An Internet-based Collaborative Platform for Managing Manufacturing Knowledge (Know4Car)
Research Project, 2011
– 2015
Current digital manufacturing ICT platforms have provided a series of tools, including CAx, PDM and PLM systems, to support engineers in a series of collaborative activities, allowing them to communicate as well as to design and validate the manufacturing processes. However, they still have a long way to go for effectively addressing engineering knowledge management issues: - Todays ERP systems are often detached from the engineering knowledge they are associated with, while PLM systems provide no link to actual performance indicators, such as cost, time, and quality parameters - Current User Interfaces (UI) are often too complex and require much effort to follow and use effectively - Knowledge is often dispersed over many stakeholders and many IT systems - There is still a significant absence of robust tools for automatic knowledge capturing as well as for systematic reuse of knowledge, especially in the area of engineering The Know4Car project will attempt to address the following objectives: - The more efficient knowledge management and collaboration throughout the product lifecycle, supporting the capture, the systematic organization in the form of manufacturing templates of knowledge - To revolutionize the UI context in the engineering office and the shop floor, with particular emphasis on training activities: - Faster, easier, error-free UI for data entry / checking in the shop floor along with serious games options for instantaneous knowledge retrieval, training and/or design purposes Ultimately, Know4Car aims at delivering a state-of-the-art web-based ICT platform for managing manufacturing knowledge, comprising the following key characteristics: - Web-based Engineering Desktop for agent-based collaborative design (using cross-platform runtime environments, such as Adobe Air / Flash) throughout the value chain, using PPIs and manufacturing templates - Faster, easier, guided UI for blue collar workers and engineers.
Participants
Knut Åkesson (contact)
Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control
Amir Hossein Ebrahimi
Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control
Petter Falkman
Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control
Sathyamyla Kanthabhabhajeya
Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control
Collaborations
Automotive and Metalmechanic Innovation (IAM)
Santa Maria Imbaro, Italy
Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF)
Orbassano, Italy
EDAG Production Solutions
Fulda, Germany
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Karlsruhe, Germany
N. Bazigos
Mandra Attikis, Greece
PDTec
Karlsruhe, Germany
SAP
Walldorf, Germany
Tecnalia
Derio, Spain
Universityof Patras
Rio Patras, Greece
Volvo Group
Gothenburg, Sweden
Funding
European Commission (EC)
Project ID: EC/FP7/284602
Funding Chalmers participation during 2011–2015