Modular fiber optic cable product architecture for application in product lifecycle management

Abstract

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is an important management concept and method in manufacturing industries and product architecture management is the core of a PLM system, which can be applied from the modularizing of product architecture through each stage of the product life cycle. It can utilize product information to achieve the strategic goal of shortening the product development and delivery schedules. This study presents 3 stages, namely, process analysis, product building architecture rules and the application of product architecture to the PLM processes. In the process analysis stage, Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and IDEFO methods are adopted to verify required processes, process input and output; in the stage of product building architecture rules, a rule-based knowledge management system and a rule-based design method are adopted to modularize product structure and construct the product architecture; in the stage for the application of product architecture to the PLM processes, IDEF1X is adopted to establish attribute associations. Finally, a fiber optic cable product PLM system is constructed based on the above logic and demonstrated. The PLM system operations confirm that the proposed architecture can: (1 ) construct a feasible product lifecycle management system; (2) shorten the total time of constructing a product's architecture from order acceptance, product design, establish standard setting; and (3) increase the ratio of value-creating time in the process of constructing a product's architecture. The above functions can effectively improve the respond speed and competence of an enterprise upon customization requests. © 2011 Asian Network for Scientific Information.