Papers and Reports:
E. Ten
Brinke, E. Lutters, T. Streppel, H. Kals: Cost estimation architecture
for
integrated cost control based on information management.
The authors
describe a cost estimation architecture and a related cost estimation
method
applicable in product development cycle as defined in an manufacturing
engineering reference model (MERM) described by some of the authors
elsewhere.
The architecture consists of four functions: cost estimation,
production
monitoring, cost calculation and cost modelling. Cost estimation is
based on
engineering specifications and a cost model providing relevant cost
rates.
Actual costs are gathered through the monitoring function, which are
used to
calculate the actual product costs. The latter are compared with the
estimated
costs leading to improved cost models.
Information
management is based on the reference model and identifies three
information
structures relating to product, resource and order. These structures
are
partitioned in domains which represent different aspect systems onto
which
focussed and partial representations can be created by means of views,
e.g.
cost views. The related software architecture identifies six functional
modules: cost models, cost determination, cost reports, data analysis,
risk
analysis and data tuning, which are to be controlled by the information
management system. An earlier implementation for a sheet metal
application has
been reported elsewhere.
For more
information: a.h.streppel@ctw.utwente.nl
Intern.
Journal of CIM, Vol. 17, Nr. 6, pp 534-545 (2004)
Contact: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals