Product range models supporting design knowledge reuse

Redesign, where previous information is recovered in order to be adapted to a new situation, is an area of design where information technology can potentially provide substantial benefits. Information support to product design and manufacturing has been pursued through the use of product and manufacturing models. This paper introduces a new concept of a complementary information model, called a product range model, that aims to support variant and adaptive design activities. The general concept and structure of such an information model is defined in terms of product functions and their respective design solutions. The interactions taking place between particular design solution options are discussed, and methods are proposed for their evaluation against product specifications and design constraints. The concept of knowledge links is introduced to maintain the relationships between solutions within the product range model and the particular model of the product being developed. The work has been explored using injection mould tooling as an appropriate product range and evaluated through the design and implementation of a design support system utilizing an object-oriented database.