Process planning and supply chain integration: Implications for design process

Abstract

Collaborative production among multiple enterprises is inevitable for complex product development, typically in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. There are more complex links among product design, manufacturing process and production supply chain in that area. In order to achieve their interoperation and collaboration, it is critical to transmit information between processes correctly and in good time. An initial complete product definition in design is a key to contribute to this purpose. This chapter presents the impact of process planning and supply chain design integration on the design process from three perspectives: design modelling, design methodology and design environment. A service-based collaborative framework is constructed as novel design environment for design process. A unified product information model and model-based information representation are the basis of design. And the design methodologies of design for manufacturing, design for supply chain, and design validation by simulation are adopted. The effect of the three phases as well as the integration of product design, process planning and supply chain design is discussed to sustain lifecycle information integration and consistency throughout product development processes. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.