Internet Based Collaborative Product Development Software Tools for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
EssayChat / Jul 6, 2024
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the use of Internet-based collaborative product development tools by small and medium-sized enterprises (Wang & Nee). Collaborative product development provides a method for smaller businesses to compete with large corporations. Some of the software for this collaboration such as e-mail and instant messaging are common (Lan). Other technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD) and product data management (PDM) systems are more specialized (Murphy & Ledwith). There is a discussion of how CAD software and the related computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software are used in collaborative product development. CAD systems are now being combined with other technologies such as PDM, computer-aided engineering (CAE), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) in order to produce products, which can be used throughout the entire product life cycle. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) provides the foundation in which data can be transferred over the World Wide Web (Zarli & Scherer).
This allows for diverse group with a variety of software and hardware components to share data in order to collaborate in developing a new product. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is used when the information being transferred must be unavailable to unauthorized access (Concha, Espadas, Romero & Molina). The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) has been used to develop multitiered applications that can be applied to collaborative product development. Extensible Markup Language (XML) provides the basis by which documents can be encoded into a computer language. This allows documents to be transferred over the Internet. Sharing systems such as peer-to-peer networks (P2P) are an increasingly popular method of collaborating over the Internet on product design. The newer process of sharing computational intelligence is also discussed. The importance of configuration management tools, white boarding, Web services (Sousa, Mendonca & Vanderdonckt), and networking are explored and their relation to product development collaboration. It is concluded that the use of these new technologies will expand and become a necessity in the 21st century in order for small and medium-sized enterprises to compete with large multinational corporations.
Introduction
Collaborative product development is a strategy which small to medium-sized enterprises are using with increasing frequency in the 21st century. Increasing global competitiveness has forced these enterprises to work in a more efficient fashion. The process involves using a variety of software and hardware applications in order to facilitate the work of groups attempting to reach a common goal. In this case, the goal is the development of a new product. An alternative name for this process is collaborative product definition management.
A number of different technologies have been used for collaborative product development (Lan). The technologies are part of the product life cycle management and consist of software, and sometimes hardware, which aids in product visualization, product data management, team conferencing and collaboration, as well as software which enhances supplier sourcing. A number of data translation technologies have also been used.
Some of the software used in collaborative product development is familiar to most people (Aykin). This includes generalized software such as instant messaging, e-mail, and other common means of communication, which are Internet-based. An important part of collaboration on product development is desktop sharing applications, which allow group members to view each other's work. For product visualization and computer aided design (CAD) appshare products, which enable OpenGL graphics are needed. Data is often shared over web-based portals.
There are a number of requirements for technology, which aids in the collaborative development of products. The technology must be accessible to people of different skill levels and disciplines. It must also support extended enterprises, which may have a variety of requirements, objectives, and processes. It can handle data in alternative formats, and from many sources, is essential (Liu & Shi).
The effective collaboration for product development often requires the input of people who do not have expertise with CAD (Huang et al). This means the software being used must have interfaces, which are accessible to those with basic skill levels. However, the software must also be efficient with skilled users. These different levels of expertise require that the software have interfaces, which can be tailored to the needs of the user.
When the parties collaborating on product design are using similar CAD and product data management (PDM) systems direct transfer of data between the groups or individuals is generally sufficient (Plunkett). It is still necessary that the PDM systems be synchronized allowing for files and data to be used between the sites. Sometimes this is accomplished by using a single server.
Product design is generally interactive and may involve a number of people or groups (Dong, Qi, Gu & Wei). When heterogeneous CAD systems are used a neutral modeling command method can be used to construct the product design platforms which operate in real time. Models can be constructed and changed simultaneously from a number of sites, which are engaged in the collaborative design. This type of activity is based on translation mechanisms between neutral modeling commands and the system modeling operations. Each time a user provides an operation is translated into a neutral modeling command, which is sent to the other sites in the network. After receipt of this command, the other sites convert the message into a system modeling operation. This allows for individuals and groups using different types of CAD systems, to collaborate in real time. In this type of arrangement, it is common to use quality analysis software to ensure proper transfer of data between the various systems. CAD data exchange technology is used when the ownership of a file is being transferred from one group or individual to another. The structures can be transferred using tools, which are based on XML transfer.
CAD uses computers to assist in product design and documentation of ideas (Murphy & Ledwith). This type of design allows the user to take advantage of input tools, which enable a more efficient product design process. The CAD software allows the user to document their ideas regarding, drafting and manufacturing processes. The output of the software is electronic files, which can be printed or transferred to other computers.
The CAD environment is useful because it involves a wealth of information regarding the product (Chituc, Toscano & Azevedo). In addition to the shape of products many CAD software applications provide technical information such as engineering drawings, tolerances, dimensions, manufacturing processes, and materials necessary for production. This allows many designers to have a single software application which covers all aspects of the product; they are responsible for.
A technology which is related to CAD is computer aided manufacturing (CAM) (Chituc, Toscano & Azevedo). This type of manufacturing uses computer software to guide machine tools in the manufacturing of products. CAM can also refer to using computer software to help in other areas of manufacturing such as management, planning, transportation, as well as storage. The purpose of CAM is to provide a more efficient product production process. This type of software is used after a product is conceptualized with CAD.
Product development teams in the 21st century are increasingly expected to work together in an efficient manner (Li, Ong & Nee). This cooperation can be conceptualized in the aspects of hierarchical, visual, and co-design collaborative systems. These systems involve advances in the underlying algorithms and system architecture.
A great deal of research and effort are being used to increase the collaboration and distribution quality of CAD design systems for product development. These efforts have the goal of meeting the needs of global design teams and the increasing trend toward outsourcing, which is occurring in manufacturing. Advances in the collaboration of CAD systems allow manufacturing partners, suppliers, and designers to work together in order to develop superior products, which are globally competitive. Advances in this type of technology even allow customers to have input regarding their wishes for a product without gaining access to proprietary information.
Advances in information technology have led to combining CAD systems with other software technologies for collaboration in product design (Li, Ong & Nee). These other systems include enterprise resource planning (ERP), computer aided engineering (CAE), and a variety of PDM applications. Combining these technologies with CAD and CAM systems allow for collaboration throughout the entire product life cycle. This allows for the development of globally competitive products, which are of higher quality, more quickly produced, and less expensive to build.
Several CAD software vendors have realized that the trend toward collaboration and product development and are launching new software packages to meet these demands. Examples of these vendors include UGS, Autodesk, and PTC. A variety of other types of software companies have also recently begun offering products, which compete in this market. Examples of these software vendors include RealityWorks, and CoCreate. These packages have CAD and CAM software combined with other applications, which enhance the collaborative process.
