A modelling tool for the management of product data in a co-design environment

This paper illustrates a product-modelling tool named Product Manager, aimed at supporting networks of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) collaborating in the design of a unique final product. SMEs are usually characterised by well-established knowledge on specific components but, usually, do not have internally all the capacities to develop the complete product and to lead the whole project, so for their nature they adopt co-design principles while maintaining a full autonomy. The presented Product Manager includes all and only those concepts pertaining to the description of the product whose design is in charge of the node and its lower level co-designers. Thus, the emphasis is given to the product specification, possibly by project reuse, and to the negotiation activity usually carried out to identify the right project partner and the final product configuration. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.