An Approach to Extend the Digital Thread From Requirements to Model Geometry

Abstract As organizations embrace Industry 4.0 and its corresponding digital transformation, new technologies and practices are enabling more resilient, integrated, and sustainable approaches to product development. Researchers have explored the information flows and data relationships between requirements management (RQM) practices and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to improve New Product Development (NPD) processes. Similarly, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools can be used to assess the environmental impact of a product at the early stages of development. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to integrate RQM, CAD, and LCA in the NPD process in a manner that extends the “digital thread” of information from the definition of design requirements to the geometry of the digital product model. Specifically, we demonstrate the seeding of mechanical design models directly from design requirements as a starting point for parametrization, the linking of data items to facilitate subsequent design changes involving geometry, and the use of data connections between requirements and 3D models for continuous design verification. Our approach is supported by a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system and involves a workflow with several stages and various inputs from stakeholders. We validate our approach through the implementation of a case study involving a mechanical assembly and a commercial PLM system.