through the display of
questions in the form of features, fund when the product
structures were searched.
• These questions are then answered by one of the valid
options, displayed along with each feature.
• Since questions can be searched for dynamically, only
those questions which apply in the different situations
need to be answered.
• The result of product configuration can be communicated
to the customer.
• The output that the configurator program gives can be, for
example as follows: a visualization(pictures, animation
etc.), a description, a list of parts, (articles) codes, prices,
import file for ERP/CRM, etc.
• When a manufacturing order is created for a product
configuration, internal information about the configuration
can be viewed and distributed within the company.

48. Figure: Product configuration process

49. Benefits of Product Configurator
A Product configurator in general ensures a profitable solution for the following
problems:
1) Time lost entering orders: Sales engineering can spend more time recording
order details for complex products than they do selling them. It can take
hours to ensure that all calculations are complete, and that specifications are
captured and correctly transformed in the correct product.
2) Errors and delays caused by poorly integrated information: Complex
orders can end up as manual documents and spreadsheets. Converting into
ERP BOM’s and route manuals lead to costly mistakes and delays in project
starts.
3) The daily battle to balance speed and quality: Product time-to-market
delivery keeps getting shorter, but engineering cannot compromise standards.
Time needs to be focused on building great products, not on data re-entry.
4) Inefficient change management: While working with multiple systems,
requests to modify a product enter the ecosystem too slowly. Without
centralized information, production can end up working with a different
product version than sales and engineering, deadlines get missed, and error
costs pile up.
5) No way to access critical product and industry knowledge: Individuals are
too pressured and busy to share information and answer questions from sales,
the channel, and customers.

50. MATERIAL MASTER DATA
• Material master data, often referred as Material master or Item master
contains description of all materials that a company procures, produces,
stores, or sell.
• It is the central repository of information on materials and contains
information of a variety of data elements including part number,
description, technical specifications and stock codes.
• Material master is considered as the core functionality for any ERP
(Enterprise Resource Planning) system used in the distribution or
manufacturing type functions.
• The integration of all material data in a single materials database
eliminates the problem of data redundancy and permits the data to be
used not only by various department, but also other applications such
as Inventory Management, Materials planning and control, Invoice
verification and so on.
• The description of individual materials used in a company is stored in
material master records. The following list shows some types of
information a material master record contains and provides examples
of each:

51. 1) Accounting: Valuation and costing/price calculation information.
Example, Standard price, past and future price, and current valuation.
2) Materials planning and control: Information for Market
Requirements Planning (MRP) and consumption-based
planning/inventory control. Example, Safety stock level, planned
delivery time, and recorder level for a material.
3) Purchasing: Data provided by purchasing for a material. Example,
Purchasing group (group of buyers) responsible for a material,
over-delivery and under-delivery tolerances, and the order unit.
4) Engineering: Engineering and design data on a material. Example,
CAD drawings, basic dimensions, and design specifications.
5) Storage: Information relating to the storage/warehousing of a
material. Example, unit of issue, storage conditions, and packaging
dimensions.
6) Forecasting: Information for predicting material requirements.
Example, How the material is procured, forecasting period, and
packaging dimensions.
7) Sales and distribution: Information for sales orders and pricing.
Example, Sales price, minimum order quantity, and the name of the
sales department responsible for a certain material.

52. Characteristics of Material Master
Material master record is identified by the following characteristics:
1) Material types: Materials with common attributes are grouped
together and assigned to a material type. It differentiates the materials
and allows organizations to manage different materials in a systematic
manner in accordance to a company’s requirement. For example, raw
material and finished products are some of the material types.
2) Material groups: Material group is a wider range of material type.
Materials with some common attributes are taken together and they
are assigned to a material group. For example, materials that are
needed for packaging are included under packaged material group.
3) Defining and Assigning Number range: In the material master
record, every material is recognized by a unique number, known as the
material number. A number can be assigned to a material through two
ways: External number assignment containing alphabets or digits,
which are unique and assigned manually by the user creating the
master record, and Internal number assignment, wherein the system
automatically generates a unique number to the material. The number
range after being defined, are assigned to the material group.
Number assignment is defined within the framework of customizing.

53. Accessing Master Material
• Company policy may restrict access to material
master data.
• Access restrictions are intended to prevent
unauthorized users from changing a material master
record.
• Generally, buyers can view all data for a material, but
are usually only allowed to change purchasing data.
• In the same manner, material planners or inventory
controllers are generally allowed only to change the
data directly related to materials planning and
control.
• Only certain users have authorization to enter and
change all the data centrally.

