Model-based enterprise

Last updated

Model-based enterprise (MBE) is a term used in manufacturing, to describe a strategy where an annotated digital three-dimensional (3D) model of a product serves as the authoritative information source for all activities in that product's lifecycle. [1] [2]

A key advantage of MBE is that it replaces digital drawings. In MBE, a single 3D model contains all the information typically found on in an entire set of engineering drawings, including geometry, topology, dimensions, tolerances, materials, finishes, and weld call-outs. [3]

MBE was originally championed by the aerospace and defense industries, with the automotive industry following. [4] It has been adopted by many manufacturers around the world, in a wide range of industries. Significant benefits for manufacturers include reduced time to market and savings in production costs from improved tool design and fabrication, fewer overall assembly hours, less rework, streamlined development and better collaboration on engineering changes. [5]

There are two prerequisites to implementing MBE: The first is the creation of annotated 3D models, known as a Model-based definitions (MBD). This requires the use of a CAD system capable of creating precise solid models, with product and manufacturing information (PMI), a form of 3D annotation which may include dimensions, GD&T, notes, surface finish, and material specifications. (The mechanical CAD systems used in aerospace, defense, and automotive industries generally have these capabilities.) The second prerequisite is transforming MBDs into a form where they can be used in downstream lifecycle activities. As a rule, CAD models are stored in proprietary data formats, so they must be translated to a suitable MBD-compatible standard format, such as 3D PDF, [6] JT, STEP AP 242, or ANSI QIF [7]

The core MBE tenet is that models are used to drive all aspects of the product lifecycle and that data is created once and reused by all downstream data consumers. Data reusability requires computer interpretability, where an MBD can be processed directly by downstream applications, and associativity of PMI to specific model features within the MBD. [1]

History

Historically, engineering and manufacturing activities have relied on hardcopy and/or digital documents (including 2D drawings) to convey engineering data and drive manufacturing processes. These documents required interpretation by skilled practitioners, often leading to ambiguities and errors. [8] [9]

In the 1980s, improvements in 3D solid modeling made it possible for CAD systems to precisely represent the shape of most manufactured goods [10] —however, even enthusiastic adopters of solid modeling technology continued to rely upon 2D drawings (often CAD generated) as the authority (or master) product representation. 3D models, even if geometrically accurate, lacked a method to represent dimensions, tolerances, and other annotative information required to drive manufacturing processes.

In the early-to-middle 2000s, the ASME Y14.41-2003 Digital Product Data Definition Practices and ISO 16792:2006 Technical product documentation—Digital product definition data practices [11] standards were released, providing support for PMI annotations in 3D CAD models, and introducing the concept of MBD (or, alternatively, digital product definition) [12]

The model-based enterprise concept first appeared about 2005. Initially it was construed broadly, referring to the pervasive use of modeling and simulation technologies (of almost any type) throughout an enterprise. [13] In the late 2000s, An active community advocating development of MBE grew, based on the collaborative efforts of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Army Research Laboratory, Armament Research Development Engineering Center (ARDEC), Army ManTech, BAE Systems, NIST, and the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). [14] The "MBE Team" included industry participants such as General Dynamics, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Elysium, Adobe, EOS, ITI TranscenData, Vistagy, PTC, Dassault Systemes Delmia, Boeing, and BAE Systems. [15]

Over time, based on community feedback, MBE became more narrowly construed, referring to the use of MBD data to drive product lifecycle activities. [16] [1] In 2011, the MBE Team published these definitions:

By 2015, with improvements to ASME Y14.41 and ISO 16792, and the development of open CAD data exchange standards capable of adequately representing PMI, MBE started to become more widely adopted by manufacturers.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided design</span> Constructing a product by means of computer

Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve communications through documentation, and to create a database for manufacturing. Designs made through CAD software help protect products and inventions when used in patent applications. CAD output is often in the form of electronic files for print, machining, or other manufacturing operations. The terms computer-aided drafting (CAD) and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) are also used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CATIA</span> CAD/CAM/CAE commercial software suite

