Title: Small-world phenomenon: toward an analytical model for data exchange in Product Lifecycle Management

Authors: Zhengxu Zhao, Lee Zhuo Zhao

Addresses: School of Computing and Information Engineering, Shijiazhuang Tiedao Institute, 17 East Road, 2nd Inner-Ring North, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050043, China. ' Trinity College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 1TQ, UK

Abstract: Product information is complex and discrete in terms of design methods and manufacturing processes, its long-term retention has for some time been a great challenge. This paper presents an initial research into the small-world phenomenon within the exchange of product information and the associating software tools. The objective is to construct a small-world-networking model and thereafter to produce useful findings for future reference in information organisation. It is expected that this model will be an essence for effective product data exchange, index and migration and for helping to deal with the key problems in long-term retention of engineering data.

Keywords: small-world phenomenon; six degrees separation; product modelling; CAD data file; information organisation; product data exchange; product lifecycle management; PLM; product information.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMS.2008.021195

International Journal of Internet Manufacturing and Services, 2008 Vol.1 No.3, pp.213 - 230

Published online: 09 Nov 2008 *

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