Information Modelling for Configurable Components

1
Information Modelling for Configurable
Components

• ECT2008 AthensKaj A. Jørgensen
• kaj_at_production.aau.dk
• Aalborg University, Department of Production

2
Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Case Company Engineer-To-Order Products
• Standardised Customisation Product
  Configuration
• Customisation Levels from structural level to
  performance level
• Information Modelling
• Generic Model Component
• Abstraction Mechanisms Composition and
  Classification
• Development of Model Components
• Simple Example
• Identification of Multiple Abstraction Levels
• Abstraction by Classification Specialisation
  Examples
• Conclusion

3
Case Company Aalborg Industries, Denmark

• Key figures for 2004
• Turnover 195 mil.
• Result 20 mil.
• Number of employees 1568
• Products
• Heat and steam generating solutions primarily for
  the marine industry
• Steam boilers, Thermal fluid systems, heat
  exchangers, burners, inert gas systems.
• Product configuration started

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Case Company Aalborg Industries, Denmark

• ETO products
• High demand for customisation
• Great complexity
• Global Operations - different capabilities
• Several manufacturing sites world wide
• Different opportunities for sourcing
• Complex costs structure (transportation, etc.)
• Long horizon for order processing
• Several months, even years
• A number of factors are initially unknown
• A flexible configuration system is under
  development

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Product Configuration andManufacturing Value
Chain

• Supply Chain Management
• Standardisation of components
• Development in cooperation with sub-suppliers
• Identification alternative components
• different geographical locations transportation
  cost
• different performance
• different quality
• different prices
• Postponement Issues
• Producer must preserve the ability to select
  specific components
• Customer requirements relate to function,
  performance, quality, etc.

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Example 1 from Aalborg Industries Alternative
Feed Water Pumps
) Has frequency converter drive, i.e.
significantly lower power consumption)
Approved for running in explosion risk zones
7
Example 2 from Aalborg Industries Alternative
Safety Valves
) Delivery location Finland
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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Case Company Engineer-To-Order Products
• Standardised Customisation Product
  Configuration
• Customisation Levels from structural level to
  performance level
• Information Modelling
• Generic Model Component
• Abstraction Mechanisms Composition and
  Classification
• Development of Model Components
• Simple Example
• Identification of Multiple Abstraction Levels
• Abstraction by Classification Specialisation
  Examples
• Conclusion

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Customisation

• The Customer may have any colour car he wishes,
  as long as it is black
• Henry Ford about the Model T, 1908

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Product Family Model attributes versus modules
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Customisation Levels Customers and Products
12
Product Family Models

13
Component Modelling and Configuration

• The configurable component model
• has a set of open specifications
• Configuration is to make decision about the open
  specifications
• Pure structural model selection of modules which
  fit together
• Many other more complicated issues can also be
  considered
• Configurator
• software application
• configuration product family model ? product
  model
• the product model is the basis for manufacturing
• Model Development
• Simple and easy understandable modelling methods
  should be available
• Component models are basis for subsequent
  software development

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Case Company Engineer-To-Order Products
• Standardised Customisation Product
  Configuration
• Customisation Levels from structural level to
  performance level
• Information Modelling
• Generic Model Component
• Abstraction Mechanisms Composition and
  Classification
• Development of Model Components
• Simple Example
• Identification of Multiple Abstraction Levels
• Abstraction by Classification Specialisation
  Examples
• Conclusion

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Information Modelling Generic Model Component

• Model component
• Living organism - communicating
• Content
• attributes
• factual (state)
• operational (behaviour)
• structures of sub-components
• references
• collections
• Encapsulation - attributes can be
• visible for other systems
• hidden from other system

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Instantiation from Model Component Types

• Component types
• Primary content of information models
• Identification - definition - specification
• Attributes - name, data type, constraints
• Relationship types
• reference types
• collection types
• can be defined by special attributes
• Components
• Generated from types
• Indefinite number of instances

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Abstraction Mechanisms Composition and
Classification

• Component structure
• Computer
• Body
• CpuBoard
• Processor x 2
• MemoryUnit x 3
• GraphicBoard
• IoBoard
• TvTunerBoard
• MassStorage
• HardDisc
• CdDrive
• DvdDrive
• DiscCable x 2
• UsbExtension
• PowerSupply
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Monitor

• Taxonomy
• Computer components
• Mass storage components
• Hard discs
• Dvd drives
• Print boards
• Cpu boards
• Graphic boards
• Io boards
• Integrated circuits
• Processors
• Memory Units
• Extensions
• Cables
• Power cables
• Disc cables
• Other
• Bodies
• Power supplies

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Modelling Classification is the Basis for
Structure

• Taxonomy
• Computer components
• Mass storage components
• Hard discs
• Dvd drives
• Print boards
• Cpu boards
• Graphic boards
• Sound boards
• Integrated circuits
• Processors
• Memory Units
• Extensions
• Cables
• Power cables
• Disc cables
• Other
• Bodies
• Power supplies

• Component structure
• Computer
• Body
• CpuBoard
• Processor x 2
• MemoryUnit x 3
• GraphicBoard
• IoBoard
• TvTunerBoard
• MassStorage
• HardDisc
• CdDrive
• DvdDrive
• DiscCable x 2
• UsbExtension
• PowerSupply
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Monitor

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Case Company Engineer-To-Order Products
• Standardised Customisation Product
  Configuration
• Customisation Levels from structural level to
  performance level
• Information Modelling
• Generic Model Component
• Abstraction Mechanisms Composition and
  Classification
• Development of Model Components
• Simple Example
• Identification of Multiple Abstraction Levels
• Abstraction by Classification Specialisation
  Examples
• Conclusion

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Development of Model Component Types

• Component types
• Attributes - name, data type
• Data attributes constraints
• Methods
• Simple functions
• Inverse relationships
• Relationship types
• Reference types
• Collection types
• Structure types
• Constraints
• Can be defined by special attributes
• Classification
• Identification of sub-types
• Components
• Can be generated from types

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Representation of Component Models

• Component type model of a set of interchangeable
  components
• Syntax type name ...
• Component types has attributes with
• Data types numeric, boolean, string, etc.
• Example
• type HardDisk
• Name String(50)
• StorageCapacity Integer
• AccessTime Float
• Price Currency

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Representation of Component Models

• For the available components, the attribute
  values can be listed in a table
• a column for each attribute
• a row for each component

• Alternatively, the data can be read from a
  database or data warehouse

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Representation of Component Models

• Some attributes can be specified by
• a domain the set of possible attribute values
• and optionally default values
• Examples
• type HardDisk
• ...
• PreSet Master, Slave default Master
• OperatingSystem Non, WinXP, Win2000, WinMe
• Default WinXP

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Representation of Component Models

• Some attributes can be specified as
• a function of other attributes
• Examples
• type Computer
• OperatingSystem Boolean Default true
• Colour ComputerCase.Colour
• HardDisks HardDisk
• DiskMemory Sum(HardDisk.StorageCapacity)
• Price PriceCalc Double
• ... Special algorithm ...

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Representation of Component Models

• Attributes can represent relationships to other
  components
• The symbol -gt represents a reference (one-to-one
  relationships)
• Examples
• type Processor
• Name string
• ...
• ContainingBoard -gt Cpu

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Representation of Component Models

• Attributes can represent relationships to other
  components
• The symbol -gtgt represents one-to-many
  relationships
• Examples
• type Cpu
• Name string
• ...
• RelatedGraphicBoards -gtgt GraphicBoard
• RelatedIoBoards -gtgt IoBoard

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Representation of Component Models

• Component types can contain relations
• One kind of relation describe the product
  structure
• Syntax
• Contents multiplicity component type...
• Example 1
• type Cpu
• ...
• Contents 1..1 CpuBoard 1.. Processor
• 1.. MemoryUnit ...
• ...

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Representation of Component Models

• Example 2
• type ComputerCase
• ...
• Contents 1..1 PowerSupply
• 0.. PowerCable
• ...

