Product Variant Master as a Means to Handle Variant Design

The overall time requiered to design a new product variant relies on two factor: how good the methods to design the new variant are and how good these method are supported by computers.It has been estimated that 80% of all design tasks are variational in that the goal of the design is to adapt an existing basic design to new requirements. Parametric/variational models and macro programmning abilities have been developed to address the above and similar requirement in modern CAD systems. The topic of this paper is to describe a systematic method for variant design support and how it can be implemented in the CAD system I-DEAS. A precondition for high degree of computer support is identification of a product variant master from which new variants can be derived. This class platform defines how a product build up fit certain production methods and rules governing determination of modules, assemblies, and parts. Implementation in an industrial company shows that considerable rationalisation effects can be achieved