Manufacturing information interactions in data model driven design

This paper presents a novel view of a software environment that has the potential to provide manufacturing information support to product design in line with the aims of concurrent engineering. The arguments developed should have significant consequences for future computer aided engineering (CAE) systems development and support the continuing globalization in business development. The approach taken has at the centre of its philosophy the need to provide designers with high-quality information on which to base their decisions. The concept of an information supported product design environment is not new, but a range of issues related to information interactions has yet to be resolved. This paper explores the use of information models to support functional and manufacturing interactions in design as well as the issues that are raised in attempting to support multiple views in design for manufacture. The design of injection moulded products is used as the focus against which the ideas in the paper are explored.