Enhanced multiple-view feature modelling

Multiple-view feature modelling is used in concurrent engineering. A shortcoming of current implementations is that they can only support low-level geometry-based product development phases, because they use form feature models. In order to overcome this shortcoming, we will use enhanced feature models, which are built from features that are defined as an aspect of a product that has some functional meaning. Enhanced feature models are therefore also able to support high-level product development phases. The prototype enhanced multiple-view feature modelling system to be developed will support the conceptual design phase, the assembly design phase, the detail design phase, the manufacturing analysis and planning phase, and the assembly analysis and planning phase. It will provide view conversion to keep the models for the different phases consistent, dealing with, among other things, incompletely specified geometry and assembly information of a product.