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Representation of Component Models

• Relations with arithmetic and logical expressions
• Ordinary arithmetic operators - /
• Relational operators , gt, lt, gt, lt and ltgt
• Logical operators and, or not, ?, ?
• Example 1
• type Cpu
• Constraints
• GraphicBoard IoBoard TvTunerBoard
• lt NbOfBusSlots
• Processor lt ProcessorSlots

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Representation of Component Models

• Example 2
• type Computer
• ...
• Constraints
• Monitor lt 2
• HardDisk CdDrive DvdDrive lt DiskCable 2
• OperatingSystem ?
• HardDisk.OperatingSystem ltgt Non
• CdDrive ? not DvdDrive

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Representation of Component Models

• Component types can be interrelated in taxonomies
  
• Syntax of relationship between sub-types and
  super-types
• type name1 subtypeof name2
• Examples
• type ComputerComponent ...
• type MassStorageComponent subtypeof
  ComputerComponent ...
• type HardDisk subtypeof MassStorageComponent
  ...
• type Cpu subtypeof ComputerComponent ...
• type IntegratedCircuit subtypeof
  ComputerComponent ...
• type Processor subtypeof IntegratedCircuit
  ...
• type Other subtypeof ComputerComponent ...
• type Computer subtypeof Other ...

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Case Company Engineer-To-Order Products
• Standardised Customisation Product
  Configuration
• Customisation Levels from structural level to
  performance level
• Information Modelling
• Generic Model Component
• Abstraction Mechanisms Composition and
  Classification
• Development of Model Components
• Simple Example
• Identification of Multiple Abstraction Levels
• Abstraction by Classification Specialisation
  Examples
• Conclusion

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Abstraction by Classification

• Example
• Taxonomy
• Computer components
• .
• Print boards
• .
• Sound boards
• Surround
• 4.1 channels
• 5.1 channels
• 6.1 channels
• Stereo
• Ordinary
• Four point
• 3D
• .
• ....

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Case Company Example 1 - Specialisation

• type OilfiredBoiler
• BurnerType KB,KBO,KBE,KBSA,KBSD
• Capacity 1.6 .. 15.5
• type MissionOS subtypeof OilfiredBoiler
• BurnerType KB,KBO default KB
• Capacity 1.6 .. 6.5
• ...
• type MissionOL subtypeof OilfiredBoiler ...

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Case Company Example 2 - Specialisation

• type FeedWaterPumpUnit
• RegulationType OnOff,Modulating
• type FeedWaterPumpUnitOnOff subtypeof
  FeedWaterPumpUnit
• RegulationType OnOff
• type FeedWaterPumpUnitModulating
• subtypeof FeedWaterPumpUnit
• RegulationType Modulating

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Case Example 3 Specialisation of structure

• type FeedWaterPumpUnit
• ...
• Contents 2..3Pump
• type FeedWaterPumpUnitOnOff
• subtypeof FeedWaterPumpUnit
• type FeedWaterPumpUnitModulating
• subtypeof FeedWaterPumpUnit
• ...
• Contents 2..3InstrumentValve,
• 2..3PressureSwitch

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Case Company Example 3
Component types
Sample component
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Conclusion

• Long specification time of engineer-to-order
  products
• Need for customisation, standardisation and
  configuration
• Component Model
• One single model for a set of components
• Open specifications for configuration
• Result of configuration is an individual
  component
• Focus must be shifted to attributes instead of
  modules
• Identification of final properties/attributes
• Development of relations to internal attributes
  and structure
• Some decisions must be postponed

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Conclusion

• Information Modelling Foundation for
  Computer-Based Models
• Use of generic information model component type
• Use of abstraction mechanisms composition and
  classification
• Identification of component types (modules)
• Identification of attributes
• Relationships between attributes, components and
  structure
• Modelling of components on multiple abstraction
  levels
• Abstraction by classification
• Initial specifications on higher a level
• Further specifications and specialisations can be
  postponed

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Thank you for listening Discussion

• Kaj A. Jørgensen
• kaj_at_production.aau.dk
• Aalborg University, Department of Production