1 PDM Introduction PDM is used to manage all product-related information and products related to process technology. All product-related information, including: parts information, product structure, structure configuration, files, CAD documents, scanned images, approval information; and all product-related processes (life cycle, workflow, approval / release, engineering change, etc. ) of the definition and monitoring. Currently, the global commercialization of PDM has a variety of software products, all of these PDM products, though most will have some differences, but generally have the following main functions: 1) electronic databases and document management; 2) product structure and configuration management; 3) work flow (life cycle) or process management; 4) project management and electronic collaboration features; 5) organization and resource management; 6) integrated development interface; 7) data electronic safe function. Clear positioning for the PDM system for manufacturing enterprises, product management of the core, data, processes and resources for the three elements of management information, and its two main lines of information management products is the static structure and dynamic product design process, all information organization and resource management products are designed and carried around. 2 Workflow Originated the concept of workflow and office automation in the production organization. In 1993, the International Workflow Management Coalition (Workflow ManagementCoalition, WfMC) workflow management system for related terms, architecture, reference models and application programming interface has formulated a series of standards. Workflow management technology is the automation of enterprise business process management is an important technology. Workflow technology as a computer supported cooperative work (Computer Support Collaboration work, cscw) is an important direction of research, the main objective is to call the relevant information resources and human resources to coordinate all aspects of the business process, so that Anzhao - be in the order carried out in order to achieve business process automation. In this process, all texts, information and tasks are set in accordance with the rules, from - personal / local transfer to another - personal / local. WfMC's workflow management system architecture shown in Figure 1, this architecture gives the abstract workflow management system of functional components and interfaces, work flow for achieving interoperability between products to provide public infrastructure. 3 PDM in the main function of workflow management Workflow management is one of the main function of PDM, workflow management module is used to define and control the basic flow of data manipulation, operation and maintenance of established work processes, control their working conditions and to carry out their work history records, making The process associated with product data organically combined. When the main user of the data management operations. Management activities between people or between the data flow, and the life cycle of a project to track all transactions and data flow. Workflow management in accordance with the management division of the scope and function, can be divided into three kinds: task management, workflow management and job history. Task Manager: Product designers are mainly management when the data object on which the design or change what had been done on what impact other data, etc., which should inform the relevant personnel. As product design is often designed by a collaborative group or more units together to complete, each person carried their own interactive tasks, product design also need to constantly change, each change may affect other people. The main function of task management is to achieve the design team or the harmonization of the various units of product design, when the design change, there must be a certain way (such as e-mail) promptly notify the relevant personnel. Work history management: the equivalent of the log function, task management and workflow management to give records of all actions and events to provide traceability functionality. In product research and development process. Nodes are often set some stage, and archive all relevant data in this phase to check the records of the changes, understand the causes and consequences of the evolution of the state. Similarly, development of new products which can absorb the lessons of successful experiences and failures, and estimate the progress of the new program schedule and resource allocation. Workflow Management: Workflow management features include the definition and establishment of work processes, run and control the work processes, view status of documents in the process. For example, in product design and manufacturing process, the approval document, release or change, as well as parts of the design, analysis and manufacturing, are work-oriented groups, while in accordance with certain processes. Define and establish a working definition of the product development process, including the process, define the approval process the data, assigning processes of users. Run and control the work flow work flow work flow that is specified as well after the mandate of each participants individual tasks into the table, each participating staff from the computer you can see their tasks, under the guidance of the process work. View the document states the process is running in the workflow process, established by the competent officer under the mandate of the process to check the progress of all participants and staff timely notification procedure to ensure the smooth progress of the work. The status of the document is divided into: Design, submitted for review, modification, storage, distribution, and freeze a few states, any privileged user can query the status of the document process. 