One reason the new software packages for collaborative product development have become popular is the difficulty of combining a CAD system with the necessary communication programs. Combining the CAD system with communication software frequently involve innovations in geometric computing algorithms, architecture design, and communication algorithms. This is a daunting engineering task which is more efficiently accomplished by purchasing a software package which has already been appropriately configured (Li, Ong & Nee).
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) provides a foundation for communication of data over the World Wide Web and is the basis on which most product collaboration over the Internet is done (Zarli & Scherer). It is a protocol which allows hypermedia information systems to be collaborative and distributed. The protocol works in the client/server computing system as a request and response function. When an individual is surfing the web the browser is assuming the role of the client and the website functions as the server. The browser sends a message to the server in HTTP format. The website then provides information in the form of images, files, or functions (Zarli & Scherer).
HTTP protocol allows for network elements to enable communications between servers and clients. Many websites which have significant traffic used a web cache to deliver information on behalf of the original server. This increases response time when site usage is high. Clients without a routable address are placed in private network. This is done by repeating the responses between the client and server. In this type of situation and HTTP proxy server works at the network boundary to facilitate communication between the private network and more public networks (Turban).
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) combines HTTP with SSL/TLS in order to provide a protocol which is encrypted (Concha et al.). This allows for communication to be secured and difficult to access by unauthorized personnel. This type of protocol is frequently used for banking and payment transactions, which occur over the World Wide Web. It is also popular among corporations, which are transferring proprietary information. A collaborative product design may produce a valuable commodity which has yet to be patented or copyrighted. In this case, it could be devastating for unauthorized personnel to gain access to the information.
HTTPS allows for secure communications and data transfer over a network which is public. This is essential in many product development collaboration scenarios. The use of the public network ensures that everyone involved in the project can be connected. The security prevents unauthorized access to proprietary information. This protects the user from eavesdroppers and unauthorized personnel that wish to obtain sensitive information. Most browser software is now equipped to analyze the certificate authority of HTTPS sites. However, it is still the responsibility of the user to ensure that the site can be trusted. Sites can be trusted only if the proper browser software has been installed and the user trusts the certificate authority. Furthermore, the website must provide a certificate which is valid and has been signed. The certificate will correctly identify the website. The user must be sure that the encryption layer of the protocol can be relied upon to prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing data or other sensitive information.
An example of how HTTP protocol can be used is provided by a proposed 3-D product configurator (Chu, Cheng & Wu). In this case, the customer is collaborating with the company in designing a product. This system would allow customers to choose personalized aspects of a product and provide mass customization. A number of 2-D product configurators already exist but do not give the customer a real-time visual example of the product they are designing. An example of this is the Dell computer website which allows customers to choose the computer components they want. 3-D product configurators would allow a customer to see their product change as they chose components. This would be achieved by using SpinFire visualization utilities with a PDM system. An application server would also be necessary.
HTTP protocol is essential to the operation of the 3-D product configurators. The integration of be components would require HTTP protocol be used within the framework. Furthermore, the customer would establish a communication link to the system using HTTP protocol. When the customer decides the product meets their specifications, they can pay for the product securely using a system which takes advantage of HTTPS protocol.
The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) can be used to develop multitiered applications for use with product development collaboration. This type of platform simplified the enterprise application by allowing modular components, which are standardized. It also provides a set of services for these components in handles a multitude of application behaviors in an automatic fashion. This relieves the need for more complex programming (Oracle).
The J2EE platform is similar to the previous Java 2 platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) and shares the following features: Both applications allow for the traditional portability of Java, which allows the programming to be written once and run on any computer. Both platforms also have database access through JDBC API. Interaction with enterprise resources which already exists is accomplished through CORBA technology. Data is protected in Internet applications with a security model. This is essential for protection of proprietary information developed during collaboration on a product.
The J2EE has a multitude of new components, which were not available with the J2SE and make it more useful for product development collaboration. The J2EE provides support for JavaBeans. This new software also allows for Java servlets, XML technology, and JavaServer Pages. There are compliance tests, which ensure applications are portable through a wide range of enterprise systems. Web services can operate through the WS-I basic profile.
An example of the importance of J2EE for collaborative product development is provided by its use in the development of new software applications. Development of new software applications has shifted toward a service orientation with planning and control techniques, which ensure quality. The market has become a global one and competitiveness continues to increase. This new environment for developing software is known by people in the industry as the "hype cycle" (Duggan et al).
IT professionals change business requirements and processes into solutions provided by software. When developing these new software products they often collaborate with the use of J2EE platforms. These platforms allow ready use of the necessary object oriented analysis and design methods, which are required to develop these novel products (Duggan et al.).
Extensible Markup Language (XML) allows for documents to be encoded in a form readable by computers. The design goals of XML are of generality, simplicity and ease-of-use over the Internet. This textual data format provides Unicode, which can be used with most languages throughout the world. While XML was originally designed for documents, is now used with a number of different data structures present in a variety of Web services.
There are now hundreds of XML-based languages Examples include Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), RSS, Atom, as well as XHTML. Formats which are based on XML are the standard for the majority of office productivity software. Examples include OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office, and iWork.
Vendors are involved throughout the PLM (Khaled, Ma & Miller). This requires that different computer engineering aspect X's (CAX) be used in order for a diverse group of people to collaborate on development of a new product. The system has been proposed by Khaled, Ma & Miller, which provides an infrastructure which is automated and allows for machine to machine interactions. This system is based on the associative features of XML.
Collaboration throughout the product life cycle involves exchanging CAX files. In order for these files to be exchanged, they must be transformed and translated into a common language. Unfortunately, this process is seldom perfect and can result in a misinterpretation of product design intent and geometric patterns. Even when CAX files are transferred between the same tools, there can be problems with the recognition of certain constructs. The solution proposed by Khaled, Ma & Miller eliminates this problem and uses the more basic and universal language provided by XML.
Due to the increased competitiveness of the market in the 21st century collaborative product development involves enterprise application integration (EAI) (Kupsch & Werth). This means that within a single company the different business systems must interact with one another. Communication interfaces and protocols must handle the syntactic differences within applications. It also means that companies must be able to interact with each other. Both processes involve the use of sharing systems.
Sharing systems enable businesses and individuals to communicate on product development through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. These networks enable the participants, or peers, to share files as well as computer resources in order to exchange information and assist each other in developing new products. This situation is different than the client to server architecture. The peers are independent of any particular hardware platform. They may be interacting with the system through a wide range of hardware devices such as mainframes, desktop computers, portable computers, or even smart phones. These devices must be able to receive and transmit data to other peers. They must also operate without a central control which coordinates the communication. This type of system allows the peers to make their own decision on when to receive or transmit data.
The P2P approach is now being used with small and medium-sized businesses that are collaborating on product development. In order for these systems to work a non-centralized architecture must be present, which allows the components to operate in a self organizing manner. The IT infrastructure for the system must consist of a number of peers who can offer a minimum of one surface such as providing or receiving data.
