Concept for an integrated product and process development of electric drives using a knowledge-based system

The development and production of electric drives as mechatronic products involve several engineering domains. With increasing complexity of the individual parts, frequently shifting customer requirements and ever shorter development cycles, integrated approaches are continuing to grow in importance. In this context, an interdisciplinary design methodology supports in mastering complexity and in creating independence from project managers' varying competencies. There are already more general approaches for mechatronic products and approaches covering the entire electric car. However, for electric drives, whether used in cars or industrial automation, no comprehensive knowledge-based approach considering product as well as production-related aspects has yet been established. Due to the interdisciplinary expertise needed for an integrated product and process development, it is necessary to manage the extensive domain knowledge by means of a sophisticated information system. Hence, this paper will provide a concept for a knowledge-based system supporting the product and process development of electric drives. As part of a basic consideration the presented approach focuses on the key component of such a system - the knowledge base. Therefore, suitable knowledge representation methods are evaluated, followed by the selection of the most appropriate one to fulfil the underlying requirements. Thereafter, the type of database for the system's implementation is chosen. Finally, the adequately modeled knowledge base is transferred to the database in an exemplary manner.