Requirements management: a representation scheme for product specifications

Product definition processes take a product specification (defining the req uirements that the product must satisfy) and transform it into a product de finition (defining, at least, the shape and material of the required produc t so that it can be manufactured). Recent advances in computer aided design technology have allowed product definitions to be captured electronically. Currently the resulting electronic product definitions are centred around representations of physical product structures and shape-related properties . The industrial need is now moving towards a desire to manage requirements in a plausible architecture. From this basis the product's functional requ irements can be identified and converted into physical elements which can b e related to design intent/rationale; this requires the linking of elements of physical product structure and shape with elements of an electronic pro duct specification. The research reported in this paper is focussed on the realisation of an electronic product specification. Such a specification mu st be defined in a way that allows relationships to electronic product defi nitions to be established. A product data model that supports the descripti on of mechanical product specifications is presented and its functionality is demonstrated through a case study. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.