Chapter 10: Supply Networks

Title: Enhancement of the adaptable product development by computerized comparison of requirement lists

Author(s): Jörg Feldhusen, Eliseo Milonia, Arun Nagarajah, Sebastian Schubert

Address: Chair and Institute for Engineering Design, RWTH Aachen University, Steinbachstrasse 54B, 52074 Aachen, Germany | info-key GmbH & Co. KG, Wuppertal Lise-Meitner-Strasse 1-9, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany | Chair and Institute for Engineering Design, RWTH Aachen University, Steinbachstrasse 54B, 52074 Aachen, Germany | Chair and Institute for Engineering Design, RWTH Aachen University, Steinbachstrasse 54B, 52074 Aachen, Germany

Reference: International Conference on Product Lifecycle Management 2009 pp. 485 - 493

Abstract/Summary: This paper describes an approach to optimize the design process of adaptable products. Therefore self organizing map (SOM) is applied to support the developer. SOM is able to assess the similarity of requirement lists. Assuming that similar requirement lists lead to similar products, the SOM is able to identify the existing product, which has to be changed least to fulfill a new order. For applying SOM, the requirement lists have to be prepared in multiple steps. The requirements have to be structured, transferred into unambiguous language and they have to be quantified. In this paper a focus is put on the quantification of the requirements.

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