Knowledge-Enriched Product Data Management to Support Aggregate Process Planning

This paper is proposed a novel method to disperse manufacturing knowledge through the application of a Product Data Management (PDM) system. The intention of this new development is to support aggregate process planning during the early product development phases. The objective of the methodology is that manufacturing knowledge can be captured and reused within a distributed and collaborative environment. In addition, this paper also emphasises the way in which manufacturing knowledge can be encapsulated in a domain- specific ontology called ‘manufacturing know-how’. Its semantics can be translated through the application of web-based technologies so that it would enrich the value of manufacturing knowledge being managed and promote the sharing of that knowledge within a distributed and collaborative environment.