Agent facilitated integration of distributed PDM systems. (7th September 2004)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yinsheng; Shen, Weiming; Ghenniwa, Hamada
• Is Part Of: International journal of networking and virtual organisations. Volume 2:Number 2(2004)
• Page Start: 133
• Page End: 152
• Publication Date: 2004-09-07
• Subjects: product data management -- PDM -- distributed product development -- virtual enterprise -- agents -- multi-agent systems -- agent-based systems -- collaborative engineering; Computer networks -- Periodicals; Information networks -- Periodicals; Virtual corporations -- Periodicals; Electronic commerce -- Periodicals; Management information systems -- Periodicals; Management -- Data processing -- Periodicals; 004.65
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-9503

Abstract

This paper analyses challenges in integrating distributed and heterogeneous PDM systems in a virtual enterprise-like environment, and introduces multi-agent solutions for the integration. With interactive and communicative agents as community and domain professional services, a set of infrastructure and facilities, which support secure distributed management of product documents, workflows and engineering knowledge, have been proposed and described in detail. With this paradigm, distributed PDM systems perform as a virtual unified product development platform, engineers are allowed to collaborate with each other as conveniently as in a single workspace. Considering standardised multi-agents and fundamental product data managed by PDM systems, the proposed paradigm is prospective in combining with higher-end e-business and growing into a virtual-enterprise level integrated system.