Skip to main content
Log in

Design Property Network-Based Change Propagation Prediction Approach for Mechanical Product Development

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering Submit manuscript

Abstract

Design changes are unavoidable during mechanical product development; whereas the avalanche propagation of design change imposes severely negative impacts on the design cycle. To improve the validity of the change propagation prediction, a mathematical programming model is presented to predict the change propagation impact quantitatively. As the foundation of change propagation prediction, a design change analysis model(DCAM) is built in the form of design property network. In DCAM, the connections of the design properties are identified as the design specification, which conform to the small-world network theory. To quantify the change propagation impact, change propagation intensity(CPI) is defined as a quantitative and much more objective assessment metric. According to the characteristics of DCAM, CPI is defined and indicated by four assessment factors: propagation likelihood, node degree, long-chain linkage, and design margin. Furthermore, the optimal change propagation path is searched with the evolutionary ant colony optimization(ACO) algorithm, which corresponds to the minimized maximum of accumulated CPI. In practice, the change impact of a gear box is successfully analyzed. The proposed change propagation prediction method is verified to be efficient and effective, which could provide different results according to various the initial changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. MCINTOSH K G. Engineering data management: a guide to successful implementation[M]. New York: Mcgraw-Hill Press, 1995.

  2. ECKERT C, CLARKSON P J, ZANKER W. Change and customisation in complex engineering domains[J]. Research in Engineering Design, 2004, 15(1): 1–21.

  3. SHANKAR P, MORKOS B, SUMMERS J D. Reasons for change propagation: a case study in an automotive OEM[J]. Research in Engineering Design, 2012, 23(4): 291–303.

  4. DIPRIMA M. Engineering Change Control and Implementation Considerations[J]. Production and Inventory Management, 1982, 23(1): 81–87.

  5. FEI G, GAO J, OWODUNNI O, et al. A method for engineering design change analysis using system modelling and knowledge management techniques[J]. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, 2011, 24(6): 535–551.

  6. AHMAD N, WYNN D C, CLARKSON P J. Change impact on a product and its redesign process: a tool for knowledge capture and reuse[J]. Research in Engineering Design, 2013, 24(3): 219–244.

  7. HO C J, LI J. Progressive engineering changes in multi-level product structures[J]. Omega, 1997, 25(5): 585–594.

  8. CHUA D K H, HOSSAIN M A. Predicting change propagation and impact on design schedule due to external changes[J]. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2012, 59(3): 483–493.

  9. WYNN D C, CALDWELL N H M, JOHN CLARKSON P. Predicting change propagation in complex design workflows[J]. Journal of Mechanical Design, 2014, 136(8): 81009.

  10. PASQUAL M C, DE WECK O L. Multilayer network model for analysis and management of change propagation[J]. Research in Engineering Design, 2012,23(4): 305–328.

  11. LI W, MOON Y B. Modeling and managing engineering changes in a complex product development process[J]. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 2012, 63(9–12): 863–874.

  12. CLARKSON P J, SIMONS C, ECKERT C. Predicting change propagation in complex design[J]. Journal of Mechanical Design, 2004, 126(5): 788–797.

  13. HAMRAZ B, CALDWELL N H, CLARKSON P J. A matrix-calculation-based algorithm for numerical change propagation analysis[J]. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2013, 60(1): 186–198.

  14. MORKOS B, SHANKAR P, SUMMERS J D. Predicting requirement change propagation, using higher order design structure matrices: an industry case study[J]. Journal of Engineering Design, 2012, 23(12): 905–926.

  15. LI S, CHEN L. Identification of clusters and interfaces for supporting the implementation of change requests[J]. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2014, 61(2): 323–335.

  16. KOH E C Y, CALDWELL N H M, CLARKSON P J. A method to assess the effects of engineering change propagation[J]. Research in Engineering Design, 2012, 23(4): 329–351.

  17. COHEN T, NAVATHE S B, FULTON R E. C-FAR, change favourable representation[J]. Computer-Aided Design, 2000, 32(5–6): 321–338.

  18. CHENG H, CHU X. A network-based assessment approach for change impacts on complex product[J]. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 2012, 23(4): 1419–1431.

  19. DUAN G, WANG Y. QCs-linkage model based quality characteristic variation propagation analysis and control in product development[J]. International Journal of Production Research, 2013, 51(22): 6573–6593.

  20. SHIAU J, WEE H M. A distributed change control workflow for collaborative design network[J]. Computers in Industry, 2008, 59(2–3): 119–127.

  21. LEE H, SEOL H, SUNG N, et al. An analytic network process approach to measuring design change impacts in modular products[J]. Journal of Engineering Design, 2010, 21(1): 75–91.

  22. REDDI K R, MOON Y B. System dynamics modeling of engineering change management in a collaborative environment[J]. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 2011, 55(9–12): 1225–1239.

  23. OUERTANI M Z. Supporting conflict management in collaborative design: An approach to assess engineering change impacts[J]. Computers in Industry, 2008, 59(9): 882–893.

  24. MEHTA C, PATIL L, DUTTA D. An approach to determine important attributes for engineering change evaluation[J]. Journal of Mechanical Design, 2013, 135: 0410034.

  25. LI Y, ZHAO W. An integrated change propagation scheduling approach for product design[J]. Concurrent Engineering, 2014, 22(4): 347–360.

  26. ZHANG L, XIANG Z, LUO H, et al. Test verification and design of the bicycle frame parameters[J]. Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2015, 28(4): 716–725.

  27. GAO T, FENG Y, TAN J. Product modular design incorporating preventive maintenance issues[J]. Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2016, 29(2): 406–420.

  28. LI Y, ZHAO W, MA Y. A shortest path method for sequential change propagations in complex engineering design processes[J]. Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, 2016, 30(1): 107–121.

  29. LI N, LI X, SHEN Y, et al. Risk assessment model based on multi-agent systems for complex product design[J]. Information Systems Frontiers, 2015, 17(2): 363–385.

  30. MA S, JIANG Z, LIU W. A design change analysis model as a change impact analysis basis for semantic design change management[J]. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part C Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 2016, 203–210: 1989–1996.

  31. BRAHA D, BAR-YAM Y. Topology of large-scale engineering problem-solving networks[J]. Physical Review E, 2004, 69: 16113.

  32. BRAHA D, BAR-YAM Y. Information flow structure in large-scale product development organizational networks[J]. Journal of Information Technology, 2004, 19(4): 244–253.

  33. BRAHA D, BAR-YAM Y. The statistical mechanics of complex product development: empirical and analytical results[J]. Management Science, 2007, 53(7): 1127–1145.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Songhua MA.

Additional information

Supported by Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2015M572022), National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No. 51505254), and Distinguished Middle-Aged and Young Scientist Encourage and Reward Foundation of Shandong Province (Grant No. BS2015ZZ004).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

MA, S., JIANG, Z., LIU, W. et al. Design Property Network-Based Change Propagation Prediction Approach for Mechanical Product Development. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 30, 676–688 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10033-017-0099-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10033-017-0099-z

Keywords

Navigation