CATIA is a multi-platform software suite for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE), 3D modeling and product lifecycle management (PLM), developed by the French company Dassault Systèmes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineering drawing</span> Type of technical drawing used to define requirements for engineered items

An engineering drawing is a type of technical drawing that is used to convey information about an object. A common use is to specify the geometry necessary for the construction of a component and is called a detail drawing. Usually, a number of drawings are necessary to completely specify even a simple component. These drawings are linked together by a "master drawing." This "master drawing" is more commonly known as an assembly drawing. The assembly drawing gives the drawing numbers of the subsequent detailed components, quantities required, construction materials and possibly 3D images that can be used to locate individual items. Although mostly consisting of pictographic representations, abbreviations and symbols are used for brevity and additional textual explanations may also be provided to convey the necessary information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creo Parametric</span> CAD software

Creo Parametric, formerly known, together with Creo Elements/Pro, as Pro/Engineer and Wildfire, is a solid modeling or CAD, CAM, CAE, and associative 3D modeling application, running on Microsoft Windows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer-aided engineering</span> Use of software for engineering design and analysis

Computer-aided engineering (CAE) is the general usage of technology to aid in tasks related to engineering analysis. Any use of technology to solve or assist engineering issues falls under this umbrella.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing</span> System for defining and representing engineering tolerances

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is a system for defining and communicating engineering tolerances via a symbolic language on engineering drawings and computer-generated 3D models that describes a physical object's nominal geometry and the permissible variation thereof. GD&T is used to define the nominal geometry of parts and assemblies, the allowable variation in size, form, orientation, and location of individual features, and how features may vary in relation to one another such that a component is considered satisfactory for its intended use. Dimensional specifications define the nominal, as-modeled or as-intended geometry, while tolerance specifications define the allowable physical variation of individual features of a part or assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Product lifecycle</span> Duration of processing of products from inception, to engineering, design & manufacture

In industry, product lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its inception through the engineering, design and manufacture, as well as the service and disposal of manufactured products. PLM integrates people, data, processes, and business systems and provides a product information backbone for companies and their extended enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IGES</span> Initial Graphics Exchange Specification

The Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) is a vendor-neutral file format that allows the digital exchange of information among computer-aided design (CAD) systems. It is an ASCII-based textual format.

ISO 10303 is an ISO standard for the computer-interpretable representation and exchange of product manufacturing information. It is an ASCII-based format. Its official title is: Automation systems and integration — Product data representation and exchange. It is known informally as "STEP", which stands for "Standard for the Exchange of Product model data". ISO 10303 can represent 3D objects in Computer-aided design (CAD) and related information.

Product and manufacturing information, also abbreviated PMI, conveys non-geometric attributes in 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and Collaborative Product Development systems necessary for manufacturing product components and assemblies. PMI may include geometric dimensions and tolerances, 3D annotation (text) and dimensions, surface finish, and material specifications. PMI is used in conjunction with the 3D model within model-based definition to allow for the elimination of 2D drawings for data set utilization.

CAD standards are a set of guidelines for the appearance of computer-aided design (CAD) drawings should appear, to improve productivity and interchange of CAD documents between different offices and CAD programs, especially in architecture and engineering.

JT is an openly-published ISO-standardized 3D CAD data exchange format used for product visualization, collaboration, digital mockups, and other purposes. It was developed by Siemens.

CAD data exchange is a method of drawing data exchange used to translate between different computer-aided design (CAD) authoring systems or between CAD and other downstream CAx systems.

ASME Y14.41 is a standard published by American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) which establishes requirements and reference documents applicable to the preparation and revision of digital product definition data, which pertains to CAD software and those who use CAD software to create the product definition within the 3D model. ASME issued the first version of this industrial standard on Aug 15, 2003 as ASME Y14.41-2003. It was immediately adopted by several industrial organizations, as well as the Department of Defense (DOD). The latest revision of ASME Y14.41 was issued on Jan 23, 2019 as ASME Y14.41-2019.

