Product structure management (PSM) is a process that affects many of the activity domains1. (AD) in a company. Different ADs have different requirements for the decomposition of a product structure and the function of the information systems (IS) used. Departments therefore often work in differing ISs. If several ISs contain some of the same information, it is important that it be updated in all systems when it is changed. Since PSM is a change intensive activity, it is difficult to perform it in an environment consisting of several heterogeneous ISs. There is a need for strategies of PSM that take into account all relevant aspects of an IS, such as the process it supports, the type of information handled, the systems used and the organization. Based on a case study at an automotive manufacturing firm, this paper discusses the diverse product structure requirements of various ADs. Proposed strategies for PSM can be used as a general guide and for categorization when analyzing ISs before introducing new systems or restructuring existing systems.

Issue Section:
Application Briefs
Keywords:
project management, information systems, manufacturing data processing
Topics:
Design, Manufacturing, Workflow, Pulse width modulation
1.
CIMdata, 2001, CIMdata Home Page, www.cimdata.com.
2.
Davenport, T. H., 1993, Process Innovation—Reengineering Work through Information Technology, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA, USA, 1993.
3.
Pikosz, P., Malmqvist, J., 1998, “A Comparative Study of Engineering Change Management in Three Swedish Engineering Companies,” Proceedings of DETC’98, Paper No DET98/EIM-5684, Atlanta, GA.
4.
CIMdata, 1998, “Product Data Management: The Definition,” CIMdata Inc., Ann Arbor, MI.
5.
Watts, F. B., 1993, “Engineering Documentation Control Handbook,” Noyes Publications, Westwood, NJ.
6.
Buckley, F. J., 1996, Implementing Configuration Management—Hardware, Software and Firmware, Second Edition, IEEE Press, New Jersey.
7.
Hegge, H. M. H., 1995, “Intelligent Product Family Descriptions for Business Applications,” Ph.D. thesis, Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands.
8.
Erens, F. J., 1996, “The Synthesis of Variety,” Ph.D. thesis, Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands.
9.
Jansson, L., 1993, “Verksamhetsorienterade Produktstrukturer (Business Oriented Product Structures),” Ph. D. thesis, Department of Production Control, Chalmers University of Technology, Go¨teborg, Sweden.
10.
Fuxin, F., et al., 2000, “Produktmodellering i amerikansk verkstadsindustri,” Division of Computer Aided Design, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lulea˚ University of Technology, Lulea˚, Sweden.
11.
Gausemeier, J., Lewandowski, S., Kespohl, H. D., Pusch, R., Seifert, L., 1999, “Gateway for Integration of Global Engineering Networking (GEN) and Product Data Management (PDM),” Proceedings of ICED’99, Munich, Germany.
12.
Wright
,
I. C.
,
1997
, “
A Review of Research in the Engineering Change Management: Implications for Product Design
,”
Des. Stud.
,
18
(
1
),
33
–
42
.
13.
Svensson, D., Malmstro¨m, J., Pikosz, P., Malmqvist, J., 1999, “A Framework for Modelling and Analysis of Engineering Information Management Systems,” Proceedings of DETC’99, Paper No DET99/CIE-9006, Las Vegas, NA.
14.
Johansson, O., 1996, “Development Environments for Complex Product Models,” Ph. D. thesis, Department of Computer and Information Science, Linko¨ping University, Linko¨ping, Sweden.
15.
Horkeby, S., Areblad, M., 1998, “Implementing Product Data Management.” Proceedings of Produktmodeller-98, Linko¨ping University, Linko¨ping, Sweden.
16.
Brathaug, T., 1998, “Product Structures and Connection to ERP,” Proceedings of Cimdata PDM Europe’98, Barcelona, Spain.
17.
Volvo Aero Corporation, 2000, “PDM Status and Visions at Volvo Aero Corporation,” Internal report 1700-1483, Volvo Aero Corporation, Trollha¨ttan, Sweden.
18.
Schiesser, M., 1998, “Managing Product Data with ERP Environments,” Proceedings of Cimdata PDM Europe’98, Barcelona, Spain.
19.
Brown, D. H. 1996, “Mastering Process Complexity in Enterprise PIM,” D. H. Brown Associates, Inc., Port Chester, New York, USA.
20.
WfMc, 2001, The Workflow Management Coalition, www.wfmc.org.
Copyright © 2002
 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.