Product Lifecycle Management enhancement with an ontological approach

Recently, computational design aiding tools resources are undertaken in modem companies, enhancing high quality product definition development. However, accurate digital product descriptions are attained through multiple software applications, each one seeking to solve focused needs. Regardless significant advances, there still remains a substantial computational deficiency in how these systems interact with each other between the several PLC stages. Plural issues with different origin and nature contribute to such state, increasing the research community interest to contribute with solution that minimizes the problem. In particular, one main issue refers to product and process knowledge exchange along PLC stages. According to this scenario, and with market pressure to increase profits and reduce redundancies, an efficient coordination and management of all the activities taking place along the Production Process must be performed. Hence, promising technologies of Product Lifecycle Management are considered strategic to manage capture of product knowledge along its life, from initial conception to retirement. This paper proposes the use of an ontology to be used in a knowledge-based system, giving support to a comprehensive product model to improve integration and data exchange capabilities trough entire PLC. The capture, handle and re-use of knowledge from multiple disciplines during PLC (e.g. design, manufacture or maintenance), extending capabilities of existent product and process models is the promising main benefit of ontologies development.