Modelling and Visualizing Knowledge on the Reference System and Variations Based on the Model of Pge – Product Generation Engineering for Decision Support

Abstract

In 2019, Dyson had to cancel its ambitious electric car project after having already 500 Million pounds spent. This example shows how difficult it is to assess the consequences of decisions on development targets as cost, risk, and innovation potential. Knowledge about references, variation types and their impact on development targets can help to increase the maturity of the decision basis. The model of PGE - product generation engineering describes these interrelations using the reference system. This contribution deals with the question of how knowledge about the impact of variation types and characteristics of reference system elements on new product generations can be made usable through modelling and visualization. Therefore, characteristics of reference system elements and their impacts on common development targets are collected through literature research. To process this knowledge base in technical information systems, an Entity-Relationship data model is developed. Through the implementation of a VR visualization, the data model is validated and a first visualisation approach is shown. The findings of this work can be used to systematise research on impact factors in PGE and to develop further digital methods.

Using product profiles for retrospective case studies in SGE – system generation engineering

“…Variations can be modelled as relationships and the type of variation (CV, AV, PV) as attribute of the variation relation. (Pfaff et al, 2021) 2.4. Retrospective case study research for theory building Yin (2018) defines a case study as "[..] an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not evident."…”

Implications of Creating Solution Concepts Based on the Use of References

“…A higher proportion of PV and EV share as well as the use of external RSE result in increased development risk and the tendency of higher costs due to additional validation and design activities. (Albers et al, 2017;Pfaff et al, 2021)…”

“…References and variations have to be considered for the development of technical systems on different levels of abstraction and different system layers. References themselves are available at different levels of abstraction and maturity levels (Pfaff et al, 2021). Variations can be understood as patterns of activities of product engineering and appear in different stages of the development process (Albers et al, 2019b).…”

System Modelling in the Problem-Solving Process - A Human Oriented Approach to the Use of MBSE in Problem-Solving Processes

“…And the Principle Variation (PV) were an alternative solution principle is used for the function of the reference system element. (Albers et al, 2019;Pfaff, Rapp, & Albers, 2021b) Accordingly, PGE helps with successful and rapid product development.…”