Model-based definition (MBD), sometimes called digital product definition (DPD), is the practice of using 3D models within 3D CAD software to define individual components and product assemblies. The types of information included are geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), component level materials, assembly level bills of materials, engineering configurations, design intent, etc. By contrast, other methodologies have historically required accompanying use of 2D engineering drawings to provide such details.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid prototyping</span> Group of techniques to quickly construct physical objects

Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data. Construction of the part or assembly is usually done using 3D printing or "additive layer manufacturing" technology.

Digital Prototyping gives conceptual design, engineering, manufacturing, and sales and marketing departments the ability to virtually explore a complete product before it's built. Industrial designers, manufacturers, and engineers use Digital Prototyping to design, iterate, optimize, validate, and visualize their products digitally throughout the product development process. Innovative digital prototypes can be created via CAutoD through intelligent and near-optimal iterations, meeting multiple design objectives, identifying multiple figures of merit, and reducing development gearing and time-to-market. Marketers also use Digital Prototyping to create photorealistic renderings and animations of products prior to manufacturing. Companies often adopt Digital Prototyping with the goal of improving communication between product development stakeholders, getting products to market faster, and facilitating product innovation.

Plant lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing an industrial facility's data and information throughout its lifetime. Plant lifecycle management differs from product lifecycle management by its primary focus on the integration of logical, physical and technical plant data in a combined plant model.

NX, formerly known as "Unigraphics", is an advanced high-end CAD/CAM/CAE, which has been owned since 2007 by Siemens Digital Industries Software. In 2000, Unigraphics purchased SDRC I-DEAS and began an effort to integrate aspects of both software packages into a single product which became Unigraphics NX or NX.

Siemens Digital Industries Software is an American computer software company specializing in 3D & 2D Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software. The company is a business unit of Siemens, operates under the legal name of Siemens Industry Software Inc, and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Model Based Enterprise / Technical Data Package Summit Report". NIST Technical Note 1753. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  2. ↑ Gupta, Isha. "3D Product & Manufacturing Information Implications for Design for Manufacturing". Product Design and Development. Advantage Business Media. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  3. ↑ Jackson, Chad. "The Model Based Enterprise (MBE) Study". Lifecycle Insights. Lifecycle Insights. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  4. ↑ Gray, Scott. "Model Based Enterprise". aiag. Automotive Industry Action Group. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  5. ↑ Rouse, Margaret. "Model-based enterprise". TechTarget. TechTarget. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  6. ↑ 3D PDF Consortium
  7. ↑ "Quality Information Framework"
  8. ↑ John Willats. "Ambiguity in drawing" (PDF). TRACEY the online journal of contemporary drawing research. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  9. ↑ Tandler, Bill. "GD&T Workshop: A Top Down View". Quality Magazine. BNP Media. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  10. ↑ Weisberg, David. "The Engineering Design Revolution" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "Technical product documentation -- Digital product definition data practices". ISO TC 10 Technical product documentation. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  12. ↑ "Quality Assurance Standard For Digital Product Definition At Boeing Suppliers" (PDF). Boeing D6-51991. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  13. ↑ Neal, Richard, "Next Generation Manufacturing Technology Initiative and the Model-Based Enterprise", NDIA Systems Engineering Conference, San Diego, California October 26, 2005. Retrieved on 27 June 2017.
  14. ↑ Leonarf, Scott. "Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise Strategic Baseline" (PDF). DoD ManTech. US Department of Defense. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  15. 1 2 Whittenburg, Mitzi. "Model Based Enterprise and its Impact on Small Businesses" (PDF). osd.mil. Office of the Secretary of Defense. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  16. ↑ Frechette, S. "Model Based Enterprise for Manufacturing". NIST. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.