The object-oriented modeling for product data management (PDM)

Abstract

Current commercialised PDM tools have drawbacks in representing a variety of data types such as CAD data images, audio, long text etc., by relational data modeling. For this reason object-oriented approaches have been suggested as an alternative. Using the object-oriented paradigm, an object-oriented data model for the PDM system is proposed. The scope of the modeling is limited to management information for drawings, parts, and product structure. Rumbaugh's OMT (object modeling technique) has been adopted for the system design. In the modeling, classes of data vault and workspace are taken into account for the review or approval of drawings and parts data based on the concurrent engineering concept. For parts and corresponding product structure, classes of phantoms, options, substitutes, etc., are added to the model. In addition, state transition and data flow diagrams are suggested based on the analysis of work and data flows of drawings and parts