Assisting designer using feature modeling for lifecycle

This paper presents a product dynamic model and design for X solution (DFX) developed in C++ with the OpenCASCADE geometric kernel, allowing the designer not only to get feedback on the viability of his design choices but also to collect data for process and task planning, maintenance and end-of-life strategy planning. The implemented method evaluates automatically both the efficiency factors and the incompatibilities between development characteristics in order to optimize the design of the product for multiple domains. The framework of this DFX solution, based on the product data structure, consists of imposing integration constraints concerning the development process during the entire design product process. In this paper, simple assemblies are used as brief examples to demonstrate the application of the proposed integrated design solution, its effectiveness to improve the design for X and collecting useful data for entire lifecycle duration. The method developed has been formalized with the NIAM model.