Abstract
Even though knowledge management has been a subject of research for a long time, management of through-life engineering service knowledge (SK) has started getting more attention quite recently. With the help of literature review and analysis, this paper identifies possible drivers to extend the product life cycle, presents definitions of knowledge and engineering service knowledge and identifies research gaps and challenges in digital feedback of through-life engineering SK to product design and manufacture. The paper presents a causal loop model to represent causes and effects of through-life engineering SK on product design and manufacture. A digital framework is presented to address integration challenges in digital feedback of through-life engineering SK to product design and manufacture. The digital framework is developed with the intention of developing a SK backbone demonstrator application. Industrial experts have validated the initial framework. Detailed case studies shall be undertaken to enhance this framework in future.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 59-74 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 29 Apr 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Jan 2015 |
Funding
The SKB knowledge-transfer partnership (KTP) between Rolls-Royce and Cranfield University was funded by Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC, and aimed at developing a SKB-incorporating design for service automation, while looking at life-cycle engineering requirements from design, manufacturing and assembly. The outcomes of the project included the following: The X-Media was aimed at turning data, pictures and text from lab, engine and theoretical model into more useful knowledge. The outcomes included vision demonstrator (intelligent data viewer) and a number of open-source software tools developed by project partners that included Rolls-Royce plc and Sheffield University. End users were Rolls Royce and Fiat, who provided requirements and test beds for the KM technology (X-Media Consortium 2014). The project was partly sponsored by European Commission FP6 programme. Cambridge Service Alliance at University of Cambridge led KT-Box project to bridge the knowledge transfer gap in services. A number of diagnostic and management tools to support engineering service operations were developed under this EPSRC Knowledge Transfer Account programme, concluded in late 2012 (Cambridge Service Alliance 2012). The research presented in this paper was also partially supported through KT-Box programme. The authors acknowledge Rolls-Royce plc, EPSRC and Technology Strategy Board for providing funds to SKB Knowledge Transfer Partnership Programme no. 7767. The Cambridge Service Alliance, University of Cambridge, is also acknowledged for partially sponsoring the SKB project through KT-Box programme.
Keywords
- design for service
- digital feedback
- manufacturing
- product design
- through-life engineering service knowledge