54. PRODUCT DATA DESCRIPTION
• A product data description is a marketing copy(hard/soft copy),
generated by the company to provide the customers with sufficient
data/information regarding the features and characteristics of the
product, in order to compel them to purchase the product with
confidence.
• The description can contain a brief write-up, photos/images,
videos/animation in case of online/web description, etc.
• By educating customers on the product’s key benefits, unique value
proposition, and offering a solution to a frustrating problem, product
description can help get more sales, lower refund rates and build
customer trust.
• Product data description writing can be taken from a well experienced
Data Analyst or an expert involved in editorial works.
• While a good product description attracts customers and increase
revenues, a poorly written product description may turn away the
potential customers from a sale.
• A few guidelines, steps, or strategies involved in writing product
description are briefed as follows:

55. 1) Define target audience/groups:
Not every target group can be triggered with the same
style and the same content. Some of the key
questions that need to be addressed in this regard
include:
▪ Who are the buyers of the product and their needs.
▪ What explanation does the product require in order to
improve their life or usage value.
▪ What exactly is the target audience. How to arouse their
emotions.
▪ What additional information can be provided to the target
group.
Such evaluations make it better to describe the content in
detail so as to ensure the product seem valuable to them.

56. 2) Optimize product description:
• Customers hate reading stories about the product.
• Optimizing the description with creatively and specific
keywords helps to convey the most important information in a
short and sweet manner.
• Customers can quickly grasp the necessary information and
make an instant decision whether the product is likely to
benefit them or not.
• Additional description may be provided only if the product
demands for.
3) Focus on product’s attributes and benefits:
– At the very minimum, the product description needs to inform
the reader, the basic functions (uses), characteristics, and the
benefits the product will bring to the buyer.
– The description must ensure that the product has competitive
and unique features that can improve the usage value of the
product.
– It must also tell how the product can improve the buyer’s life.

57. 4) Use simple and effective language for communication:
▪ Product descriptions must be simple and easy-to-understand.
▪ It must also include certain words and phrases that naturally evoke an emotional
response in humans that can encourage them to purchase the product.
▪ The description can also be supplemented with photos, feedbacks, slogans,
celebrity models and the like that can persuade them to purchase the product.
▪ If the product descriptions are online (internet), the right keywords in the
description can help web searchers find the product easily.
▪ Videos (animation) proves the best and effective mode of communication.
5) Be fair & transparent:
The description must be fair and transparent.
For example, describing the product to be of highest quality with complaints
coming from all corners is deceptive.
Projecting the product to be revolutionary and innovative when it is actually not,
can make the description being false.
People like to buy products from people they trust.
Building trust is different from attracting more customers and selling more
products.
Further, prices and delivery details should be available in a prominent place and be
transparent and understandable.
The delivery details are as much about the cost as well as the availability and
estimated delivery time.

58. DATA MODELS
❖ All the data related to a product, right from its conceptualization
stage to its end life and recycling must be managed effectively
and efficiently to support product development process.
❖ The data model or database model serves the purpose in this
regard.
❖ The objective of a data model is mostly to support Product Data
Management (PDM) functions of Product Lifecycle
Management (PLM) by providing a structure for product data
creation, identification, storage and exchange during the whole
product lifecycle.
❖ When a data model is created, there is a need to define the data,
its attributes and relationships with other data, and also define
constraints or limitations on the data.
❖ Several product data models have been proposed for product
design.
❖ Some of the commonly used data models are briefed as follows:

59. 1) Hierarchical database model:
– In a hierarchical database model as shown in the following diagram, the
data is organized into a tree like structure where each record has a single
parent or root.
– That is, the data is stored in a parent-children relationship node, such that
each child in the tree may have only one parent, and relationships or
linkages between children are not permitted, even if they make sense from a
logical standpoint.
Characteristics
• Hierarchical data model is the oldest form of database.
• It is simple in structure.
• Data access and updating can be made rapidly, because the relationships are
established in advance.
• However, the model uses one-to-many relationship making inflexible,
because the link is permanently established and cannot be modified.
• To retrieve a data, one has to traverse through each tree until the record is
found.
• Further, adding a new field or record requires the entire database to be
redefined.

60. 1.Hierarchical data model 2.Network data model

61. 2) Network data base model:
– Network database model as shown in the above diagram
uses a network structure to create relationship between
entities.
– The data is organized in many-to-many relationships
between linked records.
– That is, unlike hierarchical databases where one node
can have one parent only, a network node can have
relationship with multiple entities.
Characteristics
• Network database model overcomes the drawbacks of
hierarchical model by establishing more relationships
through multiple paths.
• However the network model is complicated, requiring
large digital computers.
• It is one of the popular model in the 1970’s.

62. 3) Relational database model (RDBMS):
– In a relational database model, the data is stored in tabular form of
columns and rows.
– Each column in the table represents an attribute and each row represents a
record.
– Each field in a table represents a data value.
– The relationship between the data is relational in nature.
– The model accounts for one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many
relationships.
– Relational databases are the most popular and widely used data
management technology in PLM.
– Some of t he popular data base management systems are Oracle, SQL
Server, MySQL, SQLite, and IBM DB2.
Characteristics
• The model provides flexibility that allows changes to be easily
accommodates.
• It facilitates multiple views of the same database for different users.
• Relational databases can be used with little or no training.

