Defining Objects for Virtual Engineering

The technology progression over the past decade has redefined the product engineering process. Some of the challenges facing the engineering community are the advent of ubiquitous computing, software integration, and data avalanche. Engineering objects are being defined and implemented to help engineers meet these challenges. As defined in this research, engineering objects have several inherent abilities that enable them to adapt to surroundings and distinguish themselves from other objects coexisting in the same environment. These objects manage information by grouping it based on its physical counterpart, enabling users to interact intuitively with information through a single engineering object interface, and making information gathering from disparate software packages unnecessary. This paper discusses software objects as a theoretical foundation for implementing engineering objects and providing engineers with a platform to create virtualized products more naturally and rapidly.