Study And Application On Configuration Management Of Product Family With Case-Based Reasoning For Mass Customization

Mass customization is an advanced production mode in 21St century that combines two opposite patterns, customization production and mass production, together. It keeps low production cost and fast delivery time, while meeting individual customers' needs. The difficulty of implementing MC increases because the number of product variants is huge. Product family configuration management is a form of product data organization and management; proper method of product family configuration management can manage the huge number of product variants, and decrease the difficulty of implementing MC. An approach to description of product family with Case-based reasoning (CBR) and its computer realization are studied mainly.Firstly, this paper analyzes the evolution trends of modern manufacturing system. Secondly, the background and need of configuration management of mass customization's evolvement are discussed in detail from the aspects of the change of enterprises'environments and the evolution of manufacturing production styles. And then the researching route and main focuses of this paper are put forward.According to the product design features of Mass Customization, the model of product family consisted of function model, principle model and structure model is given in this paper. The relations among these three models are constructed through mapping, in order to hear the voice of customers and support variant design of products. Then, this paper studies key technologies of product family modeling, and presents a modeling method of product requirements for Mass Customization. Moreover, a kind of transformable structure of product family for Mass Customization is put forward.The method of product family configuration and the process of product family configuration with CBR and rule are expounded. And, the models are applied to the description of a product family of gear box. Thereby, it makes good reuse of the mature product resource and experience knowledge, and reduces the repeat design work and engineer cost,and improves the efficiency and quality of product configuration.The business model and function structure of product family configuration management system, and its architecture are presented. Use modeling are made for the product family configuration management system with CBR using IDEF0.Based on system modeling, the prototype system is developed.The application research is based on the application project of PDM system in Chongqing Gear Box Company. The theory and method of product configuration based on case come true in the software, and be applied practically in the company.