Implementing Support for Management of Mechatronic Product Data in PLM Systems: Two Case Studies

Paper in proceeding, 2006

In this study, product information models of two different companies both developing advanced mechatronic products are described, compared, and implemented in demonstrators. This has been done in order to investigate to what extent currently available PLM systems can manage this integration. The study shows that requirements for mechatronic product data are rather similar in the two companies. Differences involve the amount of product data generated in a development project, but there are also other differences related to development traditions. The contribution of the study is an evaluation of how integrated information models for mechatronic development can be managed in PLM systems. It is concluded that this can be done, however this requires a modified approach to software engineering.