4 workflow management support for other modules Workflow is to create activities or use of data, it is no limit to the engineering department. Workflow and data between the closely linked, each step of the workflow will use the data. Workflow management is one of the core functions of PDM systems, PDM workflow management control is not a simple process, on the one hand to provide business data approval and review process; the other hand, changes to product data management tools and technology status . PDM workflow is a driver module, used to define and control the basic process of data manipulation, the key management data or when a user works on what happens during operation, the flow of data between different users and in the life of a project cycle tracks all transactions and data activities for the PDM system provides generation, monitoring, management and control of enterprise business process capabilities. 4.1 Approval Process Management In business, every day a large amount of data, many of them need to go through for approval before information is sent to the T as a guide for staff use or archiving. Approval of the business process generally includes the following steps: When the product data to design a good product development information, the need to submit the information to the relevant approval staff review and approval. Audit staff on the problems of design information advice and feedback to the designer. Designers are given based on the views of auditors on the product data information modified and re-submitted to the audit staff review and approval. Until such data to revise and improve, by all audit staff approval, sent to the relevant personnel to use or archive. Traditional document approval process is conducted by hand, so that the low efficiency of the approval process, especially when multiple people need to sign, the data file to be circulated in each of the hands of a serial. When a reviewer receives the data file to be approved, due to various reasons can not complete processing time, then other people can not continue to approve, so that the whole approval process is delayed. Enterprise PDM system through the approval process can be pre-specified, the definition of the workflow stage the number and name, according to enterprise work habits to determine the priorities of each session and the corresponding approval of personnel / roles and time frames, etc., also need to provide each level of approval by the rules. Designers design in the work area after completion of the document will need to select the appropriate document approval process. PDM system to automatically enter the pre-specified approval process, and then notified by e-mail or other relevant personnel for approval, and sent these documents to the relevant approval of staff. Approval of the appropriate person receives the request for approval of the information, complete their approval or editing. When more than one node needs approval by the time the process to trial data can be copied simultaneously sent to each approver in the working folder, so that multiple approval can work in parallel, while data for approval to trial this in order to improve the efficiency of approval. In the PDM system using electronic signatures, with the approval authority to approve personnel can open the task interface, based on the interface to select approval to agree or disagree to a vote, and fill out the examination and approval opinions. Electronic signature is not imitation signature, but the system through access control, so that users can not enter into the right approvers approval of the real interface will not be able to approve operating, the system's authority under the approval to approval of the views can be uniquely determined from which approval, and thereby played a signature role. Approval signature and approval of all views are part of product documentation by way of permanent preservation of electronic records. After approval, the approval documents automatically into the electronic database, the working version becomes released version, to be protected against unauthorized access to other persons, for authorized access only and can not modified. Engineering Change Management 4.2 Enterprise workflow change is often the case, for example, the drawings have been released in the course of problems, has been molded product configuration has changed, then they need to make changes to the original drawing document, such Change management is the change process management. When you need to make changes to the workflow, the request to change the request for change of personnel, while the reasons to explain change, indicate change the content, and personnel change requests submitted for approval, issued only through the approval given to the implementation of change request. In an enterprise, the engineering change process is often constrained specifications and process control, and workflow management so it is always inseparable. Engineering change management is a particular workflow, it has to apply, review, approval, implementation, notice several changes to the basic link, and these basic aspects of the implementation of specific steps when there are more detailed. If the sign of the changing design of the staff must determine the sign, through the approval of changes to the program, and then issued. Meanwhile, the design was changed to change the program and design documents must be established relationship, change in the design of the program will sign the completed design documents also get permission to upgrade and automatically submit the relevant documents after the upgrade process. If you change the design of the process of creating new documents, programs also need to establish relationship with the change in the proposal to approve a new document after the approval process-driven, the corresponding change notification is generated automatically by the PDM. Figure 2 shows the business change process is a simple program change process. 5 Conclusion In summary, the PDM can be seen everywhere traces of workflow management, workflow management is an important function of PDM system, the production throughout the entire product development process, effective coordination of the product design process and business between the various departments cooperation, making the PDM system has sufficient flexibility to a large extent, can improve production efficiency and competitiveness.

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