Partition Nodes for PLM Data Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional PLM systems lack sufficient mechanisms for arranging product data into a meaningful organizational scheme, leading to inefficiencies in navigation and data management, particularly in structures with many levels of hierarchically arranged reusable assemblies, as they do not support logical partitions that are reusable or instantiable within a context, resulting in unnecessary data storage and performance overhead.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hierarchical data structure that includes partition nodes to sub-divide occurrences for organizational purposes, allowing for multiple partitions and business rule enforcement, which does not introduce new contexts and maintains the cohesiveness of the underlying occurrence structure, enabling efficient navigation and data management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional PLM systems use hierarchical data structures with many levels of assemblies, then product data can be organized structurally, but navigation and data management become inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces partition nodes that segment the hierarchical occurrence structure into manageable organizational units. Each partition node represents a logical division (e.g., by system, subsystem, or functional group) that allows users to navigate and manage data in smaller, more efficient units without disrupting the underlying hierarchical relationships. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing a secondary organizational layer that improves navigation while maintaining the necessary hierarchical complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional PLM systems lack partition mechanisms, then data storage is simpler, but organizational divisions and reuse of elements across contexts become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The partition node structure provides a universal organizational mechanism that can be applied across different contexts and hierarchical levels. A single partition node can serve multiple purposes: organizing occurrences within a context, enabling cross-context element reuse, and supporting various query and navigation operations. This multi-functionality achieves element adaptability without proportionally increasing data storage overhead, as the partition structure is reused across multiple contexts rather than duplicating organizational information.
3Productivity
If partition nodes are introduced to organize occurrences, then navigation efficiency improves, but data structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Partition nodes serve as intermediary elements between the hierarchical occurrence structure and the user interface or query mechanisms. Rather than directly modifying the hierarchical structure to improve navigation, the partition nodes act as a mediating layer that organizes occurrences logically while preserving the underlying hierarchical relationships. This intermediary approach improves data management efficiency without fundamentally increasing the complexity of the core data structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for product data management and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. A method includes maintaining a hierarchical data structure for a complex item. The data structure includes a root node representing the complex item, at least one assembly node associated with a the partition node, and a plurality of part nodes each associated with the assembly node. The method includes defining at least two occurrences associated with the root node and corresponding to at least the root node and assembly node. The method includes defining at least one partition node representing a partition of the complex item, the partition node representing an organizational division of the occurrences of the associated with the root node that can be referenced in queries and navigation. The method includes associating at least two of the plurality of occurrences with the at least one partition node.