The use of the P2P system for collaboration on product development has several advantages. The system is reliable so that no one component can cause the entire system to fail. For example, the failure of one notebook computer would only cause a problem with one of the peers. The system is scalable. The network is enhanced simply by adding additional peers. The configuration is easy because each peer contains the necessary knowledge to accomplish its own functionality. The system is adaptive because each peer can request or accept duties from the system.
Another example of sharing systems, which are used in the process of product development collaboration, is the exchange of computational intelligence (Rahman). Businesses are now using this type of intelligence in order to increase the efficiency of their business, including product development. Computational intelligence can be used to determine what type of products customers will buy and the amount of demand increases, which would be created due to an advertising campaign. This type of intelligence can also determine profitable versus costly product ventures (Rahman).
While sharing outcomes of computational intelligence for product development appears to be a promising new way of using technology, it is not yet widely accepted. Computational intelligence involves computers been programmed to make decisions based on data calculations. These calculations are generally probability-based and not certain. For example, the combined computational intelligence of several manufacturing firms' computer systems may indicate that there will be an increased demand for a particular type of product. However, this is only a probability. Unlike other computer programs, the intelligence-based systems do not provide a definitive answer. In other words, the prediction might be wrong. Many people are not comfortable with this idea and this may explain the infrequent use of this type of sharing in the development of new products.
Configuration Management Tools
Configuration management is an important part of collaboration on new product development (Rivas, Perez, Mendoza & Griman). When the product is a novel type of software it is an imperative. This type of management is seen as one of the best ways to handle changes, which occur in software product development projects. They can determine the physical and functional aspects of software throughout the design process and allow for the systematic control of changes in attributes. This enables the product developers to maintain the integrity of the software throughout the development life cycle providing for a means of traceability (Rivas, Perez, Mendoza & Griman).
Software configuration management is important for tracing the changes in the product and allows for verification of the software which is delivered (Usta). It ensures that the product is of high quality and can meet the demands which are necessary. The following four parts of software configuration management are considered essential to developing new products: identification, control, status accounting, and audits.
Configuration identification for software management includes identifying the aspects of a product which have a purpose for the end-user (Su et al.). These aspects are documented and form a baseline. This baseline can be used to ensure that the final product will meet the demands of the user.
In regard to software management, configuration control involves approval stages and processes, which ensure that the software is returned to the baseline when necessary. This process ensures that a product is not deviate from the original in its functionality.
The configuration status accounting ensures that the status of a new product is recorded in regard to the ability to meet baseline requirements (Mok, Chin & Lan). This accounting is essential for the proper configuration audit to be conducted. A functional configuration audit ensures that the product will perform as expected. A physical configuration audit ensures that a new product can be installed any manner, which meets the design detail requirements.
This type of configuration management can also be used to ensure that the software systems, which are being used to collaborate in the development of a novel product, meet the necessary commands. Frequently, teams involved in a project will wish to make changes to their hardware to accommodate new requirements. This type of configuration management ensures that these changes allow for smooth operation with the other members of the product development team and the systems they are using (Zimmerman, Zschorn, Kaschel & Teich).
Configuration management tools can also be used to ensure that hardware in use during the collaborative development of a new product will work at a maximum of efficiency. This type of management ensures that a current record of all hardware components which are being used in the infrastructure, and any related documentation, is maintained appropriately. The documentation is a record of the infrastructure being used and a way to keep track of the physical locations of the links. These are frequently known as configuration items. This is important information, in case there is a problem with the system. For example, a group collaborating on a product may find they have a problem transferring one particular type of data. Upon examination of the software, no compatibility problems are found in all components is error-free. In this case, the problem is likely to be with the hardware and the documentation required by the hardware configuration management could be essential to solving the problem.
Configuration management is used in a wide variety of fields and can be applied to a variety of aspects related to collaborative product development. This type of management ensures that the software and hardware in use are compatible and working in an efficient fashion (Zhou & Xie).
A technology which has proven useful for collaborative product development is white boarding. A whiteboard is a devise used to share files on a screen. The screen is known as the whiteboard. Frequently, this type of technology is used with data conferencing or videoconferencing software. It allows individuals that are working together to share information in a manner, which is similar to a traditional board mounted on a wall. The general idea of this software is to allow more than one person to work on an image. People can keep track of changes in the image in real time much as they would on a wall mount board. This type of technology is ideal for a group brainstorming on a new type of product. is frequently used when the proposed product is in early stages and individuals wish to collaborate in an informal fashion by simply drawing their ideas any freehand fashion. This technology is sometimes referred to as an electronic whiteboard or an interactive whiteboard.
Whiteboards can be ideal for group use. They can be connected to a computer through a USB port and have their image projected onto a screen. Individuals can then control the images on the screen by using their finger or other pointing device.
The whiteboards have a number of advantages for use in collaborative product development. Any software which can be loaded onto a PC can be used to form the image. This includes web browsers and proprietary software, which may be useful for product development. For example, groups which are in distant locations could work on images displayed on the white board in one section while examining similar products on the website. The technology also can capture notes, which may be written while the individual brainstorms on a new idea. Some of these whiteboards have the ability to translate handwriting into a text which can be saved in a variety of formats. The majority of whiteboards used for collaborative product development fall into one of three categories.
One type of whiteboard used for collaborative product development is a touch-based interactive system. This type of whiteboard allows a pointing device or finger to be used in order to control the image. The device operates by having a membrane stretched over a surface. The membrane is deformed when pressure is made with the pointing device. A conducting back plate senses when the membrane is changed in shape. Many of these systems allow users to simulate the use of the mouse by moving their finger on the surface or tapping it. This type of system is preferred by many due to its ease of use and not being dependent upon a particular type of device to interact with the system.
Another type of whiteboard used for collaborative product development uses an electromagnetic pen to interact with the system. These whiteboard have a number of wires, which are embedded behind the board and interact with coil located in the tip of the stylus. The computer analyzes the coordinates of the stylus with an X-Y coordinate system. The pain can be tapped on the board in order to indicate a mouse click. Individuals that prefer this system point out that it is more accurate than the touch based system.
A 3rd type of whiteboard uses an infrared pen to interact with the system. These systems vary in regard to the particular type of pen being used. One advantage of these types of systems is that they are relatively portable. A disadvantage is that they do not work well in direct sunlight.
In addition to the previously mentioned web-based collaboration tools for product development such as chat, e-mail, file sharing, and white boarding a proposal has been made by Huang & Fan to develop a web-based engineering portal specifically focusing on collaborative product development.
Advances in dynamic markets, information technology, and global manufacturing have set the stage for a market which is increasingly competitive. In order for small and medium-sized enterprises to remain profitable they must be able to manage increased product complexity, be more flexible with their product development, and control globally outsourced operations (Chryssolouris et al.). Many of these firms are turning to an Internet-based architecture which supports the transfer and sharing of knowledge across the World Wide Web (Huang & Fan).
The web-based engineering portal proposed by Huang & Fan has the advantage of encouraging the collaboration between Chinese and European partners to develop new technical solutions. The architecture of the portal will encourage collaboration tools and practices, which are efficient and more likely to succeed. This portal can be seen as a service oriented platform which is accessible to the companies involved with a process driven heterogeneous IT infrastructure. The web serves acts as a bridge between the different infrastructures being used by companies in various countries.
In order to develop the portal a top-down analysis of the processes involved in collaborative product development was done by Huang & Fan. There were three objectives identified of entities utilizing collaborative product development. The first objective was to seek collaboration opportunities. Another objective was to outsource the engineering tasks which their particular company was unable to accomplish. Another objective was to enable engineering collaboration with highly specialized and skilled partners who are difficult to locate in a certain company location (Huang & Fan).
The portal proposed by Huang & Fan can be conceptualized as consisting of four layers of architecture with the first layer being represented by the application service. This layer allows access to proprietary information, which is necessary for collaboration. Examples of these include ERP and PDM systems. The application systems and portal are connected by SOAP, which allows for the exchange of structured information and relies on XML.
The 2nd layer is the Infrastructure Service layer and provides data integration service, which is necessary for the collaborative product development. All the data transferred within the portal are supported by this layer of the infrastructure. The data within this layer can be accessed by the portal components and used for interactive processes.
The 3rd layer consists of the collaboration service (Huang & Fan). This layer provides several basic components of collaboration. Requests and navigation must allow users to interact with partners by defining responsibilities and competencies. There must be a phase which allows partners to initiate appropriate levels of collaboration. Functions which allow for the execution of product development processes and modeling of products are a necessity. This layer must also have a modeling component which manages the product requirements and ensures that a design will meet these specifications. The visualization component of this layer ensures that enough views are provided of the engineering data to enable validation of the product. Finally, this layer must overcome the difficulties regarding collaboration between partners who may be from different cultural backgrounds and have a variety of business agendas.
The web-based engineering portal proposed by Huang & Fan is a good example of the contingencies which must be considered by any Web service, which is hoping to facilitate collaborative product development. At the 21st century moves towards a world market there will be increasing need for collaborative ventures, which take advantage of a wide variety of skills, which can only be accessed by cooperating with other business entities (Herbsleb).
An important part of collaborative product design in the 21st century is the formation of networks of companies and experts who can work together toward achieving shared goals (Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos). Examples of development activities which benefit from networking include workflow analysis, process planning, product design, process modeling, and design of manufacturing processes (Badiyani, & Raja). This complex array of activities frequently requires a small to medium-sized enterprises forming network, which can share in the engineering demands (Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos).
According to Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos the integration of the product development environment can be thought of in three layers. The first layer consists of the PLM, P2P framework, and ERP technology. The 2nd layer consists of the data exchange system such as an XML parser. The 3rd layer contains the design and manufacturing domain which handles product development. The PLM system ensures that there is a collaboration of design. An out of box solution is suggested by Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos, which allows for several entities located in different locations to access the design of a new product. This software is advantageous for networking because it allows for standards-based collaboration, which ensures that individuals or companies under various regulations can work together on a product.
There has recently been increased interest in technology, which will allow distributed manufacturing networks to work together as loosely connected firms. This type of work can be thought of as virtual manufacturing. This type of manufacturing can substantially increase the rate of the product development process by enhancing collaboration.
A collaborative information sharing platform has been proposed by (Chen, Choy & Chan) which would enhance the work done by virtual manufacturing networks. This information platform would have features, which allow it to customize product information and data, make amendments, and manipulate documents in a distributed environment. Open architecture is used as the basis of the platform and makes it ideal for a virtual network (Chen, Choy & Chan).
The information sharing platform proposed by Chen, Choy & Chan has several layers. These layers consist of data acquisition, customizable interface, Web server, collaborative operations, applications, data interchange, and product database. If additional functions are needed, modules can be added to the application layer.
The research done by Chen, Choy & Chan indicates that most small and medium-sized enterprises do not yet make full use of Internet technology to enable networking of their collaborative product development. The majority of manufacturing firms require design information, which is conveyed more clearly and can be understood by a greater number of organizations. The virtual network paradigm is particularly appealing to small and medium-sized enterprises due to its decreased capital requirements. While some of the software and IT infrastructure is expensive, it is generally of lower cost than additional facilities or full-time employees (Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, Galeano & Molina).
Increasing competition from global markets has forced small and medium-sized enterprises in the 21st century to operate more efficiently (Wang & Nee). Part of this efficiency involves developing products, which are of higher quality, can be produced quicker, and cost less in materials and other costs of production. In order to produce the type of product many enterprises have turned to collaboration with other entities to help develop new products.
Collaborative product development involves using a variety of hardware and software applications in order to facilitate this type of work. Some of these applications are familiar to most people such as e-mail and instant messaging. Other products such as CAD are more specialized. New challenges have been created by entities hoping to work together, which are using systems that do not share the same type of underlying data systems.
HTTP and the more secure HTPPS provide a basis for transferring data over the World Wide Web, which can be recognized by a variety of applications (Zarli & Scherer). This protocol allows for information systems to collaborate and widely distribute their information while maintaining a sufficient degree of security.
The increasing collaborative nature of product design in the 21st century has encouraged many small and medium-sized enterprises to use P2P networks. These networks allow for collaboration over the World Wide Web. The participants, or peers, and share computer resources and files in order to assist each other in developing new products. This type of collaboration has the advantage of being independent of hardware platforms. It is reliable due to its lack of reliance on one component. No single component can fail and shut down the system. The system can also be expanded by the simple addition of new peers who provide their own hardware. This makes the P2P network affordable. Configuration problems are avoided due to each party being responsible for knowledge of their own hardware and software (Kupsch & Werth).
Small and medium-sized enterprises of the 21st century must become increasingly efficient. In order to meet the demands of global competition superior products must be developed quickly and efficiently. Often the only way in which these enterprises can compete with the larger corporations is to collaborate with other entities in the use of knowledge, expertise, and computer resources. The technologies discussed in this paper will not just become more common with small and medium-sized enterprises hoping to develop competitive products, but they will soon be essential. It is only by cooperating with other small or medium-sized enterprises that sufficient resources can be mustered in order to compete with the corporate behemoths which exist in the 21st century economy. Many of these giant corporations have unlimited resources. It is only by the increasing use of sophisticated technology that smaller businesses will be able to compete (Marasini, Ions & Ahmad).
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This paper is concerned with the use of Internet-based collaborative product development tools by small and medium-sized enterprises (Wang & Nee). Collaborative product development provides a method for smaller businesses to compete with large corporations. Some of the software for this collaboration such as e-mail and instant messaging are common (Lan). Other technologies such as computer-aided design (CAD) and product data management (PDM) systems are more specialized (Murphy & Ledwith). There is a discussion of how CAD software and the related computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software are used in collaborative product development. CAD systems are now being combined with other technologies such as PDM, computer-aided engineering (CAE), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) in order to produce products, which can be used throughout the entire product life cycle. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) provides the foundation in which data can be transferred over the World Wide Web (Zarli & Scherer).
This allows for diverse group with a variety of software and hardware components to share data in order to collaborate in developing a new product. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is used when the information being transferred must be unavailable to unauthorized access (Concha, Espadas, Romero & Molina). The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) has been used to develop multitiered applications that can be applied to collaborative product development. Extensible Markup Language (XML) provides the basis by which documents can be encoded into a computer language. This allows documents to be transferred over the Internet. Sharing systems such as peer-to-peer networks (P2P) are an increasingly popular method of collaborating over the Internet on product design. The newer process of sharing computational intelligence is also discussed. The importance of configuration management tools, white boarding, Web services (Sousa, Mendonca & Vanderdonckt), and networking are explored and their relation to product development collaboration. It is concluded that the use of these new technologies will expand and become a necessity in the 21st century in order for small and medium-sized enterprises to compete with large multinational corporations.Introduction
Collaborative product development is a strategy which small to medium-sized enterprises are using with increasing frequency in the 21st century. Increasing global competitiveness has forced these enterprises to work in a more efficient fashion. The process involves using a variety of software and hardware applications in order to facilitate the work of groups attempting to reach a common goal. In this case, the goal is the development of a new product. An alternative name for this process is collaborative product definition management.
A number of different technologies have been used for collaborative product development (Lan). The technologies are part of the product life cycle management and consist of software, and sometimes hardware, which aids in product visualization, product data management, team conferencing and collaboration, as well as software which enhances supplier sourcing. A number of data translation technologies have also been used.
Some of the software used in collaborative product development is familiar to most people (Aykin). This includes generalized software such as instant messaging, e-mail, and other common means of communication, which are Internet-based. An important part of collaboration on product development is desktop sharing applications, which allow group members to view each other's work. For product visualization and computer aided design (CAD) appshare products, which enable OpenGL graphics are needed. Data is often shared over web-based portals.
There are a number of requirements for technology, which aids in the collaborative development of products. The technology must be accessible to people of different skill levels and disciplines. It must also support extended enterprises, which may have a variety of requirements, objectives, and processes. It can handle data in alternative formats, and from many sources, is essential (Liu & Shi).
The effective collaboration for product development often requires the input of people who do not have expertise with CAD (Huang et al). This means the software being used must have interfaces, which are accessible to those with basic skill levels. However, the software must also be efficient with skilled users. These different levels of expertise require that the software have interfaces, which can be tailored to the needs of the user.
When the parties collaborating on product design are using similar CAD and product data management (PDM) systems direct transfer of data between the groups or individuals is generally sufficient (Plunkett). It is still necessary that the PDM systems be synchronized allowing for files and data to be used between the sites. Sometimes this is accomplished by using a single server.
Product design is generally interactive and may involve a number of people or groups (Dong, Qi, Gu & Wei). When heterogeneous CAD systems are used a neutral modeling command method can be used to construct the product design platforms which operate in real time. Models can be constructed and changed simultaneously from a number of sites, which are engaged in the collaborative design. This type of activity is based on translation mechanisms between neutral modeling commands and the system modeling operations. Each time a user provides an operation is translated into a neutral modeling command, which is sent to the other sites in the network. After receipt of this command, the other sites convert the message into a system modeling operation. This allows for individuals and groups using different types of CAD systems, to collaborate in real time. In this type of arrangement, it is common to use quality analysis software to ensure proper transfer of data between the various systems. CAD data exchange technology is used when the ownership of a file is being transferred from one group or individual to another. The structures can be transferred using tools, which are based on XML transfer.
CAD and CAM Software
CAD uses computers to assist in product design and documentation of ideas (Murphy & Ledwith). This type of design allows the user to take advantage of input tools, which enable a more efficient product design process. The CAD software allows the user to document their ideas regarding, drafting and manufacturing processes. The output of the software is electronic files, which can be printed or transferred to other computers.
The CAD environment is useful because it involves a wealth of information regarding the product (Chituc, Toscano & Azevedo). In addition to the shape of products many CAD software applications provide technical information such as engineering drawings, tolerances, dimensions, manufacturing processes, and materials necessary for production. This allows many designers to have a single software application which covers all aspects of the product; they are responsible for.
A technology which is related to CAD is computer aided manufacturing (CAM) (Chituc, Toscano & Azevedo). This type of manufacturing uses computer software to guide machine tools in the manufacturing of products. CAM can also refer to using computer software to help in other areas of manufacturing such as management, planning, transportation, as well as storage. The purpose of CAM is to provide a more efficient product production process. This type of software is used after a product is conceptualized with CAD.
Product development teams in the 21st century are increasingly expected to work together in an efficient manner (Li, Ong & Nee). This cooperation can be conceptualized in the aspects of hierarchical, visual, and co-design collaborative systems. These systems involve advances in the underlying algorithms and system architecture.
A great deal of research and effort are being used to increase the collaboration and distribution quality of CAD design systems for product development. These efforts have the goal of meeting the needs of global design teams and the increasing trend toward outsourcing, which is occurring in manufacturing. Advances in the collaboration of CAD systems allow manufacturing partners, suppliers, and designers to work together in order to develop superior products, which are globally competitive. Advances in this type of technology even allow customers to have input regarding their wishes for a product without gaining access to proprietary information.
Advances in information technology have led to combining CAD systems with other software technologies for collaboration in product design (Li, Ong & Nee). These other systems include enterprise resource planning (ERP), computer aided engineering (CAE), and a variety of PDM applications. Combining these technologies with CAD and CAM systems allow for collaboration throughout the entire product life cycle. This allows for the development of globally competitive products, which are of higher quality, more quickly produced, and less expensive to build.
Several CAD software vendors have realized that the trend toward collaboration and product development and are launching new software packages to meet these demands. Examples of these vendors include UGS, Autodesk, and PTC. A variety of other types of software companies have also recently begun offering products, which compete in this market. Examples of these software vendors include RealityWorks, and CoCreate. These packages have CAD and CAM software combined with other applications, which enhance the collaborative process.
One reason the new software packages for collaborative product development have become popular is the difficulty of combining a CAD system with the necessary communication programs. Combining the CAD system with communication software frequently involve innovations in geometric computing algorithms, architecture design, and communication algorithms. This is a daunting engineering task which is more efficiently accomplished by purchasing a software package which has already been appropriately configured (Li, Ong & Nee).
HTTP and HTTPS
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) provides a foundation for communication of data over the World Wide Web and is the basis on which most product collaboration over the Internet is done (Zarli & Scherer). It is a protocol which allows hypermedia information systems to be collaborative and distributed. The protocol works in the client/server computing system as a request and response function. When an individual is surfing the web the browser is assuming the role of the client and the website functions as the server. The browser sends a message to the server in HTTP format. The website then provides information in the form of images, files, or functions (Zarli & Scherer).
HTTP protocol allows for network elements to enable communications between servers and clients. Many websites which have significant traffic used a web cache to deliver information on behalf of the original server. This increases response time when site usage is high. Clients without a routable address are placed in private network. This is done by repeating the responses between the client and server. In this type of situation and HTTP proxy server works at the network boundary to facilitate communication between the private network and more public networks (Turban).
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) combines HTTP with SSL/TLS in order to provide a protocol which is encrypted (Concha et al.). This allows for communication to be secured and difficult to access by unauthorized personnel. This type of protocol is frequently used for banking and payment transactions, which occur over the World Wide Web. It is also popular among corporations, which are transferring proprietary information. A collaborative product design may produce a valuable commodity which has yet to be patented or copyrighted. In this case, it could be devastating for unauthorized personnel to gain access to the information.
HTTPS allows for secure communications and data transfer over a network which is public. This is essential in many product development collaboration scenarios. The use of the public network ensures that everyone involved in the project can be connected. The security prevents unauthorized access to proprietary information. This protects the user from eavesdroppers and unauthorized personnel that wish to obtain sensitive information. Most browser software is now equipped to analyze the certificate authority of HTTPS sites. However, it is still the responsibility of the user to ensure that the site can be trusted. Sites can be trusted only if the proper browser software has been installed and the user trusts the certificate authority. Furthermore, the website must provide a certificate which is valid and has been signed. The certificate will correctly identify the website. The user must be sure that the encryption layer of the protocol can be relied upon to prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing data or other sensitive information.
An example of how HTTP protocol can be used is provided by a proposed 3-D product configurator (Chu, Cheng & Wu). In this case, the customer is collaborating with the company in designing a product. This system would allow customers to choose personalized aspects of a product and provide mass customization. A number of 2-D product configurators already exist but do not give the customer a real-time visual example of the product they are designing. An example of this is the Dell computer website which allows customers to choose the computer components they want. 3-D product configurators would allow a customer to see their product change as they chose components. This would be achieved by using SpinFire visualization utilities with a PDM system. An application server would also be necessary.
HTTP protocol is essential to the operation of the 3-D product configurators. The integration of be components would require HTTP protocol be used within the framework. Furthermore, the customer would establish a communication link to the system using HTTP protocol. When the customer decides the product meets their specifications, they can pay for the product securely using a system which takes advantage of HTTPS protocol.
J2EE and XML Variants
The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) can be used to develop multitiered applications for use with product development collaboration. This type of platform simplified the enterprise application by allowing modular components, which are standardized. It also provides a set of services for these components in handles a multitude of application behaviors in an automatic fashion. This relieves the need for more complex programming (Oracle).
The J2EE platform is similar to the previous Java 2 platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) and shares the following features: Both applications allow for the traditional portability of Java, which allows the programming to be written once and run on any computer. Both platforms also have database access through JDBC API. Interaction with enterprise resources which already exists is accomplished through CORBA technology. Data is protected in Internet applications with a security model. This is essential for protection of proprietary information developed during collaboration on a product.
The J2EE has a multitude of new components, which were not available with the J2SE and make it more useful for product development collaboration. The J2EE provides support for JavaBeans. This new software also allows for Java servlets, XML technology, and JavaServer Pages. There are compliance tests, which ensure applications are portable through a wide range of enterprise systems. Web services can operate through the WS-I basic profile.
An example of the importance of J2EE for collaborative product development is provided by its use in the development of new software applications. Development of new software applications has shifted toward a service orientation with planning and control techniques, which ensure quality. The market has become a global one and competitiveness continues to increase. This new environment for developing software is known by people in the industry as the "hype cycle" (Duggan et al).
IT professionals change business requirements and processes into solutions provided by software. When developing these new software products they often collaborate with the use of J2EE platforms. These platforms allow ready use of the necessary object oriented analysis and design methods, which are required to develop these novel products (Duggan et al.).
Extensible Markup Language (XML) allows for documents to be encoded in a form readable by computers. The design goals of XML are of generality, simplicity and ease-of-use over the Internet. This textual data format provides Unicode, which can be used with most languages throughout the world. While XML was originally designed for documents, is now used with a number of different data structures present in a variety of Web services.
There are now hundreds of XML-based languages Examples include Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), RSS, Atom, as well as XHTML. Formats which are based on XML are the standard for the majority of office productivity software. Examples include OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office, and iWork.
Vendors are involved throughout the PLM (Khaled, Ma & Miller). This requires that different computer engineering aspect X's (CAX) be used in order for a diverse group of people to collaborate on development of a new product. The system has been proposed by Khaled, Ma & Miller, which provides an infrastructure which is automated and allows for machine to machine interactions. This system is based on the associative features of XML.
Collaboration throughout the product life cycle involves exchanging CAX files. In order for these files to be exchanged, they must be transformed and translated into a common language. Unfortunately, this process is seldom perfect and can result in a misinterpretation of product design intent and geometric patterns. Even when CAX files are transferred between the same tools, there can be problems with the recognition of certain constructs. The solution proposed by Khaled, Ma & Miller eliminates this problem and uses the more basic and universal language provided by XML.
Sharing Systems
Due to the increased competitiveness of the market in the 21st century collaborative product development involves enterprise application integration (EAI) (Kupsch & Werth). This means that within a single company the different business systems must interact with one another. Communication interfaces and protocols must handle the syntactic differences within applications. It also means that companies must be able to interact with each other. Both processes involve the use of sharing systems.
Sharing systems enable businesses and individuals to communicate on product development through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. These networks enable the participants, or peers, to share files as well as computer resources in order to exchange information and assist each other in developing new products. This situation is different than the client to server architecture. The peers are independent of any particular hardware platform. They may be interacting with the system through a wide range of hardware devices such as mainframes, desktop computers, portable computers, or even smart phones. These devices must be able to receive and transmit data to other peers. They must also operate without a central control which coordinates the communication. This type of system allows the peers to make their own decision on when to receive or transmit data.
The P2P approach is now being used with small and medium-sized businesses that are collaborating on product development. In order for these systems to work a non-centralized architecture must be present, which allows the components to operate in a self organizing manner. The IT infrastructure for the system must consist of a number of peers who can offer a minimum of one surface such as providing or receiving data.
The use of the P2P system for collaboration on product development has several advantages. The system is reliable so that no one component can cause the entire system to fail. For example, the failure of one notebook computer would only cause a problem with one of the peers. The system is scalable. The network is enhanced simply by adding additional peers. The configuration is easy because each peer contains the necessary knowledge to accomplish its own functionality. The system is adaptive because each peer can request or accept duties from the system.
Another example of sharing systems, which are used in the process of product development collaboration, is the exchange of computational intelligence (Rahman). Businesses are now using this type of intelligence in order to increase the efficiency of their business, including product development. Computational intelligence can be used to determine what type of products customers will buy and the amount of demand increases, which would be created due to an advertising campaign. This type of intelligence can also determine profitable versus costly product ventures (Rahman).
While sharing outcomes of computational intelligence for product development appears to be a promising new way of using technology, it is not yet widely accepted. Computational intelligence involves computers been programmed to make decisions based on data calculations. These calculations are generally probability-based and not certain. For example, the combined computational intelligence of several manufacturing firms' computer systems may indicate that there will be an increased demand for a particular type of product. However, this is only a probability. Unlike other computer programs, the intelligence-based systems do not provide a definitive answer. In other words, the prediction might be wrong. Many people are not comfortable with this idea and this may explain the infrequent use of this type of sharing in the development of new products.
Configuration Management Tools
Configuration management is an important part of collaboration on new product development (Rivas, Perez, Mendoza & Griman). When the product is a novel type of software it is an imperative. This type of management is seen as one of the best ways to handle changes, which occur in software product development projects. They can determine the physical and functional aspects of software throughout the design process and allow for the systematic control of changes in attributes. This enables the product developers to maintain the integrity of the software throughout the development life cycle providing for a means of traceability (Rivas, Perez, Mendoza & Griman).
Software configuration management is important for tracing the changes in the product and allows for verification of the software which is delivered (Usta). It ensures that the product is of high quality and can meet the demands which are necessary. The following four parts of software configuration management are considered essential to developing new products: identification, control, status accounting, and audits.
Configuration identification for software management includes identifying the aspects of a product which have a purpose for the end-user (Su et al.). These aspects are documented and form a baseline. This baseline can be used to ensure that the final product will meet the demands of the user.
In regard to software management, configuration control involves approval stages and processes, which ensure that the software is returned to the baseline when necessary. This process ensures that a product is not deviate from the original in its functionality.
The configuration status accounting ensures that the status of a new product is recorded in regard to the ability to meet baseline requirements (Mok, Chin & Lan). This accounting is essential for the proper configuration audit to be conducted. A functional configuration audit ensures that the product will perform as expected. A physical configuration audit ensures that a new product can be installed any manner, which meets the design detail requirements.
This type of configuration management can also be used to ensure that the software systems, which are being used to collaborate in the development of a novel product, meet the necessary commands. Frequently, teams involved in a project will wish to make changes to their hardware to accommodate new requirements. This type of configuration management ensures that these changes allow for smooth operation with the other members of the product development team and the systems they are using (Zimmerman, Zschorn, Kaschel & Teich).
Configuration management tools can also be used to ensure that hardware in use during the collaborative development of a new product will work at a maximum of efficiency. This type of management ensures that a current record of all hardware components which are being used in the infrastructure, and any related documentation, is maintained appropriately. The documentation is a record of the infrastructure being used and a way to keep track of the physical locations of the links. These are frequently known as configuration items. This is important information, in case there is a problem with the system. For example, a group collaborating on a product may find they have a problem transferring one particular type of data. Upon examination of the software, no compatibility problems are found in all components is error-free. In this case, the problem is likely to be with the hardware and the documentation required by the hardware configuration management could be essential to solving the problem.
Configuration management is used in a wide variety of fields and can be applied to a variety of aspects related to collaborative product development. This type of management ensures that the software and hardware in use are compatible and working in an efficient fashion (Zhou & Xie).
White Boarding
A technology which has proven useful for collaborative product development is white boarding. A whiteboard is a devise used to share files on a screen. The screen is known as the whiteboard. Frequently, this type of technology is used with data conferencing or videoconferencing software. It allows individuals that are working together to share information in a manner, which is similar to a traditional board mounted on a wall. The general idea of this software is to allow more than one person to work on an image. People can keep track of changes in the image in real time much as they would on a wall mount board. This type of technology is ideal for a group brainstorming on a new type of product. is frequently used when the proposed product is in early stages and individuals wish to collaborate in an informal fashion by simply drawing their ideas any freehand fashion. This technology is sometimes referred to as an electronic whiteboard or an interactive whiteboard.
Whiteboards can be ideal for group use. They can be connected to a computer through a USB port and have their image projected onto a screen. Individuals can then control the images on the screen by using their finger or other pointing device.
The whiteboards have a number of advantages for use in collaborative product development. Any software which can be loaded onto a PC can be used to form the image. This includes web browsers and proprietary software, which may be useful for product development. For example, groups which are in distant locations could work on images displayed on the white board in one section while examining similar products on the website. The technology also can capture notes, which may be written while the individual brainstorms on a new idea. Some of these whiteboards have the ability to translate handwriting into a text which can be saved in a variety of formats. The majority of whiteboards used for collaborative product development fall into one of three categories.
One type of whiteboard used for collaborative product development is a touch-based interactive system. This type of whiteboard allows a pointing device or finger to be used in order to control the image. The device operates by having a membrane stretched over a surface. The membrane is deformed when pressure is made with the pointing device. A conducting back plate senses when the membrane is changed in shape. Many of these systems allow users to simulate the use of the mouse by moving their finger on the surface or tapping it. This type of system is preferred by many due to its ease of use and not being dependent upon a particular type of device to interact with the system.
Another type of whiteboard used for collaborative product development uses an electromagnetic pen to interact with the system. These whiteboard have a number of wires, which are embedded behind the board and interact with coil located in the tip of the stylus. The computer analyzes the coordinates of the stylus with an X-Y coordinate system. The pain can be tapped on the board in order to indicate a mouse click. Individuals that prefer this system point out that it is more accurate than the touch based system.
A 3rd type of whiteboard uses an infrared pen to interact with the system. These systems vary in regard to the particular type of pen being used. One advantage of these types of systems is that they are relatively portable. A disadvantage is that they do not work well in direct sunlight.
Web Services
In addition to the previously mentioned web-based collaboration tools for product development such as chat, e-mail, file sharing, and white boarding a proposal has been made by Huang & Fan to develop a web-based engineering portal specifically focusing on collaborative product development.
Advances in dynamic markets, information technology, and global manufacturing have set the stage for a market which is increasingly competitive. In order for small and medium-sized enterprises to remain profitable they must be able to manage increased product complexity, be more flexible with their product development, and control globally outsourced operations (Chryssolouris et al.). Many of these firms are turning to an Internet-based architecture which supports the transfer and sharing of knowledge across the World Wide Web (Huang & Fan).
The web-based engineering portal proposed by Huang & Fan has the advantage of encouraging the collaboration between Chinese and European partners to develop new technical solutions. The architecture of the portal will encourage collaboration tools and practices, which are efficient and more likely to succeed. This portal can be seen as a service oriented platform which is accessible to the companies involved with a process driven heterogeneous IT infrastructure. The web serves acts as a bridge between the different infrastructures being used by companies in various countries.
In order to develop the portal a top-down analysis of the processes involved in collaborative product development was done by Huang & Fan. There were three objectives identified of entities utilizing collaborative product development. The first objective was to seek collaboration opportunities. Another objective was to outsource the engineering tasks which their particular company was unable to accomplish. Another objective was to enable engineering collaboration with highly specialized and skilled partners who are difficult to locate in a certain company location (Huang & Fan).
The portal proposed by Huang & Fan can be conceptualized as consisting of four layers of architecture with the first layer being represented by the application service. This layer allows access to proprietary information, which is necessary for collaboration. Examples of these include ERP and PDM systems. The application systems and portal are connected by SOAP, which allows for the exchange of structured information and relies on XML.
The 2nd layer is the Infrastructure Service layer and provides data integration service, which is necessary for the collaborative product development. All the data transferred within the portal are supported by this layer of the infrastructure. The data within this layer can be accessed by the portal components and used for interactive processes.
The 3rd layer consists of the collaboration service (Huang & Fan). This layer provides several basic components of collaboration. Requests and navigation must allow users to interact with partners by defining responsibilities and competencies. There must be a phase which allows partners to initiate appropriate levels of collaboration. Functions which allow for the execution of product development processes and modeling of products are a necessity. This layer must also have a modeling component which manages the product requirements and ensures that a design will meet these specifications. The visualization component of this layer ensures that enough views are provided of the engineering data to enable validation of the product. Finally, this layer must overcome the difficulties regarding collaboration between partners who may be from different cultural backgrounds and have a variety of business agendas.
The web-based engineering portal proposed by Huang & Fan is a good example of the contingencies which must be considered by any Web service, which is hoping to facilitate collaborative product development. At the 21st century moves towards a world market there will be increasing need for collaborative ventures, which take advantage of a wide variety of skills, which can only be accessed by cooperating with other business entities (Herbsleb).
Networking
An important part of collaborative product design in the 21st century is the formation of networks of companies and experts who can work together toward achieving shared goals (Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos). Examples of development activities which benefit from networking include workflow analysis, process planning, product design, process modeling, and design of manufacturing processes (Badiyani, & Raja). This complex array of activities frequently requires a small to medium-sized enterprises forming network, which can share in the engineering demands (Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos).
According to Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos the integration of the product development environment can be thought of in three layers. The first layer consists of the PLM, P2P framework, and ERP technology. The 2nd layer consists of the data exchange system such as an XML parser. The 3rd layer contains the design and manufacturing domain which handles product development. The PLM system ensures that there is a collaboration of design. An out of box solution is suggested by Cheung, Matthews, Gao & Maropoulos, which allows for several entities located in different locations to access the design of a new product. This software is advantageous for networking because it allows for standards-based collaboration, which ensures that individuals or companies under various regulations can work together on a product.
There has recently been increased interest in technology, which will allow distributed manufacturing networks to work together as loosely connected firms. This type of work can be thought of as virtual manufacturing. This type of manufacturing can substantially increase the rate of the product development process by enhancing collaboration.
A collaborative information sharing platform has been proposed by (Chen, Choy & Chan) which would enhance the work done by virtual manufacturing networks. This information platform would have features, which allow it to customize product information and data, make amendments, and manipulate documents in a distributed environment. Open architecture is used as the basis of the platform and makes it ideal for a virtual network (Chen, Choy & Chan).
The information sharing platform proposed by Chen, Choy & Chan has several layers. These layers consist of data acquisition, customizable interface, Web server, collaborative operations, applications, data interchange, and product database. If additional functions are needed, modules can be added to the application layer.
The research done by Chen, Choy & Chan indicates that most small and medium-sized enterprises do not yet make full use of Internet technology to enable networking of their collaborative product development. The majority of manufacturing firms require design information, which is conveyed more clearly and can be understood by a greater number of organizations. The virtual network paradigm is particularly appealing to small and medium-sized enterprises due to its decreased capital requirements. While some of the software and IT infrastructure is expensive, it is generally of lower cost than additional facilities or full-time employees (Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, Galeano & Molina).
Conclusion
Increasing competition from global markets has forced small and medium-sized enterprises in the 21st century to operate more efficiently (Wang & Nee). Part of this efficiency involves developing products, which are of higher quality, can be produced quicker, and cost less in materials and other costs of production. In order to produce the type of product many enterprises have turned to collaboration with other entities to help develop new products.
Collaborative product development involves using a variety of hardware and software applications in order to facilitate this type of work. Some of these applications are familiar to most people such as e-mail and instant messaging. Other products such as CAD are more specialized. New challenges have been created by entities hoping to work together, which are using systems that do not share the same type of underlying data systems.
HTTP and the more secure HTPPS provide a basis for transferring data over the World Wide Web, which can be recognized by a variety of applications (Zarli & Scherer). This protocol allows for information systems to collaborate and widely distribute their information while maintaining a sufficient degree of security.
The increasing collaborative nature of product design in the 21st century has encouraged many small and medium-sized enterprises to use P2P networks. These networks allow for collaboration over the World Wide Web. The participants, or peers, and share computer resources and files in order to assist each other in developing new products. This type of collaboration has the advantage of being independent of hardware platforms. It is reliable due to its lack of reliance on one component. No single component can fail and shut down the system. The system can also be expanded by the simple addition of new peers who provide their own hardware. This makes the P2P network affordable. Configuration problems are avoided due to each party being responsible for knowledge of their own hardware and software (Kupsch & Werth).
Small and medium-sized enterprises of the 21st century must become increasingly efficient. In order to meet the demands of global competition superior products must be developed quickly and efficiently. Often the only way in which these enterprises can compete with the larger corporations is to collaborate with other entities in the use of knowledge, expertise, and computer resources. The technologies discussed in this paper will not just become more common with small and medium-sized enterprises hoping to develop competitive products, but they will soon be essential. It is only by cooperating with other small or medium-sized enterprises that sufficient resources can be mustered in order to compete with the corporate behemoths which exist in the 21st century economy. Many of these giant corporations have unlimited resources. It is only by the increasing use of sophisticated technology that smaller businesses will be able to compete (Marasini, Ions & Ahmad).
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