Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The integration of lightweight representation and annotation for collaborative design representation

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Research in Engineering Design Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Today companies face the unprecedented challenges of a global market, collaborative environments and the concept of management of the entire product life cycle. In supporting this, the challenge is not only how to utilize information management policies, but also how to develop product representation methods to meet the new demands including platform/application independence, support for the product lifecycle, assisting generation of viewpoint-specific representations, rapid sharing of information between geographically distributed applications and users, and protection of commercial security (intellectual property). This paper proposes a product representation approach using the strengths of lightweight representation and annotation and markup practices to allow the association of product data from throughout the lifecycle with the geometric form of the product. The approach, called Lightweight Model with Multi-layer Annotation (LIMMA), integrates the concept of lightweight representation with annotation of boundary-representations (b-rep) of a product and the use of a formalised markup language (XML). Examples of annotation layers and development of models through-life are given, based on the LIMMA approach.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. We note in this regard that it is also useful to be able to attach annotation to a view of a model, as in conventional red-lining.

References

  • ASME Y14.41 (2003) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASME_Y14.41–2003

  • Berners-Lee T, Hendler J, Lassila O (2001) The Semantic Web. Sci Am May: 34–43

  • Bray T, Paoli J, Sperberg-McQueen CM, Maler E, Yergeau F (2006) Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 W3C Recommendation, 4th edn, http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml/

  • Business Wire (2005) Dassault Systemes Delivers 3D XML Specifications and Player—Universal Lightweight Format Enables 3D Democratization, June, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_June_15/ai_n13814506

  • Chou C, Tseng D (2006) A public Fragile watermarking scheme for 3D model authentication. Com Aided Des 28:1154–1165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cimmetry Systems Corp. (2007) Autovue 19.2, http://www.cimmetry.com/_products/autovue_software_suite.html

  • Coombs JH, Renear AH, DeRose SJ (1987) Markup Systems and the future of scholarly text processing. Commun Assoc Comput Mach 30(11):933–947

    Google Scholar 

  • Dassault Systemes, 3D XML User’s guide (2006) version 2, edn 0, January 2006

  • Davies D, McMahon CA (2006) Multiple viewpoint design modelling through semantic markup. In: Proceedings of IDETC/CIE 2006, ASME 2006 international design engineering technical conferences and computers and information in engineering conference, Philadelphia, PA, USA

  • Dexigner (2007) Acrobat 3D Software to Accelerate Design Collaboration Processes at Renault, 21 March, 2007, http://www.dexigner.com/digital/news-g10553.html

  • Ding L (2003) Feature technology and its applications in computer integrated manufacturing, University of Luton, Ph.D. thesis

  • Ding L, Li WD, McMahon CA, Patel M (2006) Light-weight representations for product lifecycle management. In: Virtual Concept 2006, Mexico, 26 November–1 December, 2006

  • Ding L, Yue Y (2004) Novel ANN-based Feature Recognition incorporating Design by Features. Comput Ind 55:197–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson IA, Corney JR (1993) Rule-based feature recognition for 2.5D machined components. Int J Comput Integr Manuf 6(1–2):51–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ecma International (2006) Universal 3D File Format, 3rd edn, June, 2006, ECMA 363

  • Goldfarb C (1990) The SGML handbook, edited and with foreword by Rubinsky Y. Clarendon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton (2006) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edn. The Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston

  • Howe D (1993) The free on-line dictionary of computing, supported by Imperial College Department of Computing, http://foldoc.org/index.cgi?query=markup

  • ISO (1994) International Standard ISO 10303-203, Industrial automation systems and integration: product data representation and exchange: application protocol: part 203—Configuration controlled 3D designs of mechanical parts and assemblies, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Geneva, Switzerland

  • ISO (2001) International Standard ISO 10303-214, Industrial automation systems and integration: product data representation and exchange: application protocol: part 214—Core data for automotive mechanical design processes, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Geneva, Switzerland

  • ISO (2005) ISO 10303-239:2005, Industrial automation systems and integration—product data representation and exchange—part 239: application protocol: product life cycle support

  • Joshi SB, Chang TC (1988) Graph-based Heuristics for recognition of machined features from a 3D solid model. Comput Aid Des 20(2):58–66

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YS (1992) Recognition of form features using convex decomposition. Comput Aid Des 24(9):461–476

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Konczal RA (2003) CAD Translation and Repair: What you have or need? CATI-Computer Aided Technology’ Technical Newsletter, 4(6), June, 2003, http://www.cati.com/articles/article4_6a.htm

  • Kunze J (2005) Future-proofing the web: what we can do today, international conference on preservation of digital objects, 16 September 2005, Göttingen, Germany

  • Lam SM, Wong TN (2000) Recognition of machining features: a hybrid approach. Int J Prod Res 38(17):4301–4316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li WD, Qiu ZM (2006) State-of-the-art technologies and methodologies for collaborative product development systems. Int J Prod Res 44(13):2525–2559

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews J, Singh B, Mullineux G, Medland AJ (2006) A constraint-based approach to investigate the ‘process flexibility’ of food processing equipment. J Comput Indus Eng 51(4): 809–820

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray-Rust P, Rzepa S (2004) The next big thing: from hypermedia to datuments. J Digit Infor 5(1)

  • Ceeney N (2007)s Warning of data ticking time bomb, BBC News, 3 July 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6265976.stm

  • Pratt MJ, Srinivasan V (2005) Towards a neutral specification of geometric features. Int J Comput Appl Technol 23:203–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PLM Components, UGS (2005) Open product lifecycle data sharing using XML, Write paper: PLM XML, www.ugs.com, October, 2005

  • Shah JJ, Mäntylä M (1995) Parametric and feature-based CAD/CAM, Wiley, New York

  • The Xj3D Project, http://www.xj3d.org/

  • Thompson HS, McKelvie D (1997) Hyperlink Semantics for Standoff Markup of Read-only Documents, Language Technology Group, Human Communication Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, SGML Europe 1997, Bareclona

  • TEI (2003) Stand-off Markup, The Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) Consortium, http://www.tei-c.org/Activities/SO/sow06.xml?style=printable

  • UGS, JT2Go (2007) A new level of customer–supplier collaboration, http://www.jt2go.com/

  • UGS: Newsroom (2005) Siemens Joins JT Open Program, Adding its Global Manufacturing Leadership to Growing Momentum of Standard JT 3D Data Format, February 14, 2005, http://www.ugs.com/about_us/press/press.shtml?id=3936

  • Versprille K (2005) Dassault Systèmes’ Strategic Initiative: 3D XML for Sharing Product Information, July, 2005, Technology Trends in PLM

  • Virtools (2007) 3D XML VirtoolsTM Plugin, http://www.virtools.com/solutions/products/virtools_3dxml_plugin.asp

  • Web3D Consortium (2007), www.web3d.org

  • W3C (2007) The World Wide Web Consortium, http://www.w3c.org

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work reported in this paper has been supported by a number of grants for Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), involving a large number of industrial collaborators. In particular, current research is being undertaken as part of the EPSRC Innovative Design & Manufacturing Research Centre at the University of Bath (reference GR/R67507/01). The authors gratefully express their thanks for the advice and support of all concerned.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Innovative Design and Manufacturing Research Centre, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    Lian Ding, Dannie Davies & Christopher A. McMahon

Authors
  1. Lian Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dannie Davies
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christopher A. McMahon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lian Ding.

Additional information

The article was already printed in vol. 19, pp. 223–238 with the DOI 10.1007/s00163-008-0052-3.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ding, L., Davies, D. & McMahon, C.A. The integration of lightweight representation and annotation for collaborative design representation. Res Eng Design 20, 185–200 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00163-009-0077-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00163-009-0077-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation