Abstract
A web-based, a platform-independent software framework is developed to integrate distributed, heterogeneous software resources into an open product design/manufacturing system. We identify failings in previous systems, P2 and PRE-RMI, and propose systematic methods for the design of a software framework and implementation of a communication mechanism within that framework. An activity architecture of the product realization process is constructed based on the necessary interaction among engineers. This activity architecture is mapped onto a coordination architecture specifying the framework of the distributed software tools and resources. Thus the software framework is constructed based on the requirements of collaboration and communication between engineers. In addition, instead of exchanging information between engineers, the information flows are refined into message flows and data flows. Short commands and specific results are broadcast within product development groups in the form of messages, and large files are transferred directly as data flows. A prototype platform independent software framework, Web-based Distributed Product Realization Environment (WEB-DPR), is presented and its use in designing and manufacturing a high-speed robot arm is described.