63. 4) Object-oriented model:
– Object-oriented database model was developed owing to the drawback of Relational
database model not supporting easily the distribution of one database across a number
of servers.
– In this model, the users can define their own data accessing methods, the
representation of data and the method of manipulating it.
Characteristics: Object-oriented databases use small, recyclable, separated of software
called objects. The objects themselves are stored in the object-oriented database.
Each object contains two elements:
• Piece of data, for example, sound, video, text, or graphics.
• Instructions or software programs called method, for manipulating with the data.
Object –oriented data models are designed to work with OOP languages such as Delphi,
Ruby, C++, Java and Python. The benefits to object-oriented databases are
compelling. The ability to mix and math reusable objects provides incredible
multimedia capability.
6) Object-Relational model:
❖ As the name indicates, this model is a hybrid database model, combining the
simplicity of the relational model with some of the advanced functionality of
the object-oriented database model.
❖ In essence, it allows designers to incorporate objects into the familiar table
structure.

64. STATUS OF ITEMS
• Status of items is a functional tab to instruct the system to
determine the status of an item in a document form.
• Item status determines which item transaction can be
performed in supply chain management applications.
• By changing an item’s status, one can control, for example,
whether items are included on sales orders, material stock
requests, purchase orders etc.
• The user can also control whether an item can be selected
and shipped, or used in production, or exhausted.
• The item status determines which item transactions are
permitted in the inventory, Manufacturing, Production
plans and Enterprise planning.
• The status of an item is usually identified by any of the
following category:

65. 1) Pre-delivery status- the status indicated for items that
have not yet delivered.
a) Draft - Item is a part of an order that has not been approved.
b) Inactive - Item is not yet being delivered. Items remain
inactive as long as they still need creative's and have not been
manually activated. If the network has been set to prevent
automatic item activation, all line items will remain inactive
until they have been manually activated.
c) Ready - Items marked as Ready have been activated, but have
not started delivering. It can take up to an hour after
activation for the status to change from Ready to Delivering.
d) Pending approval - Items require approval from account
administrator or concerned person for delivery.
e) Disapproved – Item has been disapproved by account
administrator or concerned person.
f) Expected to under-deliver- Item is predicted to
under-deliver. Insufficient inventory, or not enough available
impressions, is the primary reason for under-delivery of an
item.

66. 2) Status after delivery being initiated - the status indicated for
items that have been started delivering.
a) Delivering - Item is serving ad impressions.
b) Completed - Item’s end date has been reached and the item has
been stopped delivering.
c) Paused - Delivery has been paused. Resume item to continue ad
delivery. To be resumed, the item must have at least one creative
assigned.
d) Delivery extended - Item is past its end date and is delivering as
fast as possible to meet its goals within the specified extension
window. The forecasting system considers items with this status to
be complete, so that on cannot begin a forecast on them.
3) Status for non-delivering items - the status indicated for items
not delivered or have stopped delivering.
e) Inventory released - Item has been paused or canceled and its
inventory is now available for other items to book. In some
situations, this status may appear for items that had not been
previously reserved. However, in this case there is an indication that
the item is not reserving any inventory.
f) Archived - Item is not delivering and has been removed from active
lists.

67. LIFE CYCLES OF INDIVIDUAL ITEMS(COMPONENTS)
✔ The life cycle of a product with multi-component design is different
from the life cycle of individual components (items).
✔ Each item has its own lifecycle because not all items will be produced
in the same stage.
✔ For example, if a design related to a particular item moves into
production, another item might still be in prototype development stage
or still being in the revision stage.
✔ Since every component undergoes a series of revisions before it is
prototyped and produced, the data related to every such revision must
be uploaded and made available to every user involved in the product
development cycle.
✔ The revision therefore reflects the progress of the item as it undergoes
changes.
✔ For any revision of an item, it is also important to reflect the current
state of that revision – what stage of its life it has reached.
✔ This status is referred to as the Item Revision’s Lifecycle.

68. ✔ Each point in an Item Revision’s lifecycle is referred to
as a State, for example In Production, When an item’s
revision changes State it is referred to as a Transition,
which can only be to another State.
✔ Lifecycle definitions based on the advanced management
style support states that are being clustered into Stages.
✔ Stages allow labels to be created that identify where an
item’s revision is in its development.
✔ For example, it could be in Design, or in Prototype, or in
Production.
✔ With this lifecycle information, people that need to use an
item in a vault (data repository), say for example from a
designer contemplating reuse of a released design
building block, to the supply chain needing the data to
fabricate and assemble, are able to see, at-a-glance, what
stage a revision of an item has reached in its life and
therefore what it can be safely used for.

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