Business Practices
Knowledge
Based Engineering
Knowledge Based Engineering, or KBE, can be described simply as the process of capturing the definition of a product’s (and its decomposed parts) Intent generically. Defining intent of a product consists of first defining a baseline (a product model) and then capturing its features in such a way that all forms of its (product’s) topological variation (from one shape to another) can be controlled easily through a set of commands or user-defined attributes. Generic “intent capture” means that there exists a distinct (one-to-one) association between a product’s features and its topology, and the inherent relationships among its features are captured through a set of parameters, equations, logics or rules.
When a designer requests a variation of a product topology, a set of controlling parameters are kicked in to control its variation from one valid form of topology to another. When a product is captured generically into a KBE model, other valid forms of product’s topology can be generated by simply re-using the same KBE model but assigning a different set of values for the chosen (independent) parameters.
In general, creating a KBE model is accomplished by defining parameters and rules of the design process, capturing its intent through product’s features, parameters and rules, and integrating all those into a knowledge template (aka KBE model) all resident in a native PLM system. This results into formation of a dynamic KBE model of the product. Designers could use the template of the KBE model to morph the initial product shape into different but valid topological forms (both from engineering and manufacturing standpoints) without a complete re-design of the product for successive design iterations. Rules associated with KBE model can also be used to eliminate error by ensuring compliance with established standards (like DFQ, DFM/A or DTC). They (rules) also help ensure that valid design outputs that meet the stated design specifications are generated from the KBE model.
Knowledge Based Engineering, or KBE, can be described simply as the process of capturing the definition of a product’s (and its decomposed parts) Intent generically. Defining intent of a product consists of first defining a baseline (a product model) and then capturing its features in such a way that all forms of its (product’s) topological variation (from one shape to another) can be controlled easily through a set of commands or user-defined attributes. Generic “intent capture” means that there exists a distinct (one-to-one) association between a product’s features and its topology, and the inherent relationships among its features are captured through a set of parameters, equations, logics or rules.
When a designer requests a variation of a product topology, a set of controlling parameters are kicked in to control its variation from one valid form of topology to another. When a product is captured generically into a KBE model, other valid forms of product’s topology can be generated by simply re-using the same KBE model but assigning a different set of values for the chosen (independent) parameters.
In general, creating a KBE model is accomplished by defining parameters and rules of the design process, capturing its intent through product’s features, parameters and rules, and integrating all those into a knowledge template (aka KBE model) all resident in a native PLM system. This results into formation of a dynamic KBE model of the product. Designers could use the template of the KBE model to morph the initial product shape into different but valid topological forms (both from engineering and manufacturing standpoints) without a complete re-design of the product for successive design iterations. Rules associated with KBE model can also be used to eliminate error by ensuring compliance with established standards (like DFQ, DFM/A or DTC). They (rules) also help ensure that valid design outputs that meet the stated design specifications are generated from the KBE model.
