Filling the gap between human thinking and model object generation at product definition in modeling systems

During the recent years, a great change in engineering was replacing the conventional CAD/CAM/CAE systems with highly integrated product lifecycle management (PLM) systems. Earlier concentrations on specific fields of engineering replaced by a product concentration where an integrated product model has capability to accommodate all information needed during the lifecycle of the product from the first sketch to the successful recycling. Several new problems were emerged during implementation of PLM purposed product models in the industrial practice. Recently, very complex models include high number of entities for parts, assemblies, simulation results, manufacturing processes, equipment control programs, etc. It is increasingly difficult to track consequences of an entity change on other entities. The second new problem is about the increasing medium role of product model. Product models are demanded to carry intent of engineers for the application at development of those models by other engineers. However, recent product models are not in the possession of the representation capabilities necessary. In this paper, the authors concentrate on this second problem. They made an attempt to define an extension to the currently prevailing product models in order to enhance their capabilities for the support of human intent based decision making during development, manufacturing, and application of products. In the organization of this paper, influencing of human intents is considered in engineering modeling processes and extending product model to information content is conceptualized and discussed. In the rest of the paper, new approach, concept, and method are introduced for communication and modeling of information content.