Parametric strategies for design automation and optimization can have a big impact on engineering design. When parametric tasks and optimization frameworks and methods are combined, theses strategies can be used to make up what is known as a multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) schema. Knowledge of a design space can be modeled by using a MDO schema to represent the design process. However, current MDO frameworks used to create this schema lack the scope to capture enterprise wide knowledge for reuse and collaboration. Concurrent with the development of MDO, many companies are moving toward increased use of product lifecycle management (PLM). More applications are being integrated into PLM as its usage increases; however, it has not to date been able to fully embrace the sophisticated knowledge model demands of engineering design. It has functioned primarily as a data storage and electronic email and tracking system. This thesis proposes to integrate an MDO knowledge representation in the form of a design space model with a PLM system to provide knowledge management for the product design process throughout the enterprise. In this thesis a solution has been developed by leveraging PLM workflow management, and parametric PLM strategies. The PLM workflow management module was customized with action handlers, adding the ability to automate engineering tasks such as updating models and performing analysis. An optimization action handler was also added that iterates design processes by duplicating the entire workflow job and initiating it with updated inputs in order to explore and improve the design. This thesis proposes a new approach to PLM and MDO framework usage that enables the complete representation of a design space with absolute, enterprise wide reuse. Because of the synergy that is created between PLM and MDO through this approach, both software providers and users in industry are looking at it as a way to achieve their greatest challenges. This thesis achieves the common knowledge representation that industry has been actively pursuing, because of this industry leaders have been impressed and believe that this approach will quickly take hold and usher in a new era for product design.

This thesis is a continuation of design automation studies within research projects financed by VINNOVA (the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) and Knowledge foundation that contributed to the development of producibility assessment system at a global aerospace products supplier, GKN Aerospace Sweden. A case study was carried at the company on Turbine Rear Structure (TRS) component design of a jet engine with the main objective to evaluate weld producibility assessment tools and to demonstrate system’s performance in multi-disciplinary design environment. The context of this thesis is a set-based product design development where several studies, i.e. thermal, structural, aerodynamic etc. are carried concurrently to gather knowledge between their parameter relations. The thesis contributes to the goal of fully integrated producibility assessment in multi-disciplinary studies to support product development process. The problems encountered during the thesis execution involved systematic analysis setup to extract and verify CAD geometry data, assessment of meaningfulness of producibility indicators, development of semi-automated data post-processing module and relating product design to its manufacturing aspects. Commercial and in-house developed software were used extensively to demonstrate the results of the system with the help of continuous company support to mitigate indispensable bottlenecks along the way. The work has led to systematic improvements, determined assessment limitations and most relevant weld producibility aspects. Collected feedback to evaluate prepared demonstrator showed promising results to support product design decisions considering both